Is it easy to steal a Jeep?

[DLAW]

Every once in awhile I come across a story of a wrangler/gladiator being stolen. So here is my question: Are JLs and JTs easy to steal?
Perception on this could be skewed. Jeeps are attention grabbing vehicles to thieves thanks to the soft tops and general idea that people keep them unlocked. But once you are in, is there really something about a Jeep that makes it any easier to steal than another make?
This is top of mind for me as I'm about to place my order for my first Jeep. I've been thinking of ways to prevent it, such as a hidden kill switch.

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[XJADDICTION]

I think the new JL , JT platform are harder to steal, but if a thief wants something they will get it.

With locking console, glove box, and back seat uprights, you can keep things inside safer. If you put a cover over the bed, those items are tailgate locked in the Sport S and up models.

When the doors are off and the top down you just have to let go of worrying about it and let your insurance be piece of mind.

 

[Mr._Bill]

Every once in awhile I come across a story of a wrangler/gladiator being stolen. So here is my question: Are JLs and JTs easy to steal?
Perception on this could be skewed. Jeeps are attention grabbing vehicles to thieves thanks to the soft tops and general idea that people keep them unlocked. But once you are in, is there really something about a Jeep that makes it any easier to steal than another make?
This is top of mind for me as I'm about to place my order for my first Jeep. I've been thinking of ways to prevent it, such as a hidden kill switch.

If they really want it, they will just grab it with a tow truck and haul it away. The JL/JT can't be started unless the FOB is in the vehicle. They may get broken into, but I don't see a high theft rate in the near future.

A kill switch is difficult to implement, unless you put it directly in the line going to the starter. These vehicles are controlled by an always on computer system. Pushing the Start Button just wakes it up and tells it to activate the user interface and send a start command to the starter controller.

 

[Andtros]

Every once in awhile I come across a story of a wrangler/gladiator being stolen. So here is my question: Are JLs and JTs easy to steal?
Perception on this could be skewed. Jeeps are attention grabbing vehicles to thieves thanks to the soft tops and general idea that people keep them unlocked. But once you are in, is there really something about a Jeep that makes it any easier to steal than another make?
This is top of mind for me as I'm about to place my order for my first Jeep. I've been thinking of ways to prevent it, such as a hidden kill switch.

I thought much like you at first- but after almost 20 years of owning a TJ, I haven't had a problem. I did, however, take precautions. Check out the company:

https://nohotwire.com/?utm_source=g...MI1-KQ9NOA6wIVEh-tBh08yA5OEAAYASAAEgKwF_D_BwE

I've been running their system, and he always kept me sane, even when wheeling down in Mexico.
I remember the guys from jeepforum did a group buy, and it worked out well at the time. I might install that system into this one, however, this jeep is much more difficult than stealing many other cars/suv/trucks.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

Depends on how you want to discuss stealing. When I first got my JK my coworker talked me into getting a set of wheel locks because someone once took the spare right off his old YJ. Fair enough, on when a lock. Then after a winter it promptly came off because the locking lug rusted badly and the key became a questionable fit.

Since then I've parked it all day every day at the train station with no top and no doors and the worst I found done was someone elses fast food bag on the passenger floor and a dollar in the cup holder.

Taking the whole jeep requires either a wild cat tow rig or a flatbed. The days of stereos gone missing I think are long behind us, the secondary market doesn't really exist much anymore. Pillaging your console is a reality in a lot of places , my wife loves to retell the tale of her old new yorker getting broken into for about 1.50 in change in the ash tray (remember those?) in Baltimore, but really whats to steal these days really? When the homeless guy has a better phone than me, does he really need my charger?

I want to say the biggest threat is assholes. Assholes will cut your soft windows just because. Assholes will leave their bag of beer cans on your seats just because. Assholes will smear their half eaten burrito across your windshield out of boredom. In their crowning glory assholes might even pull out your winch line and tie it around a parking meter or three. Assholes gonna asshole.

Kill switches, ignition interlocks or covert master battery switches are not a bad idea at all if you find yourself transiting some sketchy areas. where it making sure only you can start it could be important. I'm a fan of interrupting the starter power because it's the easiest to bypass in the event of problems. Getting fancy with hidden switches and relay patterns sounds cool until you're in a rush. But on the flip side I've seen a truck not get started simply because they couldn't figure out the clutch switch was relocated to a high beam floor switch right next to it. So yeah it can be stone simple.

 

[DLAW]

Depends on how you want to discuss stealing. When I first got my JK my coworker talked me into getting a set of wheel locks because someone once took the spare right off his old YJ. Fair enough, on when a lock. Then after a winter it promptly came off because the locking lug rusted badly and the key became a questionable fit.

Since then I've parked it all day every day at the train station with no top and no doors and the worst I found done was someone elses fast food bag on the passenger floor and a dollar in the cup holder.

Taking the whole jeep requires either a wild cat tow rig or a flatbed. The days of stereos gone missing I think are long behind us, the secondary market doesn't really exist much anymore. Pillaging your console is a reality in a lot of places , my wife loves to retell the tale of her old new yorker getting broken into for about 1.50 in change in the ash tray (remember those?) in Baltimore, but really whats to steal these days really? When the homeless guy has a better phone than me, does he really need my charger?

I want to say the biggest threat is assholes. Assholes will cut your soft windows just because. Assholes will leave their bag of beer cans on your seats just because. Assholes will smear their half eaten burrito across your windshield out of boredom. In their crowning glory assholes might even pull out your winch line and tie it around a parking meter or three. Assholes gonna asshole.

Kill switches, ignition interlocks or covert master battery switches are not a bad idea at all if you find yourself transiting some sketchy areas. where it making sure only you can start it could be important. I'm a fan of interrupting the starter power because it's the easiest to bypass in the event of problems. Getting fancy with hidden switches and relay patterns sounds cool until you're in a rush. But on the flip side I've seen a truck not get started simply because they couldn't figure out the clutch switch was relocated to a high beam floor switch right next to it. So yeah it can be stone simple.

I really hope you were not victim to all of the above and were just making up examples. It makes me want to put high voltage electric zappers on the door handles. And then I'll forget to deactivate it and end up zapping myself.

 

[FLACRACKER]

I know with the JT I bought, Uconnect was supplied as a service for I believe 5 years. It is able to locate your vehicle with the Uconnect app. Also as was explained to me by the salesman there are "Shadow" markings on the panels for Tracing. As with any vehicle all we can do is just take precautions and have good insurance. Best wishes!

 

[d k]

I thought the Sport had a lockable tailgate as well?

those items are tailgate locked in the Sport S and up models.

 

[PyrPatriot]

good discussion on criminals hacking the system here

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/jeep-broken-into-and-valuables-stolen.47703/

 

[Willys2Gladiator]

I think the new JL , JT platform are harder to steal, but if a thief wants something they will get it.

With locking console, glove box, and back seat uprights, you can keep things inside safer. If you put a cover over the bed, those items are tailgate locked in the Sport S and up models.

When the doors are off and the top down you just have to let go of worrying about it and let your insurance be piece of mind.

Base Sport tailgate locks as well.

I thought the Sport had a lockable tailgate as well?

It does.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Tail gate locks but unless you have a solid cover that also locks down in some way - easy to get into.
The biggest issue will likely be stolen panels. I was talking with my neighbor about this and he said the t-top panels were taken out of his car a few years back. The worst part was that the insurance company actually makes it WORSE by covering it and allowing used panels to be bought as replacement. Guess what - they created a market for the panels! Steal roof panels, sell them and people who have had their panels stolen will buy them.
The insurance industry created the market for panels by paying customers to get used ones to replace the stolen panels.

It's so easy to take PARTS off, that's the biggest concern I have.
To take the whole thing - would take a wrecker, trailer, or some real doing. But like already said, ANYTHING can be stolen if someone wants it badly enough.

As far as actual hacks - mostly urban legend and stories repeated on the internet, conspiracy theories, that sort of thing. Almost anything discussed as actually being done is "proof of concept" type stuff, just to prove it CAN by done, not that it's been done.

The razor blades in popcorn balls that led parents everywhere to keep their kids away from strangers' houses for trick or treat? Several journalists have tried to investigate and have concluded - myth. Not one single provable instance ever found. No doctor or hospital records, no true original newspaper story, nothing. All myth.

Be careful what you believe on the web......... of course if it's on Twitter or fakebook it MUST be REAL and TRUE!

 

[Mark Doiron]

... I've been thinking of ways to prevent it, such as a hidden kill switch.

Doesn't work for tow-away, but effective against carjacking, too.

EDIT: FYI, on my Trans Am I installed an electric fuel pump (which your JT has already, of course) that is powered through a relay wired for latching (stays on once power is applied, drops off when power is lost). The pushbutton for that relay is hidden. The car will start and run briefly--until the carburetor (you don't have one of them in your JT) runs out of gas if the button is not pushed. Which gets it about a hundred yards down the road. And that is good because it gets the thief away from me, should I have been around (e.g., carjacking). That "feature" wouldn't work on your JT since no fuel is going anywhere without the pressure of the pump pushing it through the injectors. If you do figure out how to wire something like this, be sure to tell us how you did it--except keep the switch location secret. ;-)

 

[MrKnowitall]

The notion that soft top jeeps are more susceptible to content theft cracks me up. Glass breaks just as fast as a top is sliced open. Grab item, dart over 2 cars and look surprised.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Doesn't work for tow-away, but effective against carjacking, too.

EDIT: FYI, on my Trans Am I installed an electric fuel pump (which your JT has already, of course) that is powered through a relay wired for latching (stays on once power is applied, drops off when power is lost). The pushbutton for that relay is hidden. The car will start and run briefly--until the carburetor (you don't have one of them in your JT) runs out of gas if the button is not pushed. Which gets it about a hundred yards down the road. And that is good because it gets the thief away from me, should I have been around (e.g., carjacking). That "feature" wouldn't work on your JT since no fuel is going anywhere without the pressure of the pump pushing it through the injectors. If you do figure out how to wire something like this, be sure to tell us how you did it--except keep the switch location secret. ;-)

I could have rigged a kill switch in the pump circuit on my 4.0 powered car. It's powered by a relay in the PDC. Easy to rig a kill switch in line with that. There's also a roll-over circuit and I had thought about rigging into that - kills the engine in event of a roll-over. I had thought about building a simple timer circuit to tell it that it rolled over about 2 minutes after start unless I hit a hidden switch to kill the timer.
There are ways to kill even modern vehicles but you have to be more careful with the bus now.

As far as a stick slowing me down if I was of the mind to take a vehicle - I go more by feel - I rarely ever look at the numbers on the knob. I feel for where things are as reverse is often in a different spot, but 1st is almost always universally in the same place. All I'd need would be 1-3 or 4. Reverse can be found. Driven enough you get a feel for where things are without looking.

 

[anavrinIV]

As far as a stick slowing me down if I was of the mind to take a vehicle - I go more by feel - I rarely ever look at the numbers on the knob. I feel for where things are as reverse is often in a different spot, but 1st is almost always universally in the same place. All I'd need would be 1-3 or 4. Reverse can be found. Driven enough you get a feel for where things are without looking.

I believe his was a commentary of people not knowing how to operate a manual transmission vehicle.. AKA "millenial theft deterrent" if If I myself am a millenial and only buy stick shift vehicles....but I'm an exception

I've only had one vehicle broken into and really it was my own fault (as much as theft can be caused by the person being robbed) for not locking my car. The battery in my key fob was dying and only worked sporadically, one morning I got into my car to find my center console belongings scattered around and the glove box open. My $600 tuner was still in the glove box, $100 leatherman sitting on the passenger seat, $100 fenix flash light next to the leatherman. They got my spare change maybe? I replaced the battery that day.

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