What is the best security system?

[Saphire]

What's the best security system for your Mustang? My Dark Horse was stolen while I was in a building. It did have some type of security system, but they got it anyway. Probably professionals. Someone's probably driving it in Singapore by now.

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[GrabThatBlue]

Theft rate in Singapore is 1.37 per 100.000 people
Theft rate in USA is 253.73 per 100.000 people

Recovery rate is also much higher in Singapore than in the USA.

The likelihood of a stolen vehicle being smuggled into the U.S. and ending up on the roads is much higher than in Singapore.

With this data your car is most likely sold in pieces or is driven by somebody else just around your corner.

 

[Saphire]

Theft rate in Singapore is 1.37 per 100.000 people
Theft rate in USA is 253.73 per 100.000 people

Recovery rate is also much higher in Singapore than in the USA.

The likelihood of a stolen vehicle being smuggled into the U.S. and ending up on the roads is much higher than in Singapore.

With this data your car is most likely sold in pieces or is driven by somebody else just around your corner.

If it were being driven in the area it was stolen they'd have found it by now. Unless they put a different color. Atlas blue sticks out. One thing they didn't get was my titanium shifter ball. I put a white one in it's place and kept the titanium.

 

[RLE55]

Ford's Anti-Theft System doesn't do enough IMO. There should be an automatic fuel shutoff if an intrusion is sensed and can only be over-ridden by proper key being inserted, or a special code entered.
HOW DOES THE ANTI-THEFT
ALARM SYSTEM WORK
When armed, the anti-theft alarm is
triggered in any of the following ways:
• If someone opens a door, the liftgate
or the hood without a correctly coded
key or remote control.
• If you turn the power on without a
correctly coded key.
• If the interior sensors detect movement
inside your vehicle.
• If the inclination sensors detect an
attempt to raise your vehicle.
• If someone disconnects your vehicle's
12V battery or the battery backup
alarm.
If the anti-theft alarm is triggered, the
alarm horn sounds for 30 seconds and the
turn signals flash for 5 minutes.
Any further attempts to carry out one of
the above sounds the alarm again.
As for Best Security System.....isn't one really. If a thief wants it, they're gonna get it.

 

[TonyP66]

and they defeated the tracker in the ford app? so sorry that happened to you :(

 

[RLE55]

and they defeated the tracker in the ford app?

One of the reason why I hid an Apple AirTag in mine....might help

 

[Saphire]

They must've known what they were doing. A normal thief would've just went for a normal 5.0.

 

[steveo1960]

They probably followed you and cloned your key before you had a chance to put it into a Faraday box.. At that point it's a laptop plugged into the OBD2 port and the car is gone. Did you have all the security stuff turned on?

Two popular options are a fake OBD2 port while tucking the real one up far under the dash. For an even better effect, plug in a cheap ELM Bluetooth scanner to make it look like the port is legit.
The old fashioned kill switch is another one.
Just make sure to hide it well. Sorry to hear this happened to you.

 

[smurfslayer]

What's the best security system for your Mustang? My Dark Horse was stolen while I was in a building. It did have some type of security system, but they got it anyway. Probably professionals. Someone's probably driving it in Singapore by now.

Man, I am profoundly sorry to hear this.

and they defeated the tracker in the ford app? so sorry that happened to you :(

A sync reset takes only... 7-8 seconds, maybe, after the screen initializes. Ford has less than ZERO security for resetting the car’s sync system.

One of the reason why I hid an Apple AirTag in mine....might help

AirTags -CAN- help but if they’re savvy thieves, they’ll hear the air tag, fish it out and toss it in the parking lot. Air tags only report every so often and only when in contact with an Apple device. It also sends notification to the device so if the thieves have an iPhone, they’ll know an AirTag is on board.

Ford’s tracking is also dependent on available signal and high interval - I think it’s 60 seconds from what I saw tracking mine. IOW, not reliable enough for real time unless the vehicle is stopped.

You need an ignition kill system with a tracker to be sure. Chances are that it was sent to a chop shop or Mexico. Cartels put bounties on cars in border states, and Texas is ground zero for bounty theft. They mostly focus on super crew trucks because they are easy to break into, and easy to steal.

F series trucks through about ’22(?) had an exposed, unshielded door lock cylinder that you can rotate by use of a multitool or pliers. It’s comically easy and fast. Once you’re inside, if you don’t have a way to bypass PATS, it’s just a quick rifle through for valuables, handguns in particular.

But, if they have a means to clone a key, you’re done. Last I checked it was ~$1200 for that equipment. I’m not a car thief, so don’t quote me here, I just know a few who have had their F series swiped.
The best way to keep it yours is ignition kill. Whether it’s manual or triggered by remote, if you kill the car, they’ll abandon it and run. Especially in Texas. There was a guy in S/A who had his truck swiped from a mall, called SAPD who, as usual, told him they’d give him a report number and to file a complaint. He protested he had a GPS tracker and knew where it was and they were still ambivalent, so he made his way to the truck, which had 2 occupants. Occupant one did not take kindly to being rousted from his theft and drew on the owner, who in turn, shot occupant one, who is now behind bars.

All would have been avoided with an ignition kill. If they can’t drive it or figure out how to get it going, they will not bother with towing it for a Ford. Maybe a McLaren, but a run of the mill Ford is not likely to elicit that kind of follow through.

I had a buddy’s car broken into literally parked right next to me at the local dance hall. They drilled his window, pulled the lock assy. and broke in stealing his backpack with stuff from overseas, but leaving his hidden wallet!!!!

I would recommend >1 tracker. An AirTag as a throw away, and a well hidden, silent GPS tracker. This way they won’t know it’s being tracked. An ignition kill. Mechanical is not always practical, so a remote kill is also viable. Whichever route you choose, it should be something not easily undone. Your objective is to frustrate them, and make them think better of stealing your car.

Do NOT count on Texas law enforcement for help. They will not do more than take a report and give you a report number in any urban area. Not only do they not care, they consider themselves ‘above’ peasant vehicle theft. Seriously, if you doubt this, engage one in casual conversation. This is a major factor for Texas vehicle insurance being so high.

 

[Saphire]

They probably followed you and cloned your key before you had a chance to put it into a Faraday box.. At that point it's a laptop plugged into the OBD2 port and the car is gone. Did you have all the security stuff turned on?

Two popular options are a fake OBD2 port while tucking the real one up far under the dash. For an even better effect, plug in a cheap ELM Bluetooth scanner to make it look like the port is legit.
The old fashioned kill switch is another one.
Just make sure to hide it well. Sorry to hear this happened to you.

I'll have to take some better steps. At least I found a low mileage GT Premium with low mileage in my favorite color to replace it. That DH was loaded with everything you can get. DH owners pack was in the trunk. But they didn't get my pretty titanium blue shifter ball. Might put it in my mother's Mustang.

 

[Saphire]

Man, I am profoundly sorry to hear this.



A sync reset takes only... 7-8 seconds, maybe, after the screen initializes. Ford has less than ZERO security for resetting the car’s sync system.



AirTags -CAN- help but if they’re savvy thieves, they’ll hear the air tag, fish it out and toss it in the parking lot. Air tags only report every so often and only when in contact with an Apple device. It also sends notification to the device so if the thieves have an iPhone, they’ll know an AirTag is on board.

Ford’s tracking is also dependent on available signal and high interval - I think it’s 60 seconds from what I saw tracking mine. IOW, not reliable enough for real time unless the vehicle is stopped.

You need an ignition kill system with a tracker to be sure. Chances are that it was sent to a chop shop or Mexico. Cartels put bounties on cars in border states, and Texas is ground zero for bounty theft. They mostly focus on super crew trucks because they are easy to break into, and easy to steal.

F series trucks through about ’22(?) had an exposed, unshielded door lock cylinder that you can rotate by use of a multitool or pliers. It’s comically easy and fast. Once you’re inside, if you don’t have a way to bypass PATS, it’s just a quick rifle through for valuables, handguns in particular.

But, if they have a means to clone a key, you’re done. Last I checked it was ~$1200 for that equipment. I’m not a car thief, so don’t quote me here, I just know a few who have had their F series swiped.
The best way to keep it yours is ignition kill. Whether it’s manual or triggered by remote, if you kill the car, they’ll abandon it and run. Especially in Texas. There was a guy in S/A who had his truck swiped from a mall, called SAPD who, as usual, told him they’d give him a report number and to file a complaint. He protested he had a GPS tracker and knew where it was and they were still ambivalent, so he made his way to the truck, which had 2 occupants. Occupant one did not take kindly to being rousted from his theft and drew on the owner, who in turn, shot occupant one, who is now behind bars.

All would have been avoided with an ignition kill. If they can’t drive it or figure out how to get it going, they will not bother with towing it for a Ford. Maybe a McLaren, but a run of the mill Ford is not likely to elicit that kind of follow through.

I had a buddy’s car broken into literally parked right next to me at the local dance hall. They drilled his window, pulled the lock assy. and broke in stealing his backpack with stuff from overseas, but leaving his hidden wallet!!!!

I would recommend >1 tracker. An AirTag as a throw away, and a well hidden, silent GPS tracker. This way they won’t know it’s being tracked. An ignition kill. Mechanical is not always practical, so a remote kill is also viable. Whichever route you choose, it should be something not easily undone. Your objective is to frustrate them, and make them think better of stealing your car.

Do NOT count on Texas law enforcement for help. They will not do more than take a report and give you a report number in any urban area. Not only do they not care, they consider themselves ‘above’ peasant vehicle theft. Seriously, if you doubt this, engage one in casual conversation. This is a major factor for Texas vehicle insurance being so high.

Glad I didn't have my Sig and CAR in it. Wouldn't be such a good thing for criminals to get their dirty hands on those.

 

[Koverboy1911]

https://www.carlock.co/
So far it's been pretty good

 

[Frogdog1]

If my car is stolen, I don't want it back unless I catch them in the act and then there is some chance the 9mm will come out. It wouldn't be the first time that specific gun has stopped a crime attempted on me. I carry the vast majority of the time and live in one of the most 2A supportive states there is. Saudi Arabia has the best theft deterent system, IMO. There is car theft because the deterents and penalties aren't strong enough nor is there a system that can't be overcome by someone.

 

[Alan Applegate]

The problem, FrogDog, is there are too many folks willing to call you Froggy-The-Gremlin for mentioning heavier penalties for all sorts of crime. Nevertheless I agree with you. And I agree we need to stiffen up the penalties for turning our highways and byways into race venues while we're at it!

Allow me to comment on the Airtag issue. If you're adept, you can easily remove the 'beeper' making imuch more difficult to find an AirTag. There are several YouTube videos showing you how to do it.

 

[Skye]

Sorry to read about the loss of your car.

For all Owners, all vehicles, I recommend a faraday pouch.

When in motion, the Ford fob will transmit its RF signal, which is normally received by the Radio Transceiver Module (RTM) inside the car. In this case, the 433 MHz (IIRC) signal, also associated with TPMS in the 7G. The waves are capable of traveling several hundred feet.

Conceivably, someone walking away with an unprotected fob, with another close-by the car (within 6 feet) interacting with the inductive coupler in the door, could capture signals for later or execute a relay attack using a second fob.

After 40 seconds+ at rest a fob will go to sleep. However, they can also be awoken by an enabling RFID signal of 125 KHz.

A pouch will help prevent the fob from interacting with anything else when not in use, reducing the chances anyone is capturing those signals in support of access later.

The pouch won't prevent every theft. It's another hurdle to cross.

If possible, another good idea I've read of is to place an index card or something which would cover the car's VIN in the windshield; this will help prevent anyone with fob programming tools from cloning another unit. Even a piece of tape (electrical tape) or a sticker over the glass will announce someone trying to learn more about that vehicle; you'll know when the tape has been moved or pulled back.

Edit,

Regarding Ford's tracking mechanisms, it depends.

Telematics can be disabled by pulling one fuse.

To disable the two cell antennas in the back end (rear left and right sides, near bumper corners), I'd need to study that.

Time is another variable in all this. They quietly entered the car, then drove away. If smart enough, they would have pulled over minutes later, pulling fuses and scanning for tags, before driving to the final destination.

Lots of great ideas. Anything that can slow them down, while providing the Owner more details, helps.

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