Epidemic of Model 3 small window break-ins

[TEG]

Why is the problem so high in SF and Oakland vs other CA cities?

Well, according to another poster, his local PD told him that an Oakland based gang is behind a lot of these types of crimes.
From seeing arrest reports all around the SF bay area showing people from Richmond/Oakland it seems this problem is "spilling" out of Oakland/Richmond into nearby cities.

I think the thieves have found that cars in tourist spots and large shopping mall parking lots are "juicier" targets with purses/backpacks containing travel money, laptops, etc.

Also, it is a repeated crime with the arrested being cited/released, and they go back out and do it again and again.

I think it went from being random "crimes of opportunity" to being organized and planned.

Also, I saw reports of international crime rings willing to buy bulk laptops / smart-phones and then ship them overseas, so there is a ready (black) market for all this stolen stuff.

 

[MXWing]

Why is the problem so high in SF and Oakland vs other CA cities?

Socioeconomics and demographics.

 

[crackers8199]

Same answer as above. The "solution" that I keep hearing is that cars should have no trunk, and that no cargo should be carried. The main reason that I use a car for transportation is to move cargo that I can't haul on my bike.

thats more than a little bit of a ridiculous analogy...you still have the sub-trunk and frunk to store stuff in if you fold down the seats to show that the main trunk is empty.

 

[EVnut]

thats more than a little bit of a ridiculous analogy...you still have the sub-trunk and frunk to store stuff in if you fold down the seats to show that the main trunk is empty.

I'm all about ridiculous, so we're in agreement there!

Two salient points remain:
1. I need to carry more cargo than fits in the sub-trunk and frunk. I mean seriously... four adults in the car, and their luggage. If I can't use the trunk, I can't use the car. I'm glad that there are so many car owners who don't need their trunk. I'm not one of them.
2. It is almost impossible to see into my car to determine that the seatbacks are down, even if they WERE down.

(Oh, and for the record, the amount of cargo that could fit in the sub-trunk and frunk.... is easily hauled by (cargo) bike.)

 

[TEG]

August 2018 EPD Crime Report: Auto Burglaries Continue to Plague Core of Emeryville - The E'ville Eye Community News

 

[FlatSix911]

August 2018 EPD Crime Report: Auto Burglaries Continue to Plague Core of Emeryville - The E'ville Eye Community News

Sad commentary on the California criminal justice system...

 

[TEG]

 

[GuyDude]

terrible design.... the rear seat latch should be EXACTLY like BMW. IN THE TRUNK!

 

[EVnut]

terrible design.... the rear seat latch should be EXACTLY like BMW. IN THE TRUNK!

For me, the best of all worlds is to leave the latch where it is, but have an obvious way to disable it from the trunk. Throw a mechanical lever behind the seat that disables the seat-top release, changing that release to an obvious locked condition. Those of us who need a bit more security are OK with the extra step to lower the seats when desired. For those who have no security issue can just leave the "lockout" in the open position, so the latch functions just as it does today.

For sure, the current situation is not optimum. And I'm going "brute force" for mechanical lockout from the trunk.

 

[dlieu]

(...)

View attachment 366885

Wow. Oakland looks like a safe heaven compared to SF! But wait, look at LA! Nicely done, neighbors. I guess LA is a bit less "sanctuari-ous".

 

[boiler81]

terrible design.... the rear seat latch should be EXACTLY like BMW. IN THE TRUNK!

Or like the Mercedes C-class which are also in the trunk, or like the Audi A4's seat release that are on the seat top, but have key lock.
No excuse for Tesla when this was a known problem on the MS.

 

[voip-ninja]

Or like the Mercedes C-class which are also in the trunk, or like the Audi A4's seat release that are on the seat top, but have key lock.
No excuse for Tesla when this was a known problem on the MS.

Chances of Tesla addressing this when they are trying to cut every nickel from the cost of producing this car seems pretty low. The answer is not an alarm like Tesla did on the S. Thieves don't care if an alarm is going off in many cases. The answer is to make it so that the car is not such an easy target.

The other answer is to start capturing and prosecuting these thugs.

You can't possibly tell me that cops can't stake out parking lots with a few Teslas in a marginal neighborhood and capture these guys instead of eating donuts and writing speeding tickets.

 

[Big Dog]

like the Audi A4's seat release that are on the seat top, but have key lock

Yeah, but that would require.....wait.......for.........it: a key!

Per Elon, 'we don't need no stinkin' key'.

(But I do agree that a locking seat release is key. pun intended)

 

[EVnut]

Thieves don't care if an alarm is going off in many cases.

I'm definitely onboard with the bulk of your comment... though I would still pay for an upgraded alarm system. I wish they'd let me install my own pin switches for the rear seats that would set off the alarm. I have exactly one experience with this now, and in that one time, an alarm would have helped me, as I was so near the car when it occurred. I appreciate that you couched the alarm comment in "in many cases." I'm sure that is accurate. And yet in other cases, I think an alarm can help... so I'd rather have it than not.

As evidence for how it could help: I've viewed countless breaking videos now. And in so many cases, the thieve's task would have been facilitated by simply opening the door after the glass is broken. But they *rarely* actually open that door. I have to assume it's because the glass doesn't set off the alarm, but the door would. Otherwise, opening the door gives them a glass-free, larger opening from which to pull things out.

And yeah. Some bait cars now and again could put a big dent in this. But then we also need real prosecution that gets them off the streets.

 

[EVnut]

Yeah, but that would require.....wait.......for.........it: a key!

Per Elon, 'we don't need no stinkin' key'.

(But I do agree that a locking seat release is key. pun intended)

Yeah, as much as I hate keys, and have not eliminated them entirely from my daily existence (ga! Except the city-owned mail key!) I would be happy to store a key for the rear seats in my glove box, for those few times when I want to lower the seats. But... for same cost, a lock-out on the back of the seat would require no key... only a reach into the trunk. No worry about losing that key!

But all this is moot. I don't see a physical retrofit coming from Tesla. So I'm making my own!

 

[boiler81]

So I'm making my own!

Yeah, if someone came up with a easy mod for securing the seats there likely would be a big aftermarket.

 

[EVnut]

Yeah, if someone came up with a easy mod for securing the seats there likely would be a big aftermarket.

I can do "simple" but I think "easy" is maybe a bit too subjective. Basically I'm going to bolt a D-ring to the back of each seat, and another to the sheetmetal in the trunk. The two rings will be joined by another ring when I want "locked" and of course simply removed when I want unlocked. Everything with 1000 pound working strength... far more than the force needed to destroy the seats themselves.

I'm doing what I can to make the stuff on the backs of the seats "low profile" so it doesn't mess up having a nice flat cargo area when the seats are folded down. And that's the trick... if that was no concern, a self-latching bolt could be attached to the seat backs. They would lock every time the backs are in up position, and then would need to be released from the trunk each time. Somewhat elegant and automatic.... but too bulky to have on there when I want to use the seat backs as a cargo floor...

so... there's my big secret plan. When "locked" The seats will still move forward about an inch and then stop abruptly. Not enough to reach in or even see into the trunk. But... plenty enough to trigger a pin switch! Again, my plan is to keep a thief entertained and engaged/hopeful enough to NOT move on to the next destructive thing (next window or trunk latch)... until he or she has burned up enough time to not make it worthwhile to keep trying. I've trotted out my inner psychologist.

Next is to secure the trunk lid in a somewhat similar, inelegant but effective fashion.

 

[Akikiki]

We feel that pain for you folks. You are the victims of your city's failure to take this issue serious and do something about it.
Its really sad that some have lost perspective because of the anger. Are you forgetting who the bad guys are here - the thieves not Tesla.

Tesla could not have predicted 2-3 years ago with this design was going to be easy for thieves concentrating in one part of the country to rip off law abiding citizens? Its not Tesla's fault. Besides the bean-counters likely would have persuaded no design change (see Class Action with Gene Hackman).

These break-ins are not occurring because of the Model 3 or S design. They are happening to other manufacturer's cars too. These break-ins are occurring because of the scumbags that are violating these people, and it could be worse because the scumbags could be breaking larger side windows.

Being angry at Tesla about this is like me being angry at my tire manufacturer because someone threw nails on the highway that I choose to drive down.

The ONLY acceptable answer is to start capturing and prosecuting these scumbags.But, don't blame the cops if the prosecuters and judges are not going to punish them. The punishments have been softened.

 

[Akikiki]

I can do "simple" but I think "easy" is maybe a bit too subjective. Basically I'm going to bolt a D-ring to the back of each seat, and another to the sheetmetal in the trunk. The two rings will be joined by another ring when I want "locked" and of course simply removed when I want unlocked. Everything with 1000 pound working strength... far more than the force needed to destroy the seats themselves.

I'm doing what I can to make the stuff on the backs of the seats "low profile" so it doesn't mess up having a nice flat cargo area when the seats are folded down. And that's the trick... if that was no concern, a self-latching bolt could be attached to the seat backs. They would lock every time the backs are in up position, and then would need to be released from the trunk each time. Somewhat elegant and automatic.... but too bulky to have on there when I want to use the seat backs as a cargo floor...

so... there's my big secret plan. When "locked" The seats will still move forward about an inch and then stop abruptly. Not enough to reach in or even see into the trunk. But... plenty enough to trigger a pin switch! Again, my plan is to keep a thief entertained and engaged/hopeful enough to NOT move on to the next destructive thing (next window or trunk latch)... until he or she has burned up enough time to not make it worthwhile to keep trying. I've trotted out my inner psychologist.

Next is to secure the trunk lid in a somewhat similar, inelegant but effective fashion.

EVnut, that makes sense. Sounds like a good idea. I've seen some of your other posts in this thread. I understand that you are trying to protect items you leave in the trunk. And don't shoot the messenger here, but I believe its likely to still cost you a side window even if you prevent the scumbags from taking what's in the trunk. Good luck to you.

 

[voip-ninja]

We feel that pain for you folks. You are the victims of your city's failure to take this issue serious and do something about it.
Its really sad that some have lost perspective because of the anger. Are you forgetting who the bad guys are here - the thieves not Tesla.

Tesla could not have predicted 2-3 years ago with this design was going to be easy for thieves concentrating in one part of the country to rip off law abiding citizens? Its not Tesla's fault. Besides the bean-counters likely would have persuaded no design change (see Class Action with Gene Hackman).

These break-ins are not occurring because of the Model 3 or S design. They are happening to other manufacturer's cars too. These break-ins are occurring because of the scumbags that are violating these people, and it could be worse because the scumbags could be breaking larger side windows.

Being angry at Tesla about this is like me being angry at my tire manufacturer because someone threw nails on the highway that I choose to drive down.

The ONLY acceptable answer is to start capturing and prosecuting these scumbags.But, don't blame the cops if the prosecuters and judges are not going to punish them. The punishments have been softened.

I disagree. Other manufacturer's cars in the same price point are much harder to target. Both things (law enforcement & design improvements) need to happen in parallel.

Tesla responded to the many breakins of the Model S/X with the introduction of a motion sensing alarm system. At a minimum that should be offered on Model 3 as well, even if owners have to pay Tesla a bit for the retrofit.

I do agree that in many areas of the country this is not happening, generally Americans are quite law abiding. Germans are even more law abiding than Americans and all of their similarly priced cars have either locking seats or have seat releases which can't be accessed from the vehicle cabin... no reason an American company can't do just as good of a job.