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Warning! thief breaking into subarus

Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2013 9:26 pm
by Mrs Subaru
My car and many others are being burgled on a regular basis in a carpark in Fremantle. There is no damage to the car. A policeman told me that the burglar has a remote that can open all subarus. This happened a number of times a few years ago until the perpetrator was gaoled. its all models and ages of the cars. But it's happening again and not just in this carpark but in others areas of Perth. Subaru deny that this is possible and told me to see the dealer as I have a problem with my car. This doesn't explain 3 other subarus broken into the same day and we all have different models! Anyone else having this problem and do you know a solution? In the meantime don't leave anything in your car !

Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 7:19 am
by purp
Bet they don't have a remote for my model...

Seriously though, this post has all the hall marks of chain email spam.... Can't see a motive though.

What model you have Mrs Subaru?

Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 7:53 am
by steptoe
gaol for a few crimes like that, seems a bit harsh , not even pinching the cars!

Good alert anyway. A good practice may be what I have seen in Sydney twenty years ago - walk past a few cars parked in the street, glovebox open with a white ( a non colour that stands out against most interior colours) towel or cloth nappy, spread as cover for the glovebox interior floor and lid - as if to demonstrate nothin' in here - don't bother smashing my window or busting my lock.

Another practice by a sedan MY83 owner who fitted an alarm , now leaves car unlocked in his common carpark at home - saves on locksmith or window costs

Framed ...

Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 11:15 am
by Bantum
A more likely way to get into your older model with a 'frameless' is to 'bend' the window back enough without braking it, reach in with a suitable stick and 'unlock' ... ;(

That is probably one of the reasons why they have gone to a 'framed' window now ... :)

P.S. - Most early Subaru's don't have any alarm system either ... :(

Ciao, Bantum ...

Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 5:50 pm
by tambox
Theoretically, the remotes are either a digital pulse code at a fixed frequency or a pulse code of slightly varied frequencies. If you wrote a program on a laptop to set the codes on a frequency generator, your would eventually get it. If you knew the specific Subaru frequencies, your could read with a spectrum analyser from any remote, away you go. Theoretically.

It also depends on the delay time of the receiver, between inputs.

Nothings impossible, thats how they copy codes for stealing specific vehicles, sit near the car with an antenna and a spec an, wait till the owner pushes the remote and read the code. If they are code hopping and you know the alarm type, you can work out where it will go next.

Dont leave anything in your car, or as mentioned leave it all open.

Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 10:23 pm
by NachaLuva
tambox wrote: Dont leave anything in your car
Not so long ago satnavs were the most stolen item from cars...no SIM card or any security feature of any kind so easy to flog off for a few bucks.

I always take out mine but removing/replacing the holder is too much of a PITA. Unfortunately leaves an invitation :sad:

Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 11:39 pm
by El_Freddo
NachaLuva wrote:I always take out mine but removing/replacing the holder is too much of a PITA. Unfortunately leaves an invitation :sad:
Dad's was the same. Some knuckle head smashed a rear window in his Rangie to steal the GPS holder (half of it - the other half is in Ruby Scoo) that was siliconed to the windscreen as it kept falling off. Nothing else was touched, not even the ~$20 in loose change in the ash tray. Alarm went off and so they did too.

Now there's one darker tinted window on the car :(

Cheers

Bennie

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 2:03 pm
by Mrs Subaru
This is not a scam and its true. Ask the police in Fremantle.
I just wondered if this had happened in other states or are we just unlucky in Perth. Not just my car but owners of recent models as well. I have a Subaru forester 1999. But later versions have been broken into as well. He may get nothing from me as I leave nothing in the car but it still leaves you with a bad feeling.
He only wants money. and I say "he" as the previous perpetrator was a male. Just want to know how he gets in...

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 3:19 pm
by NachaLuva
Hey Mrs Subaru,

Welcome to AuSubaru :mrgreen:

Dont mind the "scam" bit, forums sometimes get scammers :(

Just glad they havent damaged your car breaking in. Hopefully Subaru Aust is looking into it, Im sure the police would be happy to work with them. Lets hope they get busted soon!

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 6:23 pm
by tambox
The central locking system is relatively easy to "break into", the immobiliser is a different story.
Lucky they are only after contents, unfortunatley, if somebody wants something they will work out a way to take it, but for those who are after contents, if there is nothing in the car, they will give up.

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 9:42 pm
by steptoe
Boral make a very universal emergency key - readily available- fits many makes and models - not just cars either :(

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 9:43 pm
by purp
Some interesting thoughts on this subject... http://hackaday.com/2013/06/09/ask-hack ... esla-coil/

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 9:54 pm
by d_generate
Meh, who needs a decoder, my Liberty keys unlock and start my sons WRX (no alarm) haven't bothered to see if his do the same to mine yet.

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 10:21 pm
by tambox
In England they have pretty good immobilisers, special coded keys etc on luxury big$ cars. They either take them while you are driving them (gun) or the latest trick is to get the VIN from the rego label, owners name and address, otherways. Go to Europe to a dealer, explain you are travelling in Europe, lost your keys, a bit of female sobbing/language difference and they cut and code one for you. Back to England and the cars your's (refer British police car docs, utube)
If they want it ...........
Dont leave anything in your car.

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:54 am
by steptoe
d_generate wrote:Meh, who needs a decoder, my Liberty keys unlock and start my sons WRX (no alarm) haven't bothered to see if his do the same to mine yet.
My two Brumbies share same ignition key - on purpose, coincidentally though, my L key will unlock my Vortex and if it is feeling real ugly think it will turn in its ignition barrel

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:57 am
by steptoe
tambox wrote:In England they have pretty good immobilisers, special coded keys etc on luxury big$ cars. They either take them while you are driving them (gun) or the latest trick is to get the VIN from the rego label, owners name and address, otherways. Go to Europe to a dealer, explain you are travelling in Europe, lost your keys, a bit of female sobbing/language difference and they cut and code one for you. Back to England and the cars your's (refer British police car docs, utube)
If they want it ...........
Dont leave anything in your car.
1111giles brother inlaws employees can vouch for one above method losing a luxo barge with keys left in it for a minute - lost his boss's barge, insurer giving the bird

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 10:10 am
by Silverbullet
tambox wrote:In England they have pretty good immobilisers, special coded keys etc on luxury big$ cars. They either take them while you are driving them (gun) or the latest trick is to get the VIN from the rego label, owners name and address, otherways. Go to Europe to a dealer, explain you are travelling in Europe, lost your keys, a bit of female sobbing/language difference and they cut and code one for you. Back to England and the cars your's (refer British police car docs, utube)
If they want it ...........
Dont leave anything in your car.
My uncle in England had a big flash luxury car, not very common and powered by a Ferrari (not a ferrari though) I don't think it even had a key, just a credit card looking thing with a chip inside. If that wasn't in your pocket or in the car the car wouldn't start. Also had a 24/7 gps tracker on it, being watched by someone far away in an office building somewhere. It was weird driving along and going through a tunnel or something, on the other side the phone would ring with someone asking if he's with his car, it disappeared from their map for a minute :rolleyes:

Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 10:27 am
by 60766244
Silverbullet wrote:My uncle in England had a big flash luxury car, not very common and powered by a Ferrari (not a ferrari though) I don't think it even had a key, just a credit card looking thing with a chip inside. If that wasn't in your pocket or in the car the car wouldn't start. Also had a 24/7 gps tracker on it, being watched by someone far away in an office building somewhere. It was weird driving along and going through a tunnel or something, on the other side the phone would ring with someone asking if he's with his car, it disappeared from their map for a minute :rolleyes:
Fancy! :o

Not a bad setup though, I'd send the watcher a christmas card!

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 6:27 am
by littlewhiteute
tambox wrote:Theoretically, the remotes are either a digital pulse code at a fixed frequency or a pulse code of slightly varied frequencies. If you wrote a program on a laptop to set the codes on a frequency generator, your would eventually get it. If you knew the specific Subaru frequencies, your could read with a spectrum analyser from any remote, away you go. Theoretically.

It also depends on the delay time of the receiver, between inputs.

Nothings impossible, thats how they copy codes for stealing specific vehicles, sit near the car with an antenna and a spec an, wait till the owner pushes the remote and read the code. If they are code hopping and you know the alarm type, you can work out where it will go next.

Dont leave anything in your car, or as mentioned leave it all open.

All very good theories.

VE Commodore has a trillion codes, be hard guessing the next one.;)

Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 2:34 pm
by Alex
Bantum wrote:A more likely way to get into your older model with a 'frameless' is to 'bend' the window back enough without braking it, reach in with a suitable stick and 'unlock' ... ;(

That is probably one of the reasons why they have gone to a 'framed' window now ... :)

P.S. - Most early Subaru's don't have any alarm system either ... :(

Ciao, Bantum ...
this is exactly what will be happening. Highly doubt they are gaining entry by a 'phantom' key or universal remote.

alex