Off Topic: My car was stolen

kalabdel

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Feb 2015
Location
Ontario
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Hello gentlemen,

I know this is a stretch but I have to know. I was in Calgary for a few days work and my car was stolen while I was in starbucks working on my laptop for a couple of hours.
While I was sitting there was this popping sound that annoyed me and I looked around me a couple of times to locate where the noise was coming from and I saw this guy (late forties) standing at the pickup counter with his arms on the counter and both hands close together and I realized he had something in his hands but I couldn't see it. I looked away, he did it again and I looked back and gave him a long stare and that stopped.
The popping sound was exactly like that click beetle toy thingie.
Any chance that was a device of some sort to communicate with someone outside to let them know I was not leaving yet?
Is there anything like that around or am I just stretching it and that was just a juvenile forty something idiot ?

Thanks
 
What kind of car and what was the year? I saw on the news that they have devices that can open the doors on newer ones but not sure if they can fake the key fob yet and drive off

I would think if he was going to let someone know that was outside they would just use a cell phone and send a text... then they would look like everyone else with their head down staring at a phone
 
I agree, the last thing they would've want it is to attract attention. It was a twenty year old Honda CRV. They wanted the tools and equipment that were inside. A guy was arrested driving it in Saskatoon but I'm not convinced he stole it. Thanks
 
i be interested to know that too. There's been a lot of postings about some type of device that can open newer car doors on our local neighborhood forum but never any confirmation of it even from the police dept. While I'm sure it's possible to develop that a thing I'm not convinced the local druggie would have access to it. Thus far, it stays a urban legend.

Oh, by occam's razor, I think the clicking thing probably have nothing to do with your unfortunate theft.
 
Did you manage to get your tools back?

Did you look in the vicinity as well? I had my car broken into once and alongside it was a colleague of mine's and he had a 5000€ power analyser or something like that in the boot that was taken... after a while, someone noticed what seemed to be a small fire extinguisher about 25 meters ahead and we went over to have a look and they left the device there.
They were obviously not looking for that in particular, but there's always a chance that specialty items are discarded as they would be hard to pass on.
 
Code stealers have been around for a while, such as described in this article:

THIS HACKER'S TINY DEVICE UNLOCKS CARS AND OPENS GARAGES

The gist is that if you click on the opener and nothing happens the first time, beware. Unfortunately this is not an unusual, for example, when the battery is getting weak.
Wow, learned something. Didn't know they already cracked the rolling code defense. While my newer car probably isn't susceptible, i think my garage door is. I also have a alarm system with sensor on the garage door so I do have defense-in-depth.
 
While my newer car probably isn't susceptible, i think my garage door is. I also have a alarm system with sensor on the garage door so I do have defense-in-depth.

Maybe, but for years this hack of the keyless-go and similar systems was known, and still the car manufactors didnt change their key system.

Another method of car hacking is the brute force method, which is known since 2005. But with todays hardware, you can open a Tesla Model S in 2 seconds.
 
Last edited:
Did you manage to get your tools back?

Did you look in the vicinity as well? I had my car broken into once and alongside it was a colleague of mine's and he had a 5000€ power analyser or something like that in the boot that was taken... after a while, someone noticed what seemed to be a small fire extinguisher about 25 meters ahead and we went over to have a look and they left the device there.
They were obviously not looking for that in particular, but there's always a chance that specialty items are discarded as they would be hard to pass on.

I've only searched online for listing of any of the tools, meter and equipment and found nothing so far. I couldn't stay long in Calgary or Saskatoon because of work and other more pressing matters. I would've liked to check the pawn shops but that needs time I don't have.
The tools can be easily sold but I don't know who would by S7-1200s, analog output, communication module, power flex drive, MCBS, etc. I doubt a pawnshop would interested or know their value.
The whole thing doesn't make any sense. When I got the car back there *nothing* in it that belonged to me and there was stuff that belong to the guy they arrested that I had something similar. Screw driver, cigarette USB charger, knife, flash lights and so on. I had all that in the car and much better quality, why remove it and put your own and the case of USB charger he had just bought it (or stolen it) as the packaging was still in the car.
I think the guy who stole the car removed everything of my and sold the car to the one who was arrested and weather the latter knew it was stolen or not is beyond me.
Another thing, when I picked up the cart they gave me a brand new key that they ceased with the car. How did he make a brand new key to the existing ignition? And if he had the key when he stole the car why did he break the window?

Whatever happened I now know that the best protection is GPS tracking and immediate text notification of any alarms.
Because by the time I find out the car is gone it's pretty much too late. And the insurance company is pretty much useless. At least ICBC is.

Oh well, on with the show.


Thanks guys.

Kal
 
The tools can be easily sold but I don't know who would by S7-1200s, analog output, communication module, power flex drive, MCBS, etc. I doubt a pawnshop would interested or know their value.


eBay... a pawnshop may not know the value, but the guy can easily type S7-1200 on eBay and see how much they are going for. Not that it's the same thing, but this happens a fair bit in those storage box auction shows.



Also, it may be that you were targeted. If someone knows you carry that around in your car and they know how to sell it on.
 
So my car (same one) was stolen again and again in Calgary.(y)
I don't know who's dumber me for coming back to Calgary or the thieves who love going to jail for steeling a 21 year old car.
 

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