- Aug 30, 2010
- 19,302
- 57,720
Not bollocks. Happened to my 2014 Fiesta (!) 18 months ago. I don't know about tracking software, but they can crack the basic software and start the ignition. It disappeared overnight with no signs of forced entry. By the time we noticed it was gone, it was probably in a container on the way to Uganda (or wherever) with a new set of plates. It's organised crime, not the kids from the local estate. And Fiestas are among their favourite targets, probably because they're common/popular.
After a bit of a search, we replaced the Fiesta with an identical car and fitted a Ghost immobiliser, which hides in the wiring of the car and disables the ignition, unless you know the personalised sequence of random buttons and switches to press on the dashboard or window controls. The only way to steal the car is to lift it onto a lorry, because the immobiliser is impossible to detect. And it works.
Unfortunately, it doesn't prevent the would-be thieves from physically ripping out the ignition cylinder from the steering column casting to try to bypass the wiring, because they're too stupid to see that the car has a Ghost immobiliser. This has happened twice now. Both times, the immobiliser prevented the car from being nicked, but not from being vandalised, at great cost to my formerly-30-year no claims bonus.
So the car now also has a visibly flashing alarm and I also have CCTV, as well as the immobiliser. Belt, braces and elastic as well.
I recommend the Ghost immobiliser: it does work, in the sense that no one can steal the car without physically hauling it away.
There was a documentary on TV a few years back where they went to (I think) Nigeria and drove around with a device that detected car trackers which had been triggered due to theft. The device was continually showing that it had been triggered since at least 90% of the cars driving around had been stolen in Europe.