My solution for quarter panel break ins

[Ludalicious]

Ahhhhhh ok. Much easier to leave valuables out of sight. I mean hey.... Cars have had front 1/4 vent windows and rear 1/4 windows for the last 50 years. They are always easily broken into. Atleast you have sentry mode. Only a matter of time before criminals avoid Teslas as they are always on TV

 

[EVnut]

Ahhhhhh ok. Much easier to leave valuables out of sight. I mean hey.... Cars have had front 1/4 vent windows and rear 1/4 windows for the last 50 years. They are always easily broken into. Atleast you have sentry mode. Only a matter of time before criminals avoid Teslas as they are always on TV

There are tons of videos out there that show scumbags first looking inside to see if it is worth breaking in. If they see nothing, they leave. But in my case, there was NOTHING to see, but they still broke in with the express purpose of dropping the seatbacks and reaching into the trunk.

It is now impossible to drop my seat backs, and it is really, really difficult to break my glass. But if they're going to try just on the off-chance that I have something good in the trunk.... gah. Frustrating. In the meantime, recording the scumbags with Sentry is fun and all, but it rarely gets anybody arrested in CA these days.

 

[linux-works]

here's what the printed parts look like with the locks in them. will try to mount these to the seats tomorrow.

not sure if the 'cam' (small printed part underneath) is pointing the right way or not.

this is not strong material (PLA) and I doubt it will withstand force, but that's not the point. hopefully just the sight of these on the black seats will deter. we'll see...

 

[bun2it]

Just saw it on youtube. May it be the best solution?

 

[TLLMRRJ]

Just saw it on youtube. May it be the best solution?

No good solution. If they can't get in your car, they're just going to start carjacking you.

 

[bun2it]

No good solution. If they can't get in your car, they're just going to start carjacking you.

I am talking about the additional protection on the glass as he applied metalized tint and some sorts of clear bra for even more protection. The panel was unbreakable.

 

[Need]

No good solution. If they can't get in your car, they're just going to start carjacking you.

Actually not in California. The main reason why there are so many broken windows in Cal is that if the thief get caught, it is a slap on the wrist punishment in CA. Carjacking's punishment would be years in prison and covered under the 3 strikes law...

It is more likely the thief may get angry and key your car which will cost a lot more to fix than a broken window.

 

[EVnut]

If they can't get in your car, they're just going to start carjacking you.

The main reason why there are so many broken windows in Cal is that if the thief get caught, it is a slap on the wrist punishment in CA.

I should have included Prop 45 long ago...

It is more likely the thief may get angry and key your car

I shall include all of these gems on my list!

 

[EVnut]

Sure, I *could* have done something productive today. But instead, I decided to organize and add a few things to my list. Without passing (much) judgement, this is simply a list of what has been proposed in threads about Tesla smash-and-grabs. Specifically through the rear quarter window, but also generally. So if it is more convenient, all you have to do now is choose a number and post it, instead of working through all that typing that somebody else has done for you. But if you have something new, please bring it on!

1. California/SF Bay Area/SF sucks. Live somewhere else.
2. This only happens in the Bay Area.
3. The problem is liberals and/or liberal areas.
4. This happens everywhere.
5. Prop 47 is the problem (criminals in CA only get a slap on the wrist).
6. Criminals have more rights than property owners.
7. Park only in a secure location.
8. Park only in a well-lit location.
9. Don’t park in a bad part of town. Because bad people.
10. Don’t park in a good part of town. Because rich people with good stuff.
11. Don’t park.
12. Always valet park.
13. This happens to all brands of cars, don’t think you’re special.
14. This only happens because you drive a Tesla.
15. This is no big deal. Suck it up and pay this cost of driving a Tesla.
16. Decrease your comprehensive deductible.
17. This is a horrible design flaw that Tesla needs to fix.
18. This isn’t Tesla’s fault.
19. Take all your cargo with you when you park.
20. Never use the trunk for cargo.
21. Put all your cargo in the subtrunk/frunk.
22. Don’t leave anything in the car.
23. Leave the windows down.
24. Leave the car unlocked.
25. Lock the car, or it isn’t a crime.
26. Don’t tint the back glass.
27. Tint the back glass.
28. Leave both rear seat-backs down.
29. Secure the rear seat-backs up.
30. A visible seat lock will inspire a break-in.
31. A visible seat lock will deter a break-in.
32. Locking the seat release is so easy to defeat with ________.
33. Because the glass will still be smashed, hidden locks are no use.
34. Install a baby seat. Or two. Or three!
35. That’s not how thieves think/This is how thieves think: ________.
36. The only solution is __________.
37. A thief will never/always __________.
38. There’s nothing that will stop a thief.
39. Use a gun.
40. Booby-trap everything to make ‘em bleed.
41. Use security film on all glass.
42. Replace quarter window with something unbreakable.
43. Don’t strengthen the quarter window, because
    1. Then the door glass or trunk lid will be broken.
    2. Then the thief will get angry and key your car.
    3. Then they’ll just start carjacking you.
44. Be sure to use Sentry Mode.
45. All car alarms are useless, including Sentry Mode.
46. Use an aftermarket camera.
47. Cameras are useless.
48. The trunk lid can be pried open in a second.
49. Leave somebody in the car.
50. Leave a dog in the car (then make a quiet sentry mode!)
51. Trunk Monkey.
52. General Tesla hate by those loyal to their gas-car brands.

 

[linux-works]

here's what one of them looks like on my car. I kind of like it. I'm going to switch to a different kind of lock, but this was an easy $5 mailbox lock so I grabbed one while waiting for the better one to arrive.

it clamps under the plastic bezel as you can see. (obviously the key is not going to be left in there, lol, that's just my photo).

now, what I wonder about: if the thief considers this a challenge and wants to try it anyway, I don't doubt that you can pull it up with enough hand force. it might even ruin the seat and I'm betting that the seat can't be properly repaired by tesla so it might be a whole seat that would need replacing. I may check with insurance before I deploy these, so I understand what I'm getting into.

what I'm hoping is that this will look like more trouble than its worth and the thief will look for an easier target.

its all I can do.


photos taken from driver (US) side:

 

[dctek]

it just looks like you have something expensive in there you are trying to protect to me, but I'm not a thief

 

[linux-works]

it just looks like you have something expensive in there you are trying to protect to me, but I'm not a thief

I ordered some black anodized locks, so that will low-key things a little.

do you guys think the plastic color matters? the red does call attention, but maybe that's what is needed? otoh, I can print black versions of the plastic and with black locks on my black seats it will mostly not be seen unless you are right there.

if its dark out, maybe the black plastic hides it too well?

like you, I can't think like a thief. I could use some help: anyone here fit that description? (j/k!)

 

[EVnut]

I ordered some black anodized locks, so that will low-key things a little.

do you guys think the plastic color matters? the red does call attention, but maybe that's what is needed? otoh, I can print black versions of the plastic and with black locks on my black seats it will mostly not be seen unless you are right there.

if its dark out, maybe the black plastic hides it too well?

like you, I can't think like a thief. I could use some help: anyone here fit that description? (j/k!)

There's no generic "thief-thought" unfortunately. Otherwise, we'd have this solved. The buggers are pretty adaptable! I'm forced to think (and even act) like a thief regularly in my work. Especially in the case of setting up stings (bait bikes and such). We must decide WHERE the scumbags will be looking, what makes for an attractive target, and what convinces them that they won't get caught. But again... they are amazingly adaptable. And note that's different than "smart" in most cases. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. TIME is a consistent risk factor. They generally want to be done and gone in a matter of seconds. So anything that looks like it'll slow them down is important to consider.

Anyway... you've seen my list. And some of the most contrary statements are accurate even in their opposite-ness. But not the ones that have to do with visible, viable security measures, in my experience. (And note that nothing I say here is not gospel, it is merely my experience). Just because you put a lock on it does not impress a thief into thinking he should take a BIGGER risk because perhaps the reward is bigger. Otherwise, locked bikes would be more likely to be stolen, and locked homes would be most likely to be burglarized. There is all kinds of great stuff left relatively unprotected every day, in every area. There's no reason to take the risk of going after the more secure stuff. That said... what appears to be "secure" to us thieves often doesn't even slow down a determined thief. If they can rip that cover off your seat lock with a quick, strong yank, they'll do it. Property damage and personal injury be damned (the person who broke into my window lefet behind some blood even). But if they try breaking that cover on one car and fail to easily defeat it... when they next see it, they won't even bother trying. Or... they may bring a bigger screwdriver. But again... this means you've slowed them down and are "winning" in some small way.

IMO and IME, the more visible, REAL security measures the better. Folks aren't more likely to suffer a home burglary if they have security bars on their windows, or a deadbolt lock on the doors.

Funny story from bait bike experience: If you leave a nice bike unlocked and seemingly unattended, it seems to be less attractive to (experienced) theft. My assumption is that it appears too good to be true, and *somebody* must be watching it from somewhere. A bike is more likely to be stolen if it is an unlocked cheaper bike or a locked expensive bike. Ha. Hmm. There are no thieves listening in here, are there?

 

[linux-works]

thanks for the thoughtful reply.

the red is visible and I'll leave it that way for now (especially since they took so many hours to print).

what I really don't want to happen is to have to get the seats replaced as well as the window.

one thing is certain: NOT doing anything will offer me NO protection. so I'll leave these in, in one form or another, and report back if anything bad happens.

 

[EVnut]

one thing is certain: NOT doing anything will offer me NO protection. so I'll leave these in, in one form or another, and report back if anything bad happens.

That's a good way to state my feelings on the subject. I'm not willing to just throw my hands up in defeat and stop using my car for what I purchased a car for. I'm gonna do what I can.

Cheers.

 

[linux-works]

funny thing is, I was driving a vw passat for the past 16 years (bought it new) and for the last 3 years or so, one hinge has been broken on the trunk and I've never had anything taken from it, no break-ins, nothing. I guess a thief has more pride than to be seen next to an old fah-vee (lol).

 

[EVnut]

funny thing is, I was driving a vw passat for the past 16 years (bought it new) and for the last 3 years or so, one hinge has been broken on the trunk and I've never had anything taken from it, no break-ins, nothing. I guess a thief has more pride than to be seen next to an old fah-vee (lol).

Yup. Best you can do is play the odds and hope for a bit of luck. Similar experience with my 2006 Prius. Nobody has touched it. And it has been parked EVERYWHERE in SF full of our worldly goods as we visit all of our friends and family, go out to dinner and shows, etc. But then I take the Tesla and bam. They score a wet bath towel out of the trunk.

And there's another tip! Store the undesirable stuff up near the seat-backs. At the time of my break-in, that was the one thing that I purposefully did correctly. Only the dirty laundry was accessible from the rear seats... shoved all the way deep into the trunk. The good stuff was either in the sub-trunk or near the rear. (Oh, the other thing I did correctly was carry duct tape. I knew it would happen sooner or later. I just wasn't planning on it quite that much sooner!)

 

[dkhanolkar]

Mine just got broken this evening in Oakland. They broke the one on the driver-side. I am getting it replaced tomorrow, but I am wondering if I could get it waterjet cut maybe 316L SS sintered mesh 0.5 mm thick, and glue it on top of the glass. 316L is not going to rust and the fine mesh might look cool and will definitely protect it.

 

[TEG]

Yup. Best you can do is play the odds and hope for a bit of luck. Similar experience with my 2006 Prius. Nobody has touched it. And it has been parked EVERYWHERE in SF full of our worldly goods as we visit all of our friends and family, go out to dinner and shows, etc. But then I take the Tesla and bam.

Prius' are targeted for their catalytic converters...

Catalytic converter thefts are surging across the Bay Area. The thieves rarely get caught

Those responsible for the robberies work at night and often travel from outside the areas...

www.sfchronicle.com

 

[Double Jays]

Clemmy can you send me the contact info for your guy in Santa Clara? My driver side quarter window was smashed in August in downtown Oakland and then the passenger side was smashed again in Oakland 2 days ago. Luckily I have a family member that can replace the windows but it's still $450 each time. I want to do something like yours next time I have to replace them.