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Original poster

Will dh's £90K car make us a target for crime?

232 replies

idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 00:26

Have changed my name for this to avoid accusations of being ostentatious.

Dh has a £90K sports care. There is a waiting list of 12-18 months....

I hadn't considered this before but a friend has suggested that we step up our security at our house (we are semi rural - not many neighbours) eg CCTV, and our alarm should be linked to a rapid response security firm rather than a just a simple auditory alarm (as per now). He suggested that dh might be followed in his car and our house targetted (with car theft in mind). The miscreants then might, seeing that our house looks 'promising', be tempted to break in rather than just filch the vehicle.

Has he watched to many police dramas or does he have a point?

(Feeling all sort of nervous and vulnerable atm, not helped by a murder in the village yesterday - aggravated burglary)

OP posts:
Original poster
idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 14:17

milge what a fab idea re business address on V5...

I would happily sell it (dh could take some persuasion)

OP posts:
morningpaper · 07/09/2008 14:19

I'm a bit horrified that you don't already have CCTV if youa re living in a fairly rural area and have some cash

I would do it pronto

And set it up so a little BEEP goes off when someone comes up the drive

And have computers in all rooms

It's geeky AND useful

Podrick · 07/09/2008 14:24

Whilst there is such a gap between rich and poor there is a downside for the rich and that is that they are more likely to be victims of crime.

I am sure that this car will increase the probability that you will be a victim of crime.

Heated · 07/09/2008 14:31

Update your home security. They need the keys to start the car & to make it easy to sell on.

Thieves broke into my brother's I-L's house to get the car keys for the car on the drive whilst his MIL was at home. They cut the phone line and smashed through the patio windows. It was in full daylight & they obviously made a lot of noise.

MIL barred herself in upstairs & used mb to call the police. Although the police were there promptly, they were not v interested as the thieves had by then taken the car. FIL found forensic evidence the police missed and a couple of 'knowns' were eventually arrested. The car was recovered but the ILs have since sold it.

shhhh · 07/09/2008 14:38

imo, you are being a bit nieve...

Surley just because you live rural doesn't mean you are exempt from crime and surley doesn't mean you don't watch the news.. ..??

Its not just when at home that you have to be secure but also while out. Car jacking is a regular thing atm.

I always make sure that when dh gets new car that he automaically have the car locks sorted so they lock as soon as mobile as he's a nightmare with remember to lock them himself..I worry about him at light etc.

escape · 07/09/2008 14:46

I do symp\thise a bit with the O{ - why shouldn't her dh enjoy his 'hobby' as much as anybody else, regardless of worth.
HOWEVER - I do raise an eyebrow at owning a car worth 90 K and NOT EVEN PUTTING IT IN THE GARAGE. ,, oh sorry, BECAUSE IT'S FULL OF JUNK.
seriously?

amidaiwish · 07/09/2008 14:47

actually i disagree. i don't think car jacking is that "regular a thing"

i know plenty of people with very flash cars, DB7s, new Bentleys, top of the range mercedes, audis, bmws etc..

of all those i know, only my dad has had his stolen, twice in 6 years... both times it was recovered in days. On the CCTV footage of it being stolen the police and my dad were incredibly impressed how well the thief stole the car, it is a hard car to drive, he was definitely a professional.

ClairePO · 07/09/2008 14:55

I would clear the garage out, leaving the car on the drive may make someone more likely to have a go at stealing it than them seeing it is parked in an alarmed garage.

Someone I know had people break in to steal their car keys, it was 'just' a bmw, I think you're right to be concerned. Shame I know.

OneLieIn · 07/09/2008 15:06

I guess it depends on the area. I have a friend with a lovely aston, it is constantly being vandalised.

Anyway, 90K - is he having a midlife crisis?

shhhh · 07/09/2008 15:45

sorry, but I disagree..it is a regular thing...
People being at lights and being dragged out from the car or someone jumping into the passengers side etc...

Oh and another very common thing is keys being stolen from inside the home via the letterbox...

Its all to easy for "someone" to watch you over a few weeks and to find out regular routes or place of work etc..

BUT as my dh says, I wouldn't let that ut you off owning a certain car BUT just be as secure and prepared as you can...thats all.

poppy34 · 07/09/2008 15:48

agree with shh re car being target- if you can put it in a garage I would - as its so unusual it may well be the kind of thing that gets stolen for order

wheresthehamster · 07/09/2008 15:49

I definitely wouldn't let the DCs be taken anywhere in it. I'd be terrified they'd be hurt in a car-jacking.

Cammelia · 07/09/2008 15:53

idratherbeincognito, sorry but I find it hard to take soemone seriously who doesn't post under their normal posting name for fear of being seen as "ostentatious" (your word)

You are being ostentatious, anyway.

pointydog · 07/09/2008 15:56

Is this 'friend' a possible future suspect and he is setting up an elaborate double bluff?

smallwhitecat · 07/09/2008 16:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

QuintessentialShadow · 07/09/2008 16:05

We had an alarm system with police response in our Putney home. If you can afford a 90k car, some extra £30 per month for peace of mind is hardly worth quibbling over?

It wasnt our car that led us to get the alarm, but a big conservatory at the back, because it made me feel a little vulnerable that somebody could easily break the glass at the back, as nobody was overlooking the garden, it could be weeks of people walking in and out of our home, while we were away.

Anything to make you feel safer. But if the CAR will lead burglars to your home?
I assume yes. Any opportunist would think "Gee, look at the car, they must be loaded.

LOL at the idea that a car thief actually go looking for keys before making off with the car..... You clearly have not seen Grand Theft Auto.....

wannaBe · 07/09/2008 16:05

why on earth would someone need to namechange to admit they'd spent £90k on a car?

That aside, why on earth would someone who claimed not to be well off spend £90000 on car! I only paid £60000 for my first house, and although my current house is worth considerably more than that, anyone who can afford to pay 90 grand for a car is obviously seriously loaded. The insurance alone would probably be in excess of 3 grand (very difficult to find insurance for cars worth over 30k as most insurers just don't want the risk so you move into specialist policy teratory then).

All I can say is:

wish I was that loaded.

palaver · 07/09/2008 16:09

Car thieves do break into houses to steal the car keys especially if the car is expensive and has good security features.

There was a spate of these crimes a few months ago where I live. The cars targetted were moderately expensive e.g. VW Toureg

MadameCastafiore · 07/09/2008 16:12

Our house was broken into for our A4 convertible so I would be onto ADT pronto!

One of the policemen told us to hide all keys for cars etc and the other one laughed and said they just trash house and then you until they find them - therefore our keys are on side in kitchen if anyone fancies a new car????

hf128219 · 07/09/2008 16:42

Our opposite neighbours house was broken into for a Mini Metro.

Mercy · 07/09/2008 16:51

One group which may target your dh's car is traffic wardens tbh.

Dh's boss has some sort of sports car and gets ticketed more than your average driver.

OneLieIn · 07/09/2008 16:52

We call them vamoose burglaries here and in our town there are at least 3 or 4 a week. Every week.

ChacunaSonGout · 07/09/2008 16:56

there are a few like that round here

not a fan tbh

jimjamshaslefttheyurt · 07/09/2008 16:58

My very rich friend's dd had a stupidly expensive car (worth more than our house at the time). She persuaded him to get rid of it because she said it was such a lot of hassle. They couldn't drive anywhere in it because he used to faff about parking at the other end, and there was always a big fuss about where it was going to go etc (and they had the sort of money where it could have been replaced quite easily).

I wouldn't want something like that on my drive for the reasons you mention.

crokky · 07/09/2008 17:11

I'd try and convince DH to get rid of the car.

It will be a target for crime at your house and wherever it gets parked.

Not only that, there are lots of people who hate people who are rich.

IMO, people can spend their money on whatever they want. However, given the society we live in, I think it is more sensible for people to get stuff that will no cause a problem.