I go out to dinner once a week in Newport Beach California. I like to park in a well lit but little used, remote, parking lot. I have not yet parked my Roadster there. I am wondering how often these cars get broken into or stolen? I hate to leave the car at home since it is SO much fun to drive but I would hate worse to lose it.
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Break In/Theft Risk?
- Thread starter Pantera Dude
- Start date
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- Tags
- Roadster
wiztecy
Active Member
Don't leave anything visible of value, there's really no need for anyone to break into the Roadster. First to steal the car, there's no market since they're very rare and on the radar when driven. Second, since its a tight community there's no market for chop shops to sell the parts. Lastly I like the big red security LED, its a great to deter anyone who may get any fishy ideas.
If you're worried I'd highly recommend the OVMS. It will track your car via your phone, send you a notification if the alarm has been triggered on the Roadster, and if someone did manage to get the keys to your Roadster you can disarm / shut the car down from the phone app remotely.
If you're worried I'd highly recommend the OVMS. It will track your car via your phone, send you a notification if the alarm has been triggered on the Roadster, and if someone did manage to get the keys to your Roadster you can disarm / shut the car down from the phone app remotely.
wiztecy
Active Member
$99 for the module, I believe $10 for the cable to connect to the car, $5-10 for the antenna, and the programmer is around $25-$35. I have the ATT data plan that's $15/month (250MB) and I use less than 1MB per month. I can't find a cheaper plan 
although some say the go-phone is the best rate, ATT won't allow me to do that.
Do a search for OVMS and you'll find the links. One is under the For Sale forum thread and another is under the Roadster thread.
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/6655-Open-Vehicle-Monitoring-System
I bought the OVMS so I can remotely monitor / charge my Roadster but most importantly to cool down the battery pack after I drive it.
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By the way, Roadster (VP 19) was the only Roadster I've ever heard of to date that's been stolen. If you read the story the robbers were ram sacking the house while the owners were sleeping, they found the keys to the Roadster and took the car out of the garage. The owner had a tracking device on the Roadster and they eventually found it a few days later. Typically when people steal high end cars they'll park them in a parking lot under trees, let them sit there for 3+ days to see if the car has a tracker. If the car's still parked they'll come by with a truck/covered trailer/whatever and take the car away to strip, ship overseas, sell.
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/7128-Old-story-VP19-stolen-and-recovered
although some say the go-phone is the best rate, ATT won't allow me to do that. Do a search for OVMS and you'll find the links. One is under the For Sale forum thread and another is under the Roadster thread.
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/6655-Open-Vehicle-Monitoring-System
I bought the OVMS so I can remotely monitor / charge my Roadster but most importantly to cool down the battery pack after I drive it.
- - - Updated - - -
By the way, Roadster (VP 19) was the only Roadster I've ever heard of to date that's been stolen. If you read the story the robbers were ram sacking the house while the owners were sleeping, they found the keys to the Roadster and took the car out of the garage. The owner had a tracking device on the Roadster and they eventually found it a few days later. Typically when people steal high end cars they'll park them in a parking lot under trees, let them sit there for 3+ days to see if the car has a tracker. If the car's still parked they'll come by with a truck/covered trailer/whatever and take the car away to strip, ship overseas, sell.
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/7128-Old-story-VP19-stolen-and-recovered
Everyone has their own level of comfort with a car.
Some people would never take it out and park in a public place,
Some people would never give keys to a Valet.
Some people go out and park only with the hard top on.
Some people would go out with the soft top on and not worry even the the car can be entered with a knife.
Some people with go out with a mesh top even though there is a window gap that someone can stick fingers though. and not worry about it.
Some people are fine on going out and parking with the top off even though there are stories of beer cans or other objects left in the car.
I am much closer to that last especially in Newport. When you park, put anything loose in the trunk and don't deny yourself the drive.
I am picky about the valet though, driving my car is my decision.
Some people would never take it out and park in a public place,
Some people would never give keys to a Valet.
Some people go out and park only with the hard top on.
Some people would go out with the soft top on and not worry even the the car can be entered with a knife.
Some people with go out with a mesh top even though there is a window gap that someone can stick fingers though. and not worry about it.
Some people are fine on going out and parking with the top off even though there are stories of beer cans or other objects left in the car.
I am much closer to that last especially in Newport. When you park, put anything loose in the trunk and don't deny yourself the drive.
I am picky about the valet though, driving my car is my decision.
wiztecy
Active Member
Lloyd sells a neat orange block/wheel chauk that you drove partially on where you fish the charge cable under it. The weight of the Roadster secures it.
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/8958-Connector-Protector
Others have placed a pad-lock locked around the wire and then a cable lock ran through that and the rear Roadster wheel. If someone wanted the cable for the copper value and they're searching, they'll cut it. It does keep the random adolescent kid or drunk playing a bad joke from running away with it.
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/8958-Connector-Protector
Others have placed a pad-lock locked around the wire and then a cable lock ran through that and the rear Roadster wheel. If someone wanted the cable for the copper value and they're searching, they'll cut it. It does keep the random adolescent kid or drunk playing a bad joke from running away with it.
ChadS
Last tank of gas: March 2009
I've had mine over three years; never had anything stolen or damaged. I sold my gas car when I bought it, so I take it everywhere I go and park it anywhere I would have parked my cheap old economy car. (That said, I don't frequent bad neighborhoods often; I am fortunate to live in a pretty nice area). Wiztecy's advice is good - don't leave anything of value in sight, and chances are people will leave it alone.
I can only recall one story of one being stolen. As I recall, the thieves broke in to their home, got the keys, and then took off with the car.
Just searched and found another story on these forums of an attempted (but failed) theft - again, at home.
I can only recall one story of one being stolen. As I recall, the thieves broke in to their home, got the keys, and then took off with the car.
Just searched and found another story on these forums of an attempted (but failed) theft - again, at home.
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strider
Active Member
There was speculation people would try to steal them for the copper but I've never heard of it. I've left my car plugged in at the airport for days with no problem (that was the 120V cable before there was a 1772 adapter). No one who knows what it is would take it as it's not very valuable in the secondary market (Roadster is a proprietary plug).
In the EV community Leaf, Volt, etc, There the occasional story but still rare. Just like cables stolen off public chargers --stolen for copper. Great point that the Roadster cable will have near zero value to sell VS a J cable that 90 percent of all electric cars use.
