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Martin Warner
United Kingdom
85 Posts |
 Posted - 23/08/2012 : 04:20:51
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I have just had my KN and my Twin Cam stolen from my garage. The first I knew was the police arriving at 3am. They tried to stop the cars being driven in convoy through a village about 5 miles away at 2am. The thieves dumped the K-Type but made off with the Twin Cam.
So I will at least get the KN back when the police have finished with it. The strange thing is that the thieves knew how to start it. There are three switches one of which is hidden and then of course a crash gearbox etc. They obviously had a worrying amount of knowledge about the cars and how to drive them. All a bit of a pain. |
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PeterL
United Kingdom
1722 Posts |
Posted - 23/08/2012 : 05:18:19
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Martin
So sorry to hear this. I have come to know of you and your cars over many years, bit of an institution.
You had clearly come to the attention of the police yourself! Clearly not a bad thing.
I hope the twin cam finds its way back too.
Best wishes
Peter L |
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kimber
United Kingdom
1529 Posts |
Posted - 23/08/2012 : 08:56:57
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My theory about such thefts is that the culprits are either idiots or they know exactly what it is they are stealing and know exactly by what route they will pass it on undetected (either complete or broken for spares).
In the case of my P-type, it was the former and the car turned up at an auction several months after it was knicked and after a lengthy legal battle was eventually recovered by its rightful owner who sold the car to me. Interestingly, DVLA had handed a new V5 to the thief whose name I requested was removed from the 'previous owner' box, which they did.
I wish you luck recovering yours, Martin. |
Edited by - kimber on 23/08/2012 08:57:33 |
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Martin Warner
United Kingdom
85 Posts |
Posted - 23/08/2012 : 14:02:18
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Peter
Thank you for your kind words. I am not sure about the "institution" bit but I am never one to shy away from a double edged comment! |
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greg
United Kingdom
833 Posts |
Posted - 23/08/2012 : 18:40:33
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| Sorry to hear about your cars really sad. Could it be Somone from your MOT station or Somone who has worked on your cars. It's Somone who knows your car inside and out. Could be Somone connect to this forum |
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Martin Warner
United Kingdom
85 Posts |
Posted - 23/08/2012 : 20:29:19
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Greg
Thank you for your thoughts. Both cars have been worked on and MOTd by a chap I trust implicitly. So not from there, but it is worrying that they managed to start and drive both cars with some degree of competence. |
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greg
United Kingdom
833 Posts |
Posted - 23/08/2012 : 21:51:34
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could it be somone who works for him? there was a chap in derby near me who ran a garage he had a lot of motorbikes kept upstairs, the only way up there was on a hyrdrolic ramp, to operate the ramp you needed a key which was well hidden in the garage. he employed somone which he laid off a few weeks later. all the bikes were then taken, never seen again. it was the guy who worked for him he was the only one who knew where the key was and how to use the ramp. you cant trust any one nowadays!
i wouldn't put much more on here (the forum) till or if you get the twin cam back you dont know whos looking on here. |
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Onno
Netherlands
1044 Posts |
Posted - 23/08/2012 : 22:01:24
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Martin
I would post some details and pics on all public fora (as this one)
My brother in law did when his VW T3 camper van was stolen and 6 months later some one spotted it and it has since been returned.
If he had not posted the info no one would have recognised the very distinct features (but keep some secret as a back-up)
All the luck with the recovery.
Onno "D" Könemann |
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spitfire
United Kingdom
371 Posts |
Posted - 24/08/2012 : 09:43:13
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Grim reading, Martin. A stroke of luck that the police even intervened and one was recovered. I would think the switches were simply bypassed. The police would know.
A friend had thousands of pounds worth of gold stolen from her house. The police let on that it was someone that lived close but couldn't name them! As you say, very worrying.
Fingers crossed that someone will be suspicious of the twin cam and report it.
It's a shame there isn't a website, open to all, E.g. STOLEN! Drop down menu where you can post details of cars stolen IMMEDIATELY. If anyone is offered a car they can go online and do a swift check. It might even be sponsored by insurance companies. SPEED ON YOUR SIDE.
There are many clubs that notice all "their" make in their travels.
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Edited by - spitfire on 24/08/2012 19:11:25 |
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 24/08/2012 : 10:29:56
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Sorry to read of your problems Martin, and I hope that "twinky" is returned home safely soon
Do you know how the bxxxxxxxs got in ? Did you rely on normal garage locks or had you installed anything special. Normal locks are very poor indeed, and only have about 10 key differs. Buy one key and open every tenth garage door.
Very best wishes,
Colin B. |
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Keith Wallace
United Kingdom
367 Posts |
Posted - 24/08/2012 : 17:37:25
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My thoughts are with you Martin.
When I am away, I disconnect the "up & over" garage door lock and leave it unlocked, (so it just spins) and park the wife's car I front of the garage doors.
The garage sensor trigger the house alarm.
I know it's not enough, but it is something.
Keith.
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Martin Warner
United Kingdom
85 Posts |
Posted - 24/08/2012 : 19:49:31
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Thanks for all your comments so far. I am not sure what one does about security. The police told me that they had to deal with the theft of an MGB in Farnham last week where the thieves had removed part of the garage roof to get in. So there is not a lot to be done about a determined thief. Perhaps remove one of the knock ons and hide it. At least they would not get very far!
Gary(Spitfire) your idea of a classic car database is not lost on me. My business is IT and the last few days experience has made me realise that there is a gaping hole that would be easy to fix. I will soon be on the case. |
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LewPalmer
USA
3242 Posts |
Posted - 24/08/2012 : 22:42:17
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Having just built a new garage to house 3 MGs, I opted for a full security system. It has motion sensors in all areas plus magnetic sensors on all exterior doors. There is no way, even taking off the roof, that it would not trigger if someone entered without disarming. It also has smoke/fire detectors in all area and a CO sensor in the main garage area.
It was not cheap (about $1000 US) but after having lost the last garage (and nearly all the cars), it is cheap insurance. Contact me offline if you would like the details.
Lew Palmer
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DSW
Germany
95 Posts |
Posted - 25/08/2012 : 07:30:30
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I take the rotor arm out of the distributor when leaving the car garaged for a longer time or somewhere public - quick and easier than removing a knock on, invisible at first sight, and unlikely to be carried around by anyone. Still it would not stop the professional guys.
Has anyone tried a tracker (http://rbs-propertymarking.co.uk/classic_cars_61.html) ? Looks not to be too expensive.
David |
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spitfire
United Kingdom
371 Posts |
Posted - 25/08/2012 : 07:53:03
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Martin, would it not be an idea to publish the engine and chassis numbers. I might be able to catch the MGOC mag going to print and their stolen section.
Also might be worth telling the police and contacting Ebay. Put Twin Cam Engine on your Ebay search facility and Ebay will email you as soon as one is put on.
"US" as MG owners are all potential buyers if the car is broken. This means we are effectively covering the whole country (world)
Not the case of entering a den of thieves, and not a risk, but any of us legitimate buyers privy to this vital info could tip off the local rozzers if it's on our patch. "I'll just go and get the cash (and phone the police in the meantime)
These turds have made their move. Now they have to conceal it from the MG world. The fellow who helped do up my J2 is putting a 2 foot gauge railway on his land. Local theives who cut out hundreds of metres of railway signalling cable found the neighbouring narrow gauge railway. They proceeded to cut anything deemed cutable from the locomotives! So Fred is letting them move their railway onto his land. Where his dogs run free. A barking dog that lives outside looks after its patch. You can't walk near in our house in Thailand without a dog seeing it and barking to let on "a visitor" has arrived!
As DSW states.. A tracker, nicely concealed means it can't be HIDDEN.
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Edited by - spitfire on 25/08/2012 08:12:54 |
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gordclark
Canada
170 Posts |
Posted - 25/08/2012 : 23:29:49
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Over the years, there have been thefts of many collector cars. I can’t understand why someone would steal a 1934 Bucciali Flêche d’Or, when only a handful were made. Our vintage MGs are not that much different, especially when identification of the chassis, engine and bonnet can usually be made.
But Spitfire’s suggestion seems to make them most sense. The question is “where would it be most effective”? The MG Auctionwatch site is run by, I believe, John James and since that site is only linked to eBay, I hope John would be receptive to the idea of having a special posting section for stolen MGs. That web-site is viewed by MG enthusiasts all over the world.
One can no longer assume that if the car has been stolen in the UK, that that’s likely where it will be. No, the world is a big place now and a twin cam engine stolen on a Monday in the UK, could turn up on a Friday in OZ.
I’m hoping that John will consider a request to put a box at the very top of his Auction watch Web-Page, flashing red that an MG has been stolen, and by clicking on the flashing red bar, one is taken to a page with details. I realize that this is probably a bigger job than appears in my description, but it just seems to me to be the logical place for the alert. One could argue in favour for Safety Fast, but only a fraction of the viewers of Auctionwatch are members of the MGCC.
Another possibility could be the MG Cars Bulleting Board ... perhaps both; or for that matter, every MG web-site and club magazine!
Gord Clark #392 |
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