How are these trucks stolen?

keebler · December 14, 2006

I just purchased a new 2006 Crew Cab Sierra and i'm particularly interested in preventing theft.

My motivation comes from having my 2003 Suburban 2500 stolen from my driveway in front of my house! I have full-coverage insurance, but the check Allstate cut for the Suburban was like getting a refund for all the premiums I paid them over the previous 15 Years. I'm kind of worried that another claim like that will mean I can't get insurance any more at any price.

I work with Electronics professionally so I'm able to understand a ton about how these vehicles work and how alarm systems work. I'm planning to install a system or modify my truck myself.

I'm trying to understand how these trucks are stolen. Specifically, how is the (lame) built-in security system defeated? How do they get around the Passlock system? If I can understand more about how it's done, I can plan my strategy for protecting the truck.

Anyone with any experience or advice? Technical information is most appealing!

Giant · December 14, 2006

They pull up in a flatbed tow truck and off it goes. No passlock system to worry about. No alarm system to worry about, nothing.

I could be wrong, but I've heard of them doing that around here. They pulled in a development, grabbed 3 SUV's and left.

pwall · December 14, 2006

You can do whatever you want, but in the end, if the 'professional' thief wants your truck, they'll get it.

Not saying you shouldn't try....at least it helps to defeat the amateurs.

deadringer · December 14, 2006

They pull up in a flatbed tow truck and off it goes. No passlock system to worry about. No alarm system to worry about, nothing.

I could be wrong, but I've heard of them doing that around here. They pulled in a development, grabbed 3 SUV's and left.

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What area of the country is this?

Giant · December 14, 2006

They pull up in a flatbed tow truck and off it goes. No passlock system to worry about. No alarm system to worry about, nothing.

I could be wrong, but I've heard of them doing that around here. They pulled in a development, grabbed 3 SUV's and left.

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What area of the country is this?

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Northern Virginia. In another forum a member made the comment this happened in his development.

And you can NEVER make your house/home/self 100% safe. The only thing you can do is make sure your not the easiest target.

SoCalChris · December 14, 2006

Also, I'm pretty sure there are master keys available for the newer trucks, as in one key that will start any new Chevy. I was at the dealer waiting for a service advisor, and one of the mechanics walked up, started my truck, and moved it, all while I still had my keys in my pocket. He didn't look at the VIN or anything, just popped in the key.

If a thief really wants your truck, they will get it. The best you can hope for is to make it unattractive to non-professional thieves.

Also, it won't keep your truck from getting stolen, but I've never heard anything bad about LoJack, but have heard quite a bit of good stories about them.

Giant · December 14, 2006

LoJack = insurance break also. that can't hurt

Buggle_96 · December 14, 2006

I read once that the #1 defense against theft of any kind is still mans best fried. A good/intelligent dog will make as much noise as possible to alert you that something is up.

yukon4wd · December 14, 2006

My Yukon got robbed abut 3 weeks ago.

I was sitting in an outdoor restaurant, about 150 ft away, at least 12 people sitting outside could clearly see it. They smashed the passenger window that was facing away from the restaurant, climbed in and took everything out the window. The alarm didn't even think of going off.

You can open the door and start the engine using only the key, you don't need to deactivate any alarm at all.

So basically I think its wrong to even say that the Yukon comes fitted with an alarm.

I am going to follow this thread closely, since I desperately need something that will actually work.

keebler · December 14, 2006

They pull up in a flatbed tow truck and off it goes. No passlock system to worry about. No alarm system to worry about, nothing.

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My truck disappeared without any broken glass and with little or no sound. I am sure it wasn't dragged onto a flat bed because the gravel where it was parked wasn't even disturbed. Someone got inside, started it up and drove away without too much trouble and very little sound -- it was close enough to my house to that you couldn't get past with the driver's door wide open.

Also, I'm pretty sure there are master keys available for the newer trucks, as in one key that will start any new Chevy. I was at the dealer waiting for a service advisor, and one of the mechanics walked up, started my truck, and moved it, all while I still had my keys in my pocket. He didn't look at the VIN or anything, just popped in the key.
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I'm thinking that an ignition kill solution is really the only effective method of getting past a master key.

One thing I figured out is the alarm is easy to defeat at the driver's door because it gets disabled when it's opened with a key. Unlike the ignition switch, the door isn't very well protected and many times easier to tamper with. Done properly, the door can be unlocked in a way that the computer thinkks the key was used. For that I decided I should disconnect the door-key sensor so that unlocking and opening the door would set of the alarm no matter how it was done. For normal use, I'd need to hit the remote to unlock the door to avoid setting off the alarm.

If a thief really wants your truck, they will get it. The best you can hope for is to make it unattractive to non-professional thieves.
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For me, the threat of getting it stolen is nothing compared to the threat of paying high-risk insurance premiums for the rest of my life! I need to keep my losses to a minimum -- I've already got one strike against me in that regard.

Also, it won't keep your truck from getting stolen, but I've never heard anything bad about LoJack, but have heard quite a bit of good stories about them.

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Lojack sounds good but I understand that they won't track vehicles into Mexico. For me, that's the most likely destination because Mexico is right next-door.

keebler · December 14, 2006

You can open the door and start the engine using only the key, you don't need to deactivate any alarm at all.
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Unlocking the door with a key disables the alarm. I suspect it's rather easy to unlock the door in a way that makes the computer THINK it's a key. I'm going to fix it so that unlocking the door with the key has No effect on the alarm.

That gives me an idea. I'll bet I could make it so that even starting the truck with the key alone isn't enough to bypass the security. I could require some other step before starting the truck.

Giant · December 14, 2006

set up a small panel of toggle switches (say 10 of them in a row) and wire them so that you can only start the truck if the correct combination is clicked in.

say 0010110111

Then when you leave the truck just scramble the switches around.

if you put it up under the dash you can do it by feel, and noone will know its there.

Just a thought, even if its a weird one

dbuss · December 14, 2006

I have a 2004 Savana with an Explorer Conversion package that was broken into. They punched out a door lock cylinder to gain entrance to the van and it didn't set off the alarm.

keebler · December 14, 2006

set up a small panel of toggle switches (say 10 of them in a row) and wire them so that you can only start the truck if the correct combination is clicked in.

say 0010110111

Then when you leave the truck just scramble the switches around.

if you put it up under the dash you can do it by feel, and noone will know its there.

Just a thought, even if its a weird one

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I like the idea in principal, but I can't see myself using it. I do agree in the sense that making my vehicle different from everyone else's, in a way that only I know, is the secret to success. Even using an off-the-shelf alarm system doesn't have this advantage because the wiring and everything is well understood.

I have a 2004 Savana with an Explorer Conversion package that was broken into. They punched out a door lock cylinder to gain entrance to the van and it didn't set off the alarm.

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This is the problem I mentioned earlier. There's a switch inside the door that tells the alarm that the key has been rotated. Punching out the lock and poking at the correct spot is the same to the alarm system as using the key. The door is a big weakness with the whole system because it's easy to defeat. I plan to disconnect this so that the alarm stays armed if the door is opened using a key or not. To break in silently, they'd need to use a remote to shut off the alarm first.

asilverblazer · December 14, 2006

Thats great till the battery dies in your remote, say while you are some where a replcaement battery is not easily obtained. Then you would have to use the key and set off your own alarm.