Well, I can honestly say....no one pays attention to car alarms. AT ALL (pics tonight...i hope)

Full movie theater parking lot Thursday night, Parked in front by ticket booth around 9 pm...they tried to steal the tC. Couldn't get it started by punching the ignition (duh), so they decided to just take the Head Unit.
Mind you, all this while the alarm is going off by them popping the passenger window after trying a Slim Jim, then a screw driver on the door handle, then screw driver in B pillar and glass, that worked.

Well, they did eventually get the Head Unit, but not the face of it hidden under seat or the brains attached under passenger seat. Useless...completely useless to them. Because I bolted the head unit in different using Torx head screws,
they tore the dash up getting it out and broke the windshield from the inside. Not sure why. One witness says one of the guys inside punched it.

2 girls watched them do it....no one called police.

So, parts and labor from damage...$4000

They touched nothing in the rear subs and amps, none of the headrest monitors, nothing in the console (iPod, old cell phone). Punched ignition then Head Unit.

But, I view this as an opportunity Since they tore up the seats sitting on the glass, parts and my labor gets leather from Katzkin. Instead of the AVIC-N2---we get the AVIC-D1 for less and much better fit.
My brother deals with the insurance company (he owns a body shop), damage to the door gets graphics.

The savings of labor....gets rid of the useless Scion alarm. NO ONE LISTENS to it. Without a page alarm, proximity options with voice warning...they are USELESS.

CompuStar alarm with Proximity alarm with voice alert and a page will alert you someone is within the specified distance to your car (you set - 1 foot, 2 feet, etc).
It will page you up to 1.25 miles of your car that this alarm triggered.
Who ever triggers the proximity will get a verbal warning "Step away from vehicle, cameras are recording and a warning page has been sent to owner"
Yup, we are installing 4 micro cams in the vehicle attached to a hard drive tied to the alarm trigger facing front, rear, and both sides.

If they steal the car - maybe finding it with "our" black box will help. If I get a repeat of this, maybe the voice warning of the recording and alarm page will make them move on.
Even getting a revenge key down the side of the car would be risky to them as now they are recorded.
Windows broken, whatever, you will be paged with an update.

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lame...i've had my old car broken into twice. same thing, tried to get the headunit, but couldn't because i bolted it in well. instead just got the faceplate. it was my fault for leaving the faceplate on that night.
anyways, you seem pretty calm, with it.
of course they aren't going to be able to hotwire it....thats what a transponder chip is there for. i'm glad no way has been able to drive off with a tC yet. but they could alway flatbed it.
oh well, sorry to hear about it, but thats what insurance is for, best of luck on your future changes

 

Yeah I feel a little more comfortable with my Compustar, but ____ can still happen... Sorry to hear about your experience. But in the long run your car will be better because of it. Hopefully your insurance premiums wont go up.

 

yikes

 

You need to get one of these :

http://www.angelfire.com/biz2/mandme...security2.html

 

Well atleast we know the engine imbolizer works thats a good thing

 

Oh maaaaaaan...ScionDad, I fell so bad for you and your daughter. I've had two jeeps broken into, so believe me, I'm familiar with the frustration and heartbreak.

Sounds like you are making the most of the situation though.
which model compustar are you going with? Is the camera setup and actual option, or is that something you are rigigng on your own?

 

I'm calm only because this isn't the first time I've had this happen during my life and there is really no way to make it stop...except never drive it. F them....they aren't going to make me do that.

As for my insurance premiums...na, I'm an old guy that hasn't made a claim in over 20 years. Only reason I am now is to improve on what I aready had....so why not.

I like the tazer idea....thats funny. But now a days, if one of these thieving crack heads got killed because if it....I would probably get thrown in jail

This afternoon, we are checking out the cameras and where to mount them and where to mount the black box so that even if the car is stripped and burnt, they wont think to find it.

Compustar is sweet, but there are a few more options to add to complete it. Towing or flatbeding the car will require tilting and moving the car. Simple fix options for that alarm as well.

I want to know if anyone is even near the car...and I want them to hear "Smile...you ugly face is now being recorded from 4 cameras inside this vehicle and a page has been sent to me and my 9mm, stick around and see if I'm lying or not"

 

Man am I sorry to hear that!!! You had a lot of good work in that car, but as you mentioned, at least you can view it as an opportunity. It really irritates me that some lame person would just sit there and watch them do it without calling the police!!! If they would have even yelled and gotten others attention they would have probably took off... but that is the way people are now I guess...

I like the idea of the black box. I have plans in my head for a custom alarm system myself. It would be a fun project (for a geek like me ).

For your hard drive, are you using a solid state design? This will allow you to use it for other functions while the car is in motion if needed (so there is no worry of the head crashing). They also use less power. My friend used one to build a complete touch screen control system for his car a few years ago. I believe samsung has some nice ones out now.

Anyway, sorry about the car, but glad the car was not stolen!

 

heh heh.. I like the 9mm part as well Great warning message!

 

Yea, great lesson for my daughter....I was about her age when it first happened to me....

Compustar 2WSS-AS is the best they have with the most optional inputs and outputs. The voice option, proximity are aftermarket. The video option I'm doing with a friend of mine. Funny, he asked me to help him design something a few month back. I helped him a few days run the wires in his new GTO (sweet cars BTW). Pretty slick setup. It can be improved on. Might make it something for sale. In a mall parking lot, he gets alot of recordings from people parking next to him. Night time sucks...not good video outside the car. Thinking of a fix for that. Cameras are in the headrest and friggin tiny.

 

rig a tazer in your drivers seat... that will teach them. Them laying limp and helpless in your carseat... Then drag them out of your car and beat the crap out of them and stick their tools up their ___.

 

No need for me to ask you for a howto on your camera setup, knowing you, you'll have all the information I need to copy your setup. Lol, hell, I'm gonna be in MO in July, maybe I'll just drive up instead of fly, and you can do it with me
Seriously tho, I will be in St Louis in July. Time permitting, I'll see if I can look you guys up

 

Def look me up....As for copying....I wish everyone on here had a setup....sending the crackhead thieves over to the hondas again

 

Yea, I will give Scion security that...they didn't get the car. The cop said if they got it...it would be headed east for sure (towards downtown St.Louis and East St.Louis.)

The only thing about those 2 girls I was upset about is they had a cell phone with them, I understand them not confronting them or even getting noticed....they said it was 3 pretty big guys.
But please...MAKE A FREE 911 PHONE CALL. They said they were scared to get out of their car. OK, can't unring a bell. AT least they stuck around to give info to the cops.

Yea, I looking solid state disk for sure. My buddy used a laptop for his...big and heavy power...but it works. Like you said, solid state will work perfect. Less power, no hard drive failing and FAST. Direct connect in place od HD

Check this bad boy out
http://news.com.com/Photo+Samsungs+s...3-5717119.html

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I'm scared now. I think my viper is not good enough. Although last time the kids outside my apt playing soccer, my alarm alerted me, and i had to run out to check while i was having great time on the bed *dreaming*.

Now I need to consider ScionDad's security system. I need something very secure for my car.

Definitely love the camera and voice warning option, it would be great!

 

Pop....

Where in St. Louis did it happen? Where you at Ronnies on South Lindberg? Bunch of hoodies hang out there...

I never realized you were close, I thought you were in KY somewhere cause of the ZPi threads.

I'd love to see your ZPi setup once you get it on ;)

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I know Ronnies...and avoid it. Got my truck keyed in Chesterfield Flats last year. Actually, went to St. Charles 18 off of 94 this time....obviously just as bad. You know, seems you just can't go anywhere.

 

that sucks man....its scary that now car theives are going after our cars.......its one of the first instances that this happened.......gee, i didnt think that the immobilizer would work.....there was this one instance where a thief was able to disable the immobilizer system on a HONDA and drove it away..... its comforting to know that ours actually works....but stilll,, nothing can beat a tow car...

 

give someone enough time they can defeat the immobilizer