Attempted theft of Tesla Roadster
There was an attempted theft of a Tesla Roadster in the Pacific Northwest.
I am going to leave the name and location off of this posting, but I will describe the circumstances. I will also give the recommended advice for making it more difficult to steal a Tesla Roadster.
I am posting this here so that more info can be shared about theft protection with the security PIN code.
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(quote from owner of the attempted stolen Tesla Roadster)
Someone did break into my garage and tried to steal it while I was away. Unfortunately, I didn't realize how easy it was to break into my garage, and I hadn't bothered to roll up my windows or lock the car. (Not that it would have mattered if I hadn't had the hard top on.) They tried to start the car with some kind of a lock pick, but it broke off in the ignition. A locksmith was unable to remove the pick, so I had the car towed for repair.
The Tesla seems to attract a lot more attention than my other car (Porsche Cayman). I believe someone followed me home and came back later, probably with the intent of taking it for a joy ride. The radio and an iPod were untouched, as well as an expensive bike. I'm probably going to install a motion detector alarm in my garage in case this happens again. And set the security code.
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(another quote from a different Tesla Roadster owner)
It’s my understanding that using the security code is equivalent to locking the car. It engages the theft protection. The security code just doesn’t require a key fob.
With the car locked and thus theft protection enabled, the car shouldn’t start even with the top off and the best screwdriver.