Stolen viper.....food for thought.

[whitebluevipe]

i am not starting this thread to create a panic or cause an uproar. i am just putting it out there to give people something to think about. to give you a little background i am a correctional officer and have been for 10 years. prior to this i was a security manager and caught both employees and shoplifters stealing anything that wasn't nailed to the floor. i also majored in criminal justice at Penn State. i have been around criminals and see how they think and learned some of there tricks for many years.

so whats my point and how does this relate to vipers??

one thing i have noticed on this board is how willing people are to put all kinds of information about themselves on this site. people post pictures of there cars at there houses and in there garages. innocent enough but here is what a theif is thinking. while 99.99% of us are looking at that awsome car or beautiful house, that .01% is looking at what kind of locks are on garage doors or if they notice any magnets for an alarm system. they are looking at what other items are sitting in the garage of any value or how easy it would be to get inside the house from the garage. the things an average honest person would never give a second though are something a criminal would key in on in a heartbeat. i have seen pictures of the inside of peoples houses, their game rooms, living rooms, there collections of various things, you name it at one time or another has been posted on here.
another bad habit people do is posting what there plans are. telling people they are going on this ride or to this or that event. that tells a dishonest person there is a possible widow of opportunity for how long this person will be away from there home.
there are tons and tons of things i could mention but i will leave it to people to just give this some thought. for the record i am as guilty as anyone for doing the very thing i just mentioned. i am not trying to create a huge stir. i just want people to give some thought to what they are doing. i guess the post about the car being stolen is what prompted me to do this thread. i believe 99.99% on this site are honest car lovers who do the right thing. it's that .01% that we need to worry about who are only lurking this site looking for an opportunity. just remember an ounce of prevention may be worth more than a pound of cure.

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

Good info and I was the unfortunate one.........

 

[dave6666]

I hope the 0.01% noticed when I said I never leave the keys at home when I'm in one of my other vehicles, and that I'm aware that Texas grand juries rarely indict people when they blow the brains out of the perp stealing your car in your driveway. They'll buy you lunch and apologize for the inconvenience when you mention it was parked in the garage when you terminated Mr 0.01%.

That aside, your post is important and relevant. I never give key info and if it sounds like I know the local laws and culture, I do.

 

[Warfang]

Also, check with your local VCA... mine sends out a yearly list of all member... including name, email, phone number and ADDRESS. Talk about a shopping list for potential thieves, not to mention junk mail, email spam, and telemarketers. Make sure you tell them you want off the list.

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

Great advice and with impact hurricane windows and doors, full security systems with cameras, no valuables or keys on hand, carry a gun always and everywhere, sleep with one eye open, have a trained German Shepherd police dog, 4th degree BB, and someone who spends most of their time in the home-office during the slowdown in the economy. Live on a cul-de-sac with a bunch of nosey neighbors who look out for each of us, and if you're not the USPS woman or the UPS guy, you probably picked the wrong street to drive down. LOL

With that being said, I don't care about my possessions, only my wife, and the kids.
And if you violate my domain, I will spend the rest of my life, hunting you down.

 

[dave6666]

And if you violate my domain, I will spend the rest of my life, hunting you down.

You need to tone that crap down before the Christmas party next month. I won't feel welcome having the pat-down on the front lawn checking for lock picking equipment and video surveillance gear. Asking me to lift the lid of my cooler is one thing, the latex gloves................

 

[big-n-italian]

its funny you mention that blue viper. i listed a house recently and the homeowner asked if i was going to put pictures of the property on the net. i said i would of the exterior, but i told him i wanted to be very cautious with the interior pics. he understood what i meant after i explained to him that inside his home were some very nice things, and all those very nice things would be on the net for the world to see. i told him that you never know who may be looking at all his very nice things.

its always best to keep this in mind whenever we post our VINS, cell phone numbers, any personal data, email address, etc..

good advice and a lesson we need to hear more often.

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

its funny you mention that blue viper. i listed a house recently and the homeowner asked if i was going to put pictures of the property on the net. i said i would of the exterior, but i told him i wanted to be very cautious with the interior pics. he understood what i meant after i explained to him that inside his home were some very nice things, and all those very nice things would be on the net for the world to see. i told him that you never know who may be looking at all his very nice things.

its always best to keep this in mind whenever we post our VINS, cell phone numbers, any personal data, email address, etc..

good advice and a lesson we need to hear more often.

We can't even give our homes away, so I doubt anyone is looking to steal one when just for the asking, we will graciously just give it to them.

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

You need to tone that crap down before the Christmas party next month. I won't feel welcome having the pat-down on the front lawn checking for lock picking equipment and video surveillance gear. Asking me to lift the lid of my cooler is one thing, the latex gloves................

After that stunt you pulled last year, my wife decided not to invite you over this Christmas.
If it wasn't bad enough that you ***'d in the punch ball, but you really crossed the line when you proceeded to drink it dry. I'm sorry Dave, but not again, enough is enough.

 

[gb66gth]

good advice

 

[Chrissss]

After seeing the first post I feel compelled to make a point. I have been in local and then federal law enforcement for over 18 years.

I have to say that I don't believe for a second that showing your Viper on this site, even in front of your home, puts you at any greater risk. It's not logical to assume that a thief or burglar, even one surfing through this website is going to know your address, then your schedule, know the layout of your house, if you have an alarm or not, and use this site to gain information to commit a theft of your car.

Now of course, use some common sense. Of course in the photos, don't show or give out your address. Certainly don't discuss intimate details in the open forum about your schedule and so on. The keys in your home certainly should not be easily accessible and hopefully you should have an alarm on your home, one with a cellular backup and an audible. Notifiy you neighbors when you are out of town and also contact your local PD when you will be out of town.

In my career I've made hundreds of arrests. I was involved in several auto theft ring investigations. After the arrests, I did interviews concerning the thefts and the information gathered by the thiefs to facilitate those thefts. Never did I hear that a posting on a website alone led to the theft. Now what I have seen, is a thief responding to a classified ad. The thief shows up at the house, looks over the car, gets infomation from the owner about schedules and so on. Looks over the house and then maybe will try the theft. That I have seen. Simple solution, when you put a car up on the classifieds, meet the potential buyer somewhere else with your car unless you are very comfortable with knowing that person. Don't discuss personal details.

The point I'm trying to make here is that posting your car, even in front of your house, showing your garage, is not putting you at any greater risk than you are anyway. This comes from 18 years of national investigative law enforcement experience. I certainly hope that members personal info is not available to other members. If it is, that should be changed. Don't put personal information in your profile.

Burglars are not confrontational people. If they were, they would be robbers. They want to get in and get out. It's extremely unusual for a burglar to enter a home for the specific purpose of only stealing a car. Even a Viper. While Vipers are expensive, they are not considered highly valuable collector cars. It is unusual for a burglar willing to take the time to rumage through a home looking for car keys, then willing to open the garage and take it. It happens, as it did in this case, but this person clearly had information that should normally had not been available to him. I am confident he did not get it from a posting or listing on the VCA website. Maybe from whoever did all the work on the car. I've seen that a hundred times.

Use common sense when it comes to your personal information and personal property.

I hope this thief gets what he deserves and it's tragic and I feel for what happened to the car. It does show this person was an amatuer. All that work and money lost for an item loved.

Once again, maintain your privacy, protect your property, and don't make it any easier to hurt you than it should be. No need to be afraid of any posting on this site.

 

[J&R3xV10]

Thats one reason our region doesn't send out any personal info on members, like numbers or address, not even email. If you want that info from someone you have to get it from them.

 

[vipeuup]

When my Viper is in the garage. I like to park my other vehicle behind it, outside. Blocking the driveway entrance. And taking both keys along with me.

 

[1994viper]

Just would like to add, if I may? I think your Viper was just a prize for some punk who went through your house looking for a TV or a VCR, maybe some silver, and found your Viper keys instead. I doubt that anyone in the right mind would want to steal a one of a kind car. I hope you will get your car back. I know at least two different people who had lost 2 cars each, in one night. Lexus and Lexus, Range Rover and Altima. Stolen right from their front lot during some national family holiday. A thief walked in, and snatched the keys from the table or the key hook beside the door while my friends were dining in the kitchen. Lock your doors, and do not keep your valuables an easy target. Too bad we do not live in Texas.

 

[FATHERFORD]

I hope the 0.01% noticed when I said I never leave the keys at home when I'm in one of my other vehicles, and that I'm aware that Texas grand juries rarely indict people when they blow the brains out of the perp stealing your car in your driveway. They'll buy you lunch and apologize for the inconvenience when you mention it was parked in the garage when you terminated Mr 0.01%.

That aside, your post is important and relevant. I never give key info and if it sounds like I know the local laws and culture, I do.

I perfer to use a 12 gauge loaded with a 1.50 in dimes. The perp should thank me. I would make him a 1.50 richer

 

[RTED]

Theft prevention 101... 1. Park your Viper on a lift 6' in the air with the alarm on and locked. 2. Park your viper look alike (corvette rebodied with viper aftermarket kit) beneath the lift, unlocked with the keys in the ignition.
Problem solved!

 

[Shelby3]

As a career criminal representing the .01%, I am offended by the stereotypes regarding my profession presented in this thread. We are not all alike, we do not all operate the same way, and now that Obama has been elected, we don't have to steal anymore.

 

[dave6666]

And let the REAL Snake relieve itself on the wannabe all night long. Ahh........

Anyway, back to a serious note, Look carefully at your photos you post for reflections in your shiny car. My green recycle bin in the garage has a large sticker I made with my address on it so when I get home on windy days I can pick mine out at the end of the street. I am constantly p-chopping that address off the reflection in the side of my door on pics taken in the garage.

Here's one of the pics I used in the hinge lube thread. If you saw that post, did you see one of my dogs in the door? And the recycle bin with the dark streak where I wiped the address off?

Check your pics real good before posting!

You must be registered for see images

 

[Shelby3]

And let the REAL Snake relieve itself on the wannabe all night long. Ahh........

Anyway, back to a serious note, Look carefully at your photos you post for reflections in your shiny car. My green recycle bin in the garage has a large sticker I made with my address on it so when I get home on windy days I can pick mine out at the end of the street. I am constantly p-chopping that address off the reflection in the side of my door on pics taken in the garage.

Here's one of the pics I used in the hinge lube thread. If you saw that post, did you see one of my dogs in the door? And the recycle bin with the dark streak where I wiped the address off?

Check your pics real good before posting!

You must be registered for see images

I thought the lower white arrow was your wife.

 

[dave6666]

I thought the lower white arrow was your wife.

Not married, and the GF is several hundred pounds to the north.

Oops.

Just disclosed sensitive personal info.

Oops.

Soooooooooooo, Ginger or Mary Ann? All 300 pounds of them....

You must be registered for see images

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

Not married, and the GF is several hundred pounds to the north.

Oops.

Just disclosed sensitive personal info.

Oops.

Soooooooooooo, Ginger or Mary Ann? All 300 pounds of them....

You must be registered for see images

Remember the first thing you learned in kindergarden, yes, it was SHARING.
When is our double date, I'm feeling a bit of wood this morning.

 

[VicTxV10]

Not married, and the GF is several hundred pounds to the north.

Oops.

Just disclosed sensitive personal info.

Oops.

Soooooooooooo, Ginger or Mary Ann? All 300 pounds of them....

You must be registered for see images

I like Ginger and Mary Ann's white trunk covers...goes well with your white hood vents.

 

[Vreracing]

You could always throw them off by Photoshopping the pictures.

Wait a minute girls I just need to get one more thing and we'll go.

You must be registered for see images

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

While I appreciate the officers' insight and take note of their suggestions I also refuse to live under constant fear or to stop sharing info with my buds on this sight. It would be terrific to have a justice system that actually administered justice but since we don't at some point we have to rely on luck or a 12 gauge. And I just love hearing about the latter.

 

[Leslie]

When my Viper is in the garage. I like to park my other vehicle behind it, outside. Blocking the driveway entrance. And taking both keys along with me.

I do the same thing

In winter it makes it extra hard to steal my cars because the batteries are gone

 

[Bandit3]

After reading the previous post about the stolen viper from the garage, I've changed where I store my Vipers keys. For years they would be hung on hooks in plain view of the kitchen window on the upper deck. Simple process to get to them, open garage door and awaaaaaay she goes! Sorry for your loss, but I thank you for bring this to our attention. John

 

[ViperTony]

I have an alarm system for the house and garage including motion detection and radio frequency/battery back up in case the f'ers decide to cut the telephone lines and cut off power. Our local police show up very quickly, they're only 1.5 miles away. the siren can be heard far away. And if that's not enough, even if the f-**** manages to find the keys, get the Viper started and figures out how to open the garage door before the police show up...the sound of the Viper wakes up everyone in the neighborhood as well as the entire small town we live in. I guess that could be an advantage of having a very loud exhaust.

I never store any of the car keys in the garage or in any obvious places. We had a terrible home invasion in our town last year because the owners didn't lock their doors or turn on their alarm. To this day, some folks in my town still don't turn on their alarm systems or lock their doors which is insane.

Lots of good information in this thread, keep it coming.

 

[whitebluevipe]

After seeing the first post I feel compelled to make a point. I have been in local and then federal law enforcement for over 18 years.

I have to say that I don't believe for a second that showing your Viper on this site, even in front of your home, puts you at any greater risk. It's not logical to assume that a thief or burglar, even one surfing through this website is going to know your address, then your schedule, know the layout of your house, if you have an alarm or not, and use this site to gain information to commit a theft of your car.

Now of course, use some common sense. Of course in the photos, don't show or give out your address. Certainly don't discuss intimate details in the open forum about your schedule and so on. The keys in your home certainly should not be easily accessible and hopefully you should have an alarm on your home, one with a cellular backup and an audible. Notifiy you neighbors when you are out of town and also contact your local PD when you will be out of town.

In my career I've made hundreds of arrests. I was involved in several auto theft ring investigations. After the arrests, I did interviews concerning the thefts and the information gathered by the thiefs to facilitate those thefts. Never did I hear that a posting on a website alone led to the theft. Now what I have seen, is a thief responding to a classified ad. The thief shows up at the house, looks over the car, gets infomation from the owner about schedules and so on. Looks over the house and then maybe will try the theft. That I have seen. Simple solution, when you put a car up on the classifieds, meet the potential buyer somewhere else with your car unless you are very comfortable with knowing that person. Don't discuss personal details.

The point I'm trying to make here is that posting your car, even in front of your house, showing your garage, is not putting you at any greater risk than you are anyway. This comes from 18 years of national investigative law enforcement experience. I certainly hope that members personal info is not available to other members. If it is, that should be changed. Don't put personal information in your profile.

Burglars are not confrontational people. If they were, they would be robbers. They want to get in and get out. It's extremely unusual for a burglar to enter a home for the specific purpose of only stealing a car. Even a Viper. While Vipers are expensive, they are not considered highly valuable collector cars. It is unusual for a burglar willing to take the time to rumage through a home looking for car keys, then willing to open the garage and take it. It happens, as it did in this case, but this person clearly had information that should normally had not been available to him. I am confident he did not get it from a posting or listing on the VCA website. Maybe from whoever did all the work on the car. I've seen that a hundred times.

Use common sense when it comes to your personal information and personal property.

I hope this thief gets what he deserves and it's tragic and I feel for what happened to the car. It does show this person was an amatuer. All that work and money lost for an item loved.

Once again, maintain your privacy, protect your property, and don't make it any easier to hurt you than it should be. No need to be afraid of any posting on this site.

a couple of counterpoints i would like to make.
--all i would have to do is come on here posing as a viper owner and say "i am trying to get ahold of chrisss or does anybody know chrisss?" and somebody would innocently take the bait and give the info. i could search right now and find tons of info. on people on this site. i am not going to put anybody out there though.
--another point is that said to say i work at a prison with hundreds of pedophiles. i get to read their files and guess what many of them find there victims on the internet. in prison inmates let their guard down and want to brag about how they do their crimes and i just listen in amazement on how they are able to commit there various crimes.
now here is where i agree with chrisss and as i have previously stated...the percent chance of this happening is .o1%. my point is just be cautious and use your head. look before you leap ect.. if you think something can never happen to you is usually when it does.

 

[Vman455]

After reading the previous post about the stolen viper from the garage, I've changed where I store my Vipers keys. For years they would be hung on hooks in plain view of the kitchen window on the upper deck. Simple process to get to them, open garage door and awaaaaaay she goes! Sorry for your loss, but I thank you for bring this to our attention. John

I keep my Viper keys on my person or in my gun safe

Wait, now you all know I have a gun safe...and a Viper...

 

[agentf1]

Good post. I always think about this stuff, especially the part about being at events. This is where big dogs come in handy. I am also pretty fortunate where there is usually always somebody at the house when we are away to take care of the pets. I also have very good neighbors one actually being an ex township cop. That said I still do not feel invincable and you can never be too careful. Especially around the holidays.

With my wife working in the city and me working there on the days I do not work from home we always see and hear about the rise in crime around this time of year. If you work in the city you must be aware of your souroundings and watch your wallet and pocketbooks whenever walking down the street or when in crowds.

And yes, car keys are always locked up.