Some one stole my car keys to my 01 Z06 yesterday night while i was at the gym. I have an spare set that i started using but now there's someone out there that has access to my car! It was a small gym too so they could have easily found out which car the keys went to. I don't know what i should do. I know it will cost a fortune to replace the lock cylinders in the doors and replace the ignition. I was thinking of diconnecting the remote access so if they haven't tried using the remote on my car yet when they pressed the button it wouldn't work anyways, but they could still manually get in my car. What do you guys think?

 

Hopefully the guy picked up the wrong keys and will return them. Put a column lock on the steering wheel when you visit the gym.

Best Regards-

John

 

Thanks for the help John

 

So is this one of those gyms where everyonme hangs there car keys on a board? I worked out for many years using the everyone "hang your keys all together", and finally people finally wised up after a few cars were stolen to use a locker.

Id be getting my ign lock changed for sure and fast. I know the new cars they just input a new code and dont have to actually change the ign lock set.

 

A very timely story for you to consider.
A friend of mine had a break in at his appartment about a month ago. A number of things where taken but it seemed like it was small time stuff and the police told him that it was probably just kids. What he didnt notice was that the spare set of keys to his 2006 mitsubishi eclips vert had been taken. Over the holidays he went to go out and his car was gone. When he called the police to report the stolen car they put the break in together with the car theft. They told him that the latest fad in car theft is to steal keys first, let things settle then steal the car. They are doing this because of the security systems that now exist make it very difficult to steal a car without the keys(IE imbedded chips in the keys). They told him that the car thieves look for keys in homes and (very important to you) at gyms, swim clubs etc. Then they wait and watch for the best time to strike. They look for the longest period of time between when you leave the car and come back, so that they can get the car to the chop shop and into special rooms that they have built now to prevent the lojack signals from being recieved and sent. The cars stolen this way are almost never recovered.
The moral of the story is protect your keys, and if they do go missing spend what ever you have to, to make those keys unusable asap. I hope like the other guy said that it was a mistake but protect yourself and I wouldn't count on any antitheft devices. My friend had a club (the bar that goes from the steering wheel to the brake peddle) on the car that was stolen. He found both halves where his car had been parked. The police said that the thieves have a tool used by electricians to cut through heavy wire that is similar to the jaws of life. The tool is small and self contained and you just put it over what you want to cut and pump the handle and the hydraulics do the work. In less than 30 seconds they are gone( very cliche, but true). Sorry if this upsets you but If you are being targeted I hope this saves you from them.

 

just had a friend have the same thing happened...same deal...I told her if she didnt have a locker to put the key on her shoes thru the laces....

good luck

 

As costly as it is the only two choices would be to get lojack installed so when it does get taken it will be found quickly or change all the locks on the car.

 

The police told my friend that lojack is now being defeated by getting the stolen car into a room built to block the signals. When it is stripped they find the lojack and its gone. The car then just becomes inventory. They are vulnarable only from the point of theft to the room, which they keep as short as possible. A good short term solution is a well hidden kill switch. They can eventualy find a kill switch too but it adds time which may get them to abandon thier plan.

 

OUCH.

The gym I've been going to for 18 years has a "basket" that everyone tosses their keys into when they walk in.. I've SEEN people playing with other people's keys, and it's the main reason I tie my keys to my wrist wraps and keep them with me.. That said, In those 18 years, I've still had 3 cars stolen from the gym parking lot.

Ask the owner of the gym if he has insurance. You may luck out and find out it'll cover replacing your lock cylinders, unless, of course, they have a sign that says "Not responsible for lost or stolen items" hanging in plain site some where.

Good luck , this is a raw deal

I'd bring it to a locksmith either way and have some locks re-keyed.

 

How much will one lock cylinder cost? i only have one key hole and it's on the drivers door.

 

the thing is, that the gym i go to is on a military base. you can't trust anyone anymore!

 

WOW!!

That said, hopefully this was an accident and someone will return them.

That also doesn't mean it was a soldier - It could have been a friend he brought in to work out for a day, right?

 

soldier's are the last people i would ever trust. even the guys in the 82nd Airborne... (voice of experience)

 

I served in the USMC at Camp LeJeune from 87-89 and never had any kind of problem like this... Sad state of affairs...

 

my coworker, former marine and iraq vet, had a whole book of DVDs stolen from the barracks... no branch of service is complete without the Blue Falcon

 

If someone did intentionally steal the keys and is waiting for a long period when your away from the car, then use the Z as bait. Park the Z at your place outside (if it's normally garaged) or maybe even while your at the gym. But after you park pretend to go do your business but sneak to a place that is close to your Z and wait for an hour or two. If nobody comes for it, try again another day. It might also help to have a sidearm.

Maybe try it for a few weeks...if not takers, then get the locks changed.

 

I was going to say that too. Advise the cops, go to the gym, have the cops stake your car out, and wait to see if the dumdass tries to take it. Or, have a buddy go in a van or so, and have him park next or close to your Z06 and see if the guy will try to take it. Make sure he blocks him in. you don't want this to become a chase!
-M

 

Interesting, but since most people jacking cars these days have a tow truck and strip them I do not think a kill switch is that effective.

 

01QSZ06/3: I would have the locks (drivers door and Ign.) changed ASAP. Sorry for your misfortune. MPs and /or CID might be interested if you haven't already talked to them.

VicCaerter:
Interesting blanket statement especially since members of our Armed Forces represent a cross section of the United States. I have a little experience in the military as well and I don't agree with you. I certainly hope the men/women defending the country are not the last people you would trust. You might want to think about moving to Canada then.

Thieves are found everywhere, some are even civilians. Just my opinion.

Brian-

 

Thats what I'd do.