12-29-23 STOLEN GLADIATOR (MIAMI, FL)

[Hootbro]

I would also recommend a tracking device like "Bouncie" and a OBDII splitter. If done right, you can tuck it up in the vehicle harness to look OEM and inconspicuous. Can also be installed in other areas with a little wiring work. There is a $9.99 monthly fee and works off of GPS and cellular pinging. You can also "Geo Fence" it to get instant text notification if the vehicle leaves a certain area you setup.

Been using this on my Wife's vehicle for the last year and been lazy getting it on my Gladiator but plan to also.

https://www.amazon.com/Bouncie-Connected-Location-Geo-Fence-Diagnostics/dp/B07H8NS5MS

https://www.amazon.com/bbfly-B6-Splitter-Extension-Female-Adapter/dp/B071L8W7Q7

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[Chaos Theory]

Curious if you had passive entry (unlock) enabled? From what I understand, the key fob scanner they use can get the code simply by "listening" for the passive door lock response of this function. Also was your vehicle automatic transmission?

I'm trying to, non-scientifically, determine demographics of stolen Jeeps. Also, I'm retired LE as well, and am the kind of person who will probably go to prison if I catch someone trying to steal my vehicle. *shrugs*

 

[ZoMojave]

It amazes me this has become such a big problem - well not that it's a problem but that nobody is really doing anything about it.

Just ask the folks in Ontario, Canada...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/auto-theft-stories-toronto-2023-1.7060776

 

[RK Racing]

Works better than every thing else……… We have it on our 3 vehicles.

 

[ZoMojave]

An interesting 22 minute video.

Tracking stolen cars: How they could end up in West Africa (Marketplace) (youtube.com)

 

[willys 41]

What people don't understand about the Ravelco
There is 100k combinations for the 16 pin plug
There are 16 black wires coming off the plug receptacle in a wire loom
Only 5 wires are used making it almost impossible to figure out which to jump
Some are hooked to ground so if you jump the wrong one you blow fuses
It took the installer 3 hours to install with my help removing components that where in the way
My jeep may get towed away put it wont get driving away

 

[HooliganActual]

How do they scan for tags? I've been thinking of getting a few for a couple things around here.

For the Samsung tags, the "Smart Things" app on a phone has a "Search For Unknown Tags Near You" function. For Apple stuff, I think it is the same or the Apple app will let a person know if latent unassigned tags are around after awhile. This stems from a few years ago when air tags were new and people were using them for stalking reasons on unsuspecting people.

I watched a YT video the other day with regards to the Apple Air tags (my family all has iPhones so I don't know if this is applicable to the Samsung products) and he was showing a way to "thwart" thieves using the Air Tags.

As Hootbro called out, the Air Tag will notify any Apple device in its vicinity to which it is not registered if it has been in its vicinity for some period of time (not sure what that time frame is) in an attempt to prevent their use for stalking. The Air Tag will connect to that device and then that device can force the tag to chime so that it can be located.

The video I watched showed how easy it is to simply open the back of the Air Tag (three plastic clips) and remove the little speaker. If your thief tries to ping the Air Tag to make it chime...there will be no noise. This would make locating the tag so much harder on something like a vehicle because there are so many places you could hide the Air Tag. Personally, I have been toying with the thought of getting two tags, disabling one of the speakers and then hiding them close to each other on the vehicle so that they would look like there is only one device. I think I would make the one with the speaker "easy" to find such as in the center console and then ninja tag underneath the console. High probability chance that if they find the easy one, they will assume it is the only one and if they destroy it and still see one on their Apple device, they just might think it is an artifact from the original tag.

Who knows but it might be an interesting experiment. It would certainly be one of the "cheaper" mods I've done on my Jeep!

 

[chorky]

I watched a YT video the other day with regards to the Apple Air tags (my family all has iPhones so I don't know if this is applicable to the Samsung products) and he was showing a way to "thwart" thieves using the Air Tags.

As Hootbro called out, the Air Tag will notify any Apple device in its vicinity to which it is not registered if it has been in its vicinity for some period of time (not sure what that time frame is) in an attempt to prevent their use for stalking. The Air Tag will connect to that device and then that device can force the tag to chime so that it can be located.

The video I watched showed how easy it is to simply open the back of the Air Tag (three plastic clips) and remove the little speaker. If your thief tries to ping the Air Tag to make it chime...there will be no noise. This would make locating the tag so much harder on something like a vehicle because there are so many places you could hide the Air Tag. Personally, I have been toying with the thought of getting two tags, disabling one of the speakers and then hiding them close to each other on the vehicle so that they would look like there is only one device. I think I would make the one with the speaker "easy" to find such as in the center console and then ninja tag underneath the console. High probability chance that if they find the easy one, they will assume it is the only one and if they destroy it and still see one on their Apple device, they just might think it is an artifact from the original tag.

Who knows but it might be an interesting experiment. It would certainly be one of the "cheaper" mods I've done on my Jeep!

Oh thats a really good idea. I think when you buy them they come in a pack of 5 too so theres plenty to be available.

How lame is it to be in an era where this is such a problem.

 

[SeaSharp]

I highly recommend Ravelco
I live in San Francisco bay area and if my jeep gets stolen chances are that the police will not respond for hours or days
If I locate my jeep and try to recover it I will probably get shot
Ravelco is my best defense

https://www.ravelco.com/index.html

I wouldn't put too much trust in the Ravelco:

(70) How easy it is to bypass and reverse Ravelco Anti Theft Device - YouTube

 

[willys 41]

I don't Know how did that Ravelco install put it is NOT the way mine is installed
Sure. Mine can be defeated put it would take a least an hour to figure out where and how to remove many components just to get to it
They will move on to the next jeep where it only take 3 minutes to start and drive away

 

[ShadowsPapa]

For the Samsung tags, the "Smart Things" app on a phone has a "Search For Unknown Tags Near You" function. For Apple stuff, I think it is the same or the Apple app will let a person know if latent unassigned tags are around after awhile. This stems from a few years ago when air tags were new and people were using them for stalking reasons on unsuspecting people.

I was going to ask the OP - but you seem to know as well and he's had a rough time as it is (hard to even imagine)

Samsung - does that mean they work only with Samsung phones?

My concern, being in a rural area, is that there are so very few of any one type of device around. Go to a rural area, there might be 10 people and only 2 apple devices - and well out of range of even enhanced BT. Same for Samsung - if it requires a Samsung device - then it ain't gonna work around here as we don't have any Samsung devices (aside from my wife's Flip 4 and half the time she's got to ask me "why isn't my music coming from that speaker")

Bluetooth requires you be within a certain distance.

My concern, I guess, is that not only would such things only work in urban areas, they would only work where there is a population of that brand of device.

I do have an app on my Pixel that will detect airtags because of concern of those who STILL use the airtags for nefarious purposes. I want to know if there's any in our area.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

How do they scan for tags? I've been thinking of getting a few for a couple things around here.

I have an app on my Pixel that will scan the area for BT (bluetooth) devices, tags and so on.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

As Hootbro called out, the Air Tag will notify any Apple device in its vicinity to which it is not registered if it has been in its vicinity for some period of time (not sure what that time frame is) in an attempt to prevent their use for stalking. The Air Tag will connect to that device and then that device can force the tag to chime so that it can be located.

It only works if the person being stalked has Apple phones, etc.
That's why I put an app on my Android to sniff for such devices. The only thing apple here is my wife's older iPod - which amazingly, still works fine after almost constant use for years.

 

[Lunentucker]

I physically cannot read that.
Good luck to you!

 

[Gvsukids]

I physically cannot read that.
Good luck to you!

Much easier to read on the mobile version.

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