Truck Stolen RGV - Montana Owners Club

old turbo · 12-15-2010, 03:23 PM

I just had a friend from Michigan who is in the RGV and had to take his wife to the hospital for some test and when they came out of the hospital, their pickup was gone. The police came and wrote out a report and told them that truck thieves like the Winter Texans because they come from safe areas in the north and have no alarms or steering wheel locks. The license plate gives them away and the trucks are easy pickings. The police told them to tell their friends at the rv parks to either put on an alarm or get a good steering wheel lock.

CORattler · 12-15-2010, 03:48 PM

Ruh-Ro! Thanks for the "heads up". We're going to Texas in March so will buy "The club" to use while there.

scott · 12-15-2010, 05:02 PM

We have the same problem in Tucson. I put on an alarm AND use the club.

Waynem · 12-15-2010, 05:08 PM

Ah! For the good ol' days when you could hide a switch that was connected to the wire going to the coil.

jimcol · 12-16-2010, 02:14 AM

What year was the truck that was stolen? Reason I ask is we had our 2000 F250 stolen in Phoenix in March of 09. Our 09 has a chip in the key. A lot of the people I have talked to say the chip in the key to match the trucks computer is as good as any alarm system. Is this true?? Jim

CamillaMichael · 12-16-2010, 03:34 AM

Regarding the club, it is my understanding that with a hack saw you can make a quick cut though the stearing wheel an simply pull the club off....

old turbo · 12-16-2010, 04:43 AM

It still makes it harder to steal with the club. I know their is a club pulling tool on the internet to remove the club but time and vision is the main thing. You can purchase a security alarm system or just the alarm stickers from auto parts stores and put them on your windows and with the club will make the bad guys think a little harder. I think they will go look for another truck, plenty down in the RGV now.

SlickWillie · 12-16-2010, 05:51 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by old turbo

I just had a friend from Michigan who is in the RGV and had to take his wife to the hospital for some test and when they came out of the hospital, their pickup was gone. The police came and wrote out a report and told them that truck thieves like the Winter Texans because they come from safe areas in the north and have no alarms or steering wheel locks. The license plate gives them away and the trucks are easy pickings. The police told them to tell their friends at the rv parks to either put on an alarm or get a good steering wheel lock.

On one of our first trips to Progeso, we saw a F250 diesel crash the gates going into Mexico. Word was they had busted a theft ring in Brownsville, and one guy got away. They love the King Ranch trucks down there.

doofus · 12-16-2010, 07:07 AM

When I was flying in the Air Force, my pilot used to toss his keys under the driver's seat in his van whenever he parked it. I asked him about it one day, and he said someone might "need the van." It never got stolen.

Gone are the days, eh?

grampachet · 12-16-2010, 08:04 AM

Just a couple of weeks ago someone tried to steal my F250. I had installed a hidden switch that disconnects the system that allows you to put the truck into gear. Instead stealing the Ford they only messed up the door lock and ignition switch. The $3.00 immobilization device paid for itself in a hurry.

Champ_49 · 12-16-2010, 01:56 PM

And there was a truck stolen in Detroit, New York, Washington DC, Nashville TN, Mobile Ala, Miami Fl, etc. last night. You get the picture as it comes about. My problem, and I am under no uncertain terms undermining anything or anybody here as far as this topic. Its because we (including myself) want to go to the RGV for the warmth and the experience. But because it happened there it has been sensationalized to some extent by the media. Is there concern in the RGV of course, but there is also concern in other areas of the country that are not even brought up. You can put the club in the steering wheel, you can have a state of the art alarm system and all a set of thief's have to do is see you leave your truck and go into the afternoon matinée theater at the mall, and as soon as you are out of sight a wrecker pulls up with a flatbed and hooks on to your dually, winch it up there as people look on thinking you have had truck problems. And there yea go, its gone never to be seen again, and it would be in Mexico before the report to the police department showed up. Before anyone gets any ideas, no I didn't do this lol. This actually did happen in the RGV and this is exactly what the police told the victim.

I believe you have to use your common sense no matter where you are at. Chances are if you are careful you won't ever see a problem. But it doesn't eliminate that it can.

OK I have said my peace........good luck all in all your travels. Live and let live and be happy and most of all be as safe as possible.

Dave

helmick · 12-16-2010, 02:37 PM

When i first started driving I lived in Orange County, California. We never even took our keys out of the ignition and never had a problem.

boylanag · 12-16-2010, 03:46 PM

When I first started driving, we never even had to tie our horse up too tight. Wyatt and Doc kept us pretty safe!

winter texan · 12-16-2010, 04:03 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by helmick

When i first started driving I lived in Orange County, California. We never even took our keys out of the ignition and never had a problem.

CmdrDewey · 12-16-2010, 04:03 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Champ_49

And there was a truck stolen in Detroit, New York, Washington DC, Nashville TN, Mobile Ala, Miami Fl, etc. last night. You get the picture as it comes about. My problem, and I am under no uncertain terms undermining anything or anybody here as far as this topic. Its because we (including myself) want to go to the RGV for the warmth and the experience. But because it happened there it has been sensationalized to some extent by the media. Is there concern in the RGV of course, but there is also concern in other areas of the country that are not even brought up. You can put the club in the steering wheel, you can have a state of the art alarm system and all a set of thief's have to do is see you leave your truck and go into the afternoon matinï¿½e theater at the mall, and as soon as you are out of sight a wrecker pulls up with a flatbed and hooks on to your dually, winch it up there as people look on thinking you have had truck problems. And there yea go, its gone never to be seen again, and it would be in Mexico before the report to the police department showed up. Before anyone gets any ideas, no I didn't do this lol. This actually did happen in the RGV and this is exactly what the police told the victim.

I believe you have to use your common sense no matter where you are at. Chances are if you are careful you won't ever see a problem. But it doesn't eliminate that it can.

OK I have said my peace........good luck all in all your travels. Live and let live and be happy and most of all be as safe as possible.

Dave

And said your peace very well. Good post and thanks.

winter texan · 12-16-2010, 04:04 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by helmick

When i first started driving I lived in Orange County, California. We never even took our keys out of the ignition and never had a problem.

Ron, Do you still do that????

helmick · 12-16-2010, 06:07 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by winter texan

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by helmick

When i first started driving I lived in Orange County, California. We never even took our keys out of the ignition and never had a problem.

Ron, Do you still do that????

ABSOLUTELY NOT

jimcol · 12-17-2010, 12:43 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Champ_49

And there was a truck stolen in Detroit, New York, Washington DC, Nashville TN, Mobile Ala, Miami Fl, etc. last night. You get the picture as it comes about. My problem, and I am under no uncertain terms undermining anything or anybody here as far as this topic. Its because we (including myself) want to go to the RGV for the warmth and the experience. But because it happened there it has been sensationalized to some extent by the media. Is there concern in the RGV of course, but there is also concern in other areas of the country that are not even brought up. You can put the club in the steering wheel, you can have a state of the art alarm system and all a set of thief's have to do is see you leave your truck and go into the afternoon matinée theater at the mall, and as soon as you are out of sight a wrecker pulls up with a flatbed and hooks on to your dually, winch it up there as people look on thinking you have had truck problems. And there yea go, its gone never to be seen again, and it would be in Mexico before the report to the police department showed up. Before anyone gets any ideas, no I didn't do this lol. This actually did happen in the RGV and this is exactly what the police told the victim.

I believe you have to use your common sense no matter where you are at. Chances are if you are careful you won't ever see a problem. But it doesn't eliminate that it can.

OK I have said my peace........good luck all in all your travels. Live and let live and be happy and most of all be as safe as possible.

Dave

It is easy to minimize or trivialize anything if you are not the victim. I don't think parking 8 spaces from the front door of a major merchant in a major mall at noon displays a lack of common sense. Ignoring vehicle theft statistics along the border is like ignoring an elephant in the room. Jim

Ozz · 12-17-2010, 01:37 AM

When we stayed at Isla Blanca Park on South Padre, I was wiring some outlets at the community center, two of the guys helping me got their trucks stolen while shopping in Brownsville, they happened to be Fords, but I imagine all makes get stolen. I was really concerned, it is a problem there, more than many other locations.
I feel it is good to do all you can to slow them down. Yes, a flatbed will trump most a person can do, but the majority of thefts do not include the flatbeds from what I have gleaned.

CORattler · 12-17-2010, 02:23 AM

You are right ... I'm just looking to lower the chances of the truck being stolen. Talk about something that would ruin your trip!

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Champ_49

And there was a truck stolen in Detroit, New York, Washington DC, Nashville TN, Mobile Ala, Miami Fl, etc. last night. You get the picture as it comes about.
I believe you have to use your common sense no matter where you are at. Chances are if you are careful you won't ever see a problem. But it doesn't eliminate that it can.
Dave

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