Page 1 of 2
A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:47 pm
by gazm3
Had a strange couple of days with my motors.
Firstly someone decided to steal my Honda Civic wheel centres on my company car in the middle of the night. Parked on the road outside. Very sad.
Bear in mind I never see hardly anyone in a E30 in Manchester.
I had a little snooze after putting the kids to bed. Awoke and looked outside. A black E30 touring parked outside my house . Very strange..
I decided to go and have a look. reg E960 JJB Tax done at Post office in Stockport
The lads walk up and down my road, carrying something in a clear bag. I think they may have seen me at the front bedroom window and walked past my place, looking at my M3.
They then, came back and got in there touring. Before the driver got in he gave off a long and loud sigh and speed off.
What would you make of that?.
M3 is in the garage blocked in by the Msport with the E39 behind that and the civic behind the the E39
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:49 pm
by march109
report it to the police, might not help you but if someone somewhere else has had the same problem and took the plate it might be enough to get the dohnut eating salad dodgers to take note.
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:53 pm
by eko
Id be naturally paranoid
CCTV on front of house/bat behind front door/alarm on all cars AND garage?
Worth talking police/fake police to make them aware?
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:53 pm
by Speedtouch
gazza325cab wrote:The lads walk up and down my road, carrying something in a clear bag.
Perhaps they won a goldfish at a fair...

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:04 am
by gazm3
Very paranoid.
Trainers ready, clothes ready. All cars locked and alarms on
It was no fish in the bag.
All car keys coming to bed with me, and going to work with me as well.
Speaking to Police friend tomorrow.
I dont like it at all.
Come to think of it some random bloke mentioned Hardtops to me yesterday as I was cleaning my M3.
That was strange as well. Considering I have two.
Off to find a Hard piece of wood.

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:13 am
by eko
Manchester hasnt changed then

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 1:16 am
by Emm3
I would move the car asap for a few days just to be on the safe side, thieves will do anything to get your car if they want it. Mate of mine had his car locked in a garage and he had three family cars parked outside in front of the garage. They broke into all 3 moved them and then stole his sierra cosworth!
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 1:21 am
by snoops
Emm3 wrote:I would move the car asap for a few days just to be on the safe side, thieves will do anything to get your car if they want it. Mate of mine had his car locked in a garage and he had three family cars parked outside in front of the garage. They broke into all 3 moved them and then stole his sierra cosworth!

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 3:23 am
by tigalima
maybe he is an e30 fans too?? and he have a touring e30,
when he drive by your home, he saw a nice M3, so he admire it.....
just kidding,
well just be careful, it's "the M3", you can't find it in my country

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:48 am
by B7
Sounds like they'll be back. Take every precaution you can. Leave nothing about, even if your working in them....you know, having a little tinker and think? "just need to shoot to the shops to buy another tin of satin black, i'll only be 5 mins" and leave tools etc lying about? These guys don't sound like opportunists. They sound like planners, casing the gaff.
Report it to the police and get some kind of reference number. Then if /when it happens for real, you can go back and quote it.
Have you checked the insurance website with that reg? If it's not insured the old bill may want to know? Can your police contact run a check, see where they live?
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:25 am
by Rosc0PColtrane
Get your police friend to get the address for you. Then pay them a visit, informing them your property is not subject to a free for all. If such an event were to occur, you'd consider them repsonsible and would be celebrating Guy Fawkes day somewhat early with a few choice friends.
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:30 am
by jaffro
this happens a lot near where i live strange cars pulling up a lads walking about at daft times at night. manchester a stockport are getting worse by the day

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:36 am
by josh-hocking
make a fuel cutof switch that looks like a aircon button or somthing then they will never get it started

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:38 am
by march109
josh-hocking wrote:make a fuel cutof switch that looks like a aircon button or somthing then they will never get it started

Unless of course they read the zone.
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:39 am
by march109
gazza PM replied to.
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:43 am
by Blitz
Set traps for them like Home Alone.

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:52 am
by SPADGE
There is always the possibilty that you may just be being a tad paranoid here.
How do you know that thing in the clear bag wasn't just a Betterware brochure

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:53 am
by secondtimelucky
Blitz wrote:Set traps for them like Home Alone.

ROFL!!! Genius

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:10 am
by Morat
CCTV isn't hard if you have a bit of computer/network knowledge and a few hundred to spend, but next time get your cameraphone/digicam out and snap them and their car before they drive off. Its legal and it shows em that if they come back you'll have their faces for the police to check.
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:24 am
by noney82
sounds doggy but saying that my end of stockport seems to be ok, iv had my e30 on my drive for about 18 months and i haven't used it i get people stopping to look at it iv even had people knock on my door asking me to sell it but (touch wood) its never been touched. i had a nova on my drive last year to and i thought all the lads would of tried to have it away but it never got touched either. my estate is prob a well known one as well it use to have a bad name. where in manchester are you?
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:29 am
by tha_lick
i think you should definatly put the cars away for a few days, or even weeks. you get theives that try and do things and then you get professional theives who will hold people up at knife or gun point. its no joke feller, my bros a police officer and has been on scene with a family that got help up for their Dad's RR Phantom.
concidering you've got a family too you gotta be careful. perhaps you could keep the cars with family members or friends well out of the area?
a good deterant would be a security light with motion sensor. as soon as someone walks into your garden the light goes on. get em an homebase and are p*ss easy to fit.
you might just be paranoid but its a real shame. no one should feel like this or go to such lengths to protect their belongings.
good luck mate
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:49 am
by SK360
Perhap's you are being A little paranoid, but the fact is, lad's in an E30 at A silly time of night/morning just hanging around outside/near your house when you conveniently have A few nice E30's yourself?
Definately get one of those motion sensitive lights, I've had A lot of traffic being diverted down my road because of all sorts recently (not good) and my brother usually call's me over saying people have pulled up or slowed down to look at your car, being the idiot that I am, I never took the Reg number the last time

but what can you do, what if their just looking because they like it? You can't exactly tell everyone who look's at your car go do one either, otherwise they will be back; probably with paint stripper or to simply key it.
You can't be too careful though mate, and it's also bloody annoying having to be paranoid when you have A nice E30 in plain sight, chain down your hardtop if it's on the car.
Do you have A proximity alert function on your car's alarm's, im sure these can temporarily be turned up to be extra sensitive if you need them to be!
S.K.
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:07 pm
by oakey
Next time you see them outside, calmly walk over and tell them you will knee cap them if they are even thinking about stealing your property.
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:17 pm
by gooner1
SPADGE wrote:There is always the possibilty that you may just be being a tad paranoid here.
How do you know that thing in the clear bag wasn't just a Betterware brochure

Or maybe they were just innocent glue sniffers out for a constitutional stroll.
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:35 pm
by Speedtouch
B7 wrote:Have you checked the insurance website with that reg? If it's not insured the old bill may want to know? Can your police contact run a check, see where they live?
ASKMID states:
"The details on the MID are:
Vehicle Make/Model: BMW 32 TOURER
Vehicle type: PRIVATE CAR "
BMW 32?

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:39 pm
by leeparkes
Get yourself down B&Q/focus etc and get two 500 watt flood lights and mount them high up (little bastids can push the sensors up to face the sky so they wont go off) i have two and there mounted either side of my bedroom window,
if anyone walks on my drive it will light up my drive like a footbal pitch,plus shine in my bedroom window to wake me up!
simple but effective deterent,(unless they have a pellet gun)
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 1:19 pm
by gazm3
Nothing overnight, im pleased to report.
I admit you do get paranoid.
My driveway is quite well illuminated. Im going to install new lights.
I have CCTV nothing special.
The missus thinks I attract attention with the 3 E30's and a E39 and the company Honda.
I dont see it as much.
Thinking metal railings on the walls poss new gates.
I may even get a small safe for the home.
All the E30 keys are in my bag here at work.
Thanks for the advice gents.
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 1:48 pm
by david106
I always take my keys to bed ,not likely they will nick my e30 though its not even got a battery on it

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:01 pm
by sam325is
Remove the steering wheel and if you want to be really extreme the front 2 seats and ignition coil.
Game over then.
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 3:56 pm
by Barx325i
leeparkes wrote:(unless they have a pellet gun)
getting warmer

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 4:39 pm
by csl
Sounds very dodgy, but sounds like you are taking some steps towards preventing anything happening which is good.
Trouble with garaged cars is a thief can try and get a car running while he is out of sight.
I really hope that we have all over-reacted with this and your cars remain safe

It's not good when you lift your garage door and there is empty space where there was a prized possesion !
I too would inform the police on this (rest assured they will not want to know if it does get stolen thou !)
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 5:05 pm
by Chase007
Alarm system and bomb come to mind!

But then again no need to cut off your nose to spite your face!

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:02 pm
by Bob_S
it'll be fine, they were probably only after centre caps anyway
Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:46 pm
by Martinaston
Chain the car to the ground

Re: A Potential Thief with a E30 Touring?
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:44 pm
by robbo86
Alarm system and bomb come to mind! But then again no need to cut off your nose to spite your face!
and then you forget to disarm the bomb!!!