Los Angeles Area Alert !

[TRE Cup]

Hi Guys
Gostraight just called me with the bad news that his black 911SC was stolen last night from his home in the hollywood hills.

this comes on the heels of another Carrera owner's car being stolen in the Santa Monica area last week, one of our client's prisitine red SC late last year in Studio City, and another Pelicanite's 911 also out of Santa Monica earlier this year

These are just way too many mid year cars , especially since we know this from word of mouth and not a larger database.

I can only guess that these cars are going south of the border , or overseas.

There being little demand for parts , like in the 80's and 90's , it is most likely these cars are leaving So Cal whole and complete

So be extra vigilant, install a hidden kill switch, and make sure your insurance coverage is current and appropriate !

[450knotOffice]

Wow! Terrible news. I think I'm going to investigate the hidden kill switch idea...

[Jeremy Cottrell]

Yes, and don't post too much regarding questions/answers about the locations of kill switches, or the removal of key components as theft deterrents. This forum may be an encyclopedia for these guys. Safer to PM people for this kind of advice.

[lfot]

I just talked to Radu.
He's super bummed.
Right from in front of his house between 10pm and 2am.

Now I'm freakin' out.

[slodave]

That's a bummer Radu.

Derek, stop freaking out over everything!

[lfot]

Freak Out!

[rouxroux]

Damn, that sucks! But remember, no amount of kill switches or component removal will trump a rollback truck. Horrible thing to hear.

[Jeremy Cottrell]

For those of you who live in the hills, remember that the easiest thing for a thief to do is roll your car down the hill and then get it started so you don't hear anything. Position your cars to make this more difficult.

[willtel]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Cottrell

Yes, and don't post too much regarding questions/answers about the locations of kill switches, or the removal of key components as theft deterrents. This forum may be an encyclopedia for these guys. Safer to PM people for this kind of advice.

That is only true if they drove the car away from the scene.

These cars are relatively noisy and have pretty unique sound signatures, couple that with driving quirks of a car this age and poor performance when the engine is cold and it doesn't make a very good getaway car. I would assume that the thieves used a rollback or tow truck to take the car.

Unfortunately seeing a 30+ year old Porsche loaded onto a tow truck may not even alert neighbors to suspicious activity.

[Paul K]

It makes sense that these cars would be shipped overseas. A very weak dollar and demand for rust-free cars equals big profits- not sure how the licensing/titling thing would work.

I really feel for the guys who have had their cars stolen- I'd be devastated!

Paul.

[red 69]

That suck, nothing u can do, cause if a thief wants it he will get it . and you can't stop it, i had everything on my car, other car and it was taken, kill switch ,club, chain on the shifter to pedals, alarm,and the car was lower, and they still got it, from in front of the house never found, or seen, or heard,and it was loud, so all you can do is hope and park it were u can see it, cause it will get got. sorry, but the thiefs make the alarms and the clubs, and the switchs and how to get around them, i teach automotive at a high school , and the first thing students want to know is how to .steal a car.

[the]

Wow, that sucks!

These cars are being stolen way more than before. They are getting harder to find and there is more interest in them.

(That's why a few years ago, I decided to go very low profile with my cars, I don't post anything about them, pictures, nothing, anywhere).

I do recall a couple of these stolen ones getting found in ok shape within a few days. Hopefully you get it back! I feel sick for you.

[88911coupe]

Good friend of mine got his 993 cab stolen out of his driveway in the HH's. Walked out to grab some lunch about 11 a.m. and no car...totally sucked.

[lfot]

Originally Posted by 88911coupe

Good friend of mine got his 993 cab stolen out of his driveway in the HH's. Walked out to grab some lunch about 11 a.m. and no car...totally sucked.

When was this? It wasn't a light blue 993 Cab, was it?

[TRE Cup]

My 914 has a quick release steering wheel - mainly because of the roll cage so i can get in/out, but i sleep a little better knowing that it would take another 20 minutes to put another steering wheel on too

[ZAMIRZ]

Originally Posted by willtel

These cars are relatively noisy and have pretty unique sound signatures, couple that with driving quirks of a car this age and poor performance when the engine is cold and it doesn't make a very good getaway car. I would assume that the thieves used a rollback or tow truck to take the car.

It's a 911SC, not a Formula 1 car.

If you've ever ventured into the hills in the greater L.A. area like the hollywood hills, studio city, sherman oaks, Bel Air, Holmby Hills, etc. you'd realize that turning a tow truck around after spotting your target isn't something done swiftly and quietly. It would arouse much more suspicion than someone jimmying into a 911 and taking off with it. The streets are narrow, packed with cars on both sides, plenty of through traffic, narrow driveway openings and tons of potholes and cracks in the road. Hardly somewhere you can get in and out of quietly, let alone load up a car and then take off down the hill.

They broke into the car, drove it down to a secluded area where a truck with an enclosed box was waiting, loaded it up from there and took off. Or just picked up in the middle of the night, hauled ass to Long Beach, got paid and loaded it into a container and bon voyage.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by TRE Cup

My 914 has a quick release steering wheel - mainly because of the roll cage so i can get in/out, but i sleep a little better knowing that it would take another 20 minutes to put another steering wheel on too

Big pair of vise grips. Couple seconds. No real deterrent.

Can even drive the cars w/ the V.G. on the spline.

Do some sort of back-up system.

[JMPRO]

Recently a very nice 57 Bel Air was ripped off at a shopping center in Hunt. Bch. where I sometimes go for the Pennys store and Sears. I hadn't given much thought to the safety of my car untill the chev was taken and now these Porsches. I had to go to that center yesterday and was very cautious about where I parked and what was around and made my trip short. I hate to be afraid of parking my car somewhere and not knowing its going to be there when I return. Now I guess I am going to have to put some kind of kill switch on the car. Not a switch to kill the car, a switch to kill the thief. I used to tell people its just an old 78 and not worth stealing, I guess anymore I am wrong on that too.
Jerry

[pozee]

Does it make sense to go back to basics and post the information on the stolen vehicle/s like you would for a lost dog (posters in the area?)? Maybe someone would come forward and call if they saw something/someone in the vicinity (strangers, color of a flatbed etc...).

May provide some leads for the local police?

Tough situation. Sorry it happened.

[88911coupe]

Derek/Ifot, it was a white cab...'95 model. This was some time ago but I can't recall the exact date. He lives fairly far up in the hills so it's hard to say if someone specifically targeted it or just found a way to steal it quickly. He's owned 3 911s all of which are cabs and he leaves the tops down 99% of the time since he'd rather not have it ripped open when they try to steal his stereo! He's got a 996 now and so far no interest from thieves....knock wood. It was a little ironic that he got hit in the Hills since when he lived on the beach in Venice he was a little more diligent with security.