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From: mab@hou4a.UUCP (Michael Brochstein)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Car Theft - Part 2
Message-ID: <997@hou4a.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 11-Jan-85 09:48:46 EST
Article-I.D.: hou4a.997
Posted: Fri Jan 11 09:48:46 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 12-Jan-85 06:11:31 EST
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Holmdel, NJ
Lines: 59


	There were a few items I left out of my first article on protecting
ones car from theft.

			WHEELS

	If you have fancy wheels on your car which you would like to protect
there is one device that has worked for me and many other people I know.
They are called McGuard Wheel Locks.  They are a set of lug nuts that are put
on (one to a wheel) in place of regular lug nuts.  They can only be put on and
taken off through the use of a "key" (a weird pattern) that is put in the lug
wrench when using these locks.  The key is unique and a second copy should
be secured immediately since these locks are impossible to remove forcibly 
without damaging the lug.  McGuard sells packages with one or two keys, if 
you can't get the two key package, order a second key.  These keys can ONLY 
be gotten direct from McGuard and are NOT interchangeable.  

	I have two stories reguarding these keys.  A friend of mine had a 
freak accident (a leaf spring broke at high speed) in a BAD neighborhood
in NYC.  He took the battery home with him by taxi that night and returned
the next morning to find his car stripped.  The only thing left were his mag
wheels (each missing four out the five lug nuts since the McGuard lock was
still on each wheel).  I later bought these same mag wheels from my friend
to put on my 73 Mustang (looked great although my friend's 1971 Mach 1 looked
nicer).  When my Mustang was stolen, it was found stripped in Jersey City, NJ.
While my mag wheels were missing, the lug where each McGuard lock was on was
stripped (useless) from the forceful removal of the wheels which had the locks.

			OTHER USEFUL DEVICES

	A while ago, after a break-in, I was truly getting frustrated at the
situation concerning my car.  I came up with what I thought was a great and
original idea.  Have a canister of tear gas go off in the car X seconds after
the alarm did.  Lo and behold, this very device is marketed through 
"Louisville Locksmith" (advertises in Road & Track).    

	I heard of a device (and saw a picture) of something called (I think)
a "Denver Boot".  This device is supposedly attached to cars that are 
found to be owing fines for a multiple of tickets such that the cars can't
be moved until the city takes this device off the car.  It is a large clamp 
that attaches to the wheel of a car that is too big to let the wheel turn.
The wheel can't be removed while it is on and one can't move the car more than
six inches without damaging the car.  Practically speaking, only towing (with a
tow truck) your own car will let you retrieve it from the law.  I don't know
if this device is sold to the public but it looked like a great theft deterrent.
Of course, in NYC we just tow scofflaw cars to a pier on the westside run by
the NYPD.  If you want your car back you must pay all your fines plus a towing
charge ($60. plus).

			TOPICS NOT COVERED

	I have come across many other devices and methods of breaking into
cars (my parents car was broken into 5 times and the front bumper was stolen)
and would be happy to share the information with anyone interested.  Please
send your questions to me via e-mail.

-- 
Michael Brochstein     AT&T Information Systems, Holmdel, NJ
ihnp4!hou4a!mab        (201) 834-3482