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My son has just been told by the police (10mins ago) that they have found his stolen Ford Focus. He bought the car new 4 months ago and had it stolen a week ago from outside his house.. Apparently it is now on a petrol station forecourt where it appears to have been filled with petrol and then the robbers have done a runner. The question now is how does he prevent it being stolen again. The robbers presumably still have a key! Does he have all the locks changed or can a new immobiliser solve the problem. This situation is new to me I've new had a car worth stealing! Your help please. Cheers.
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Your Ford dealer can reprogram the immobiliser and central locking, and they can change the key locks as well if you like.
How did they get hold of your sons original key ?
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We think the car was targetted after someone broke into his house. Having never been robbed before he did not realise what tricks these people can get up to. He never thought of checking on his spare key and the police never mentioned what other items may have been stolen. He believes he has been watched and then the car taken a few days later. One of the lessons in life that you have to learn the hard way. He obviously wants to take as many precautions as possible now. Suffice to say the house protection has been upgraded since the break in.
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Hi,
If it's at all possible that someone still has a key for the car then a new lock set will be required, and then this must be recoded to the car's immobiliser/ecu.
If your son has all the keys that came with the car, then he should be ok, although if the car was missing for over a week, there is the possibility that another key has been cut, although i doubt that it would start the car, but could be used to gain entry.
If the car requires locks etc, or if there's any damage, then insurance should pay costs, minus the excess.
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If it was nicked as part of a burglary - have a look at the household policy, may include cover for re-keying....worth a punt.
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It's worth considering fitting additional (visible) security such as a steering wheel lock, for example a Disklok, and keep its keys separate from the car keys. They deter big time and protect the steering wheel air bag as well.
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Update. My son has seen the car and apart from a few scatches and the petrol filler cap ripped off (why when the filler is not protected by a key) I fail to understand. The car seems to be OK. At least its not been torched. The car has been used in a number of robberies and has had number plates stolen from a Masda sellotaped over the original ones. What my son is rather upset about is the fact that the car was found only a few miles from his home and apparently it has been driven around his local area AND been picked up by several cameras reading number plates but no one has connacted him about these sitings. He said he would have driven around the area and tried to track it down if he had known it was so close to home.
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I would be concerned about how the car has been used, thrashed, kerbed, possible damaged suspension etc, the insurance co perhaps will pay for a full inspection in that regard, after all it is a potential safety issue.
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The essence of insurance is guaranteed protection from total loss. Did ur son inform the police and insurance when it was initially stolen? If yes i think he has a case to proof by say he now has forbia for driving the car and the insurance company can indeminify him to the value of the car.Driving the car would always bring back memories of the theft and it could have long term effects on you son. My advise is to do away with the car if possible as events would still unfold about attrocities that has been commited with the car.
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Are those feelings worth the money he'll lose-and lose he will if he gets rid of it??
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He would not really loose as the insurance company would pay him off with the help of the Police based of psychological implications of driving a stolen car!!!
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I have to say, fond as I am of both our cars, if either of them are ever stolen, I want to find them burnt out or wrecked beyond economical repair. I don't want them back. If the car was found abandoned somewhere quiet, I would even go so far as to torch it myself.
I think as far as insurance goes, they are only obliged to repair the car back to its original condition. Although I wouldn't want the car back either, I don't think the op's son can have it replaced. Being such a new car, write off isn't going to be an option, so I suspect it will be repaired.
There are some utter, utter scumbags in this country.
Cheers
DP
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Thanks for your comments.Many of them are heart felt and it is appriciated. The car has been held by the police for the next 48 hrs for fingerprinting etc., and is to be checked by a loss adjuster from the insurance company. There appears to be little damage, perhaps the robbers liked to be seen in a smart car! I believe it will have locks changed and other security issuses sorted. Fortunately in a way, my son has never looked on the car as a family friend. It is just a car. A nice car, but just a car and he hopes that after the repairs and a good valeting he can live with it. He may be offered a job with his company in America in the new year and after this experience he feels there is nothing to keep him here in this country. He is born and bred in England, but he, like some others, is rather disappointed in the way the country is going. Cheers.
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If the car was found abandoned somewhere quiet I would even go so far as to torch it myself.
That would be financially detrimental to your insurer, and would have a detrimental effect on all their clients' future premiums. Know what I'm saying?
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