Fox Ideas for Theft Deterrence in Storage

[Clutchfork]

My '92 LX goes i into storage for the salted roads season. Unfortunately, while it parks in my garage all summer, the deal with my wife is she gets the garage in winter, so the Mustang has to park outside in the driveway. I put a rubber mat under it to deter moisture condensation and put a tarp over it. The liklihood of it being stolen is small, and I cock the front wheels hard to one side and put a club on the steering wheel. Just the other night a beater minivan was stolen from across the street. Lady may have left the keys in it, so that could be an opportunistic theft. A guy in the next block keeps his 80 Chevy pickup in the garage, says one vehicle was stolen out of his driveway some years ago. Do I need any extra measures or is a car under a tarp, not a likely theft target? Typically my winter driver (2008 Fusion) will park behind the Mustang. Some options I have include:

1) Park in back yard (have driveway all the way back) behind the motorhome. That would put it in the utility ROW under power lines.

2) Park in back yard on grass next to the motorhome which effectively blocks the Mustang into the yard. But on grass there will be a moisture problem.

3) Park in driveway out front but with rear wheels removed. Start tire rotation early.

4) Just keep doing what I have been doing, which is to turn the wheels and put the club on it.

5) Pay for professional storage facility.

Pulling the coil wire helps but a flatbed can get about any car.

Am I overly concerned and should just do #4 and not worry about it. I have been in this neighborhood for 25 years and really don't know of any other car thefts.

 

[limp]

1 .If you can afford INSIDE storage that is the best ..
2. Why don't you pour a concrete pad next to your motorhome and install a canopy or build a carport for it??
3. Get the wife a car cover

 

[FastDriver]

Kinda time consuming to steal a car on blocks or stands. Makes it seem less valuable, too.

 

[All Stock93]

I put my Shelby in a 10 x 20 storage unit. Total cost for 6 months was $511.00

 

[Clutchfork]

Yeah, put the wife's car outside for winter. If it is stolen, good riddance. Can always get another used minivan anyway. Ha ha, car on stands or blocks, the city is likely to tell me I have to haul it away or make it operable. Wish I had my brother's garage. He had an 800 square foot garage and a 600 sq ft house. True gearhead.

Concrete pad is the best option and I would still lay a rubber matt under it.. I wonder if a rubber mat directly on the lawn would work.

 

[nickyb]

Drill a hole in the driveway big enough to cement a stubby pipe ( 3-4inch dia. about 3-5 inches sticking up) Right in front of your stang.
Then weld a tab to it ,now get a pipe that fits inside and sticks up a good three feet. Weld a tab to that. Drill hole in both tabs and put a buffalo lock on it.

 

[Noobz347]

Ha ha, car on stands or blocks, the city is likely to tell me I have to haul it away or make it operable

If that ever happens, just send them this link:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u49L-Nu0gGo

 

[limp]

Kinda time consuming to steal a car on blocks or stands. Makes it seem less valuable, too.

No SNAP money to spend, they have lots of time

 

[FastDriver]

I mean, since it is operable, then IF they tell you to make it operable, just put the wheels back on.

 

[General karthief]

Most driveway thefts are crimes of opportunity, keys in the car = gone.
High end cars and yes including mustangs, are hunted and taken with tools, most times a tow truck. They are looking for a mustang and yours fit the bill....gone.
Basically if they want it it's gone.
Turn the wheels + club and pop the rotor out of it too.. Good as it gets.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Pull all the wheels and toss it on blocks. Pull the fuel pump relay or better yet snip a wire somewhere and install a hidden kill switch.

Dig a hole and put a loop of rebarb or something nice and thick. Pour concrete. Loop a chain up over the axle. Park a blocker car.

Keep it covered and make it look dingy. Black cover, maybe a blue tarp over it.

Air tags. Put a ring spotlight camera pointed right at it. Put a sign on the car that says "smile, you are on camera" or something to that effect.

Storage unit would be better for preserving the car. Downside is cost but it's all regional. Quick look online where I live and a drive up bay you can put a vehicle in seems to start at around $400/month and go up from there. But if i drive out 20 miles it's $275/month

 

[Clutchfork]

I have one about 5 miles away for relatively cheap:

10' x 25' Unit
Roll Up Door, Drive Up Access, Outdoor Access, 1st Floor, Vehicle, Available for enclosed vehicle storage
50% off 1st Month
Monthly Rent:
3 left at $152.00
Regular Price: $202.00

 

[Mustang5L5]

How many months do you need? If you can swing it, thats the route i would take. While it would prevent theft, it would help preserve the vehicle better too being indoors.

I'd still do a few things like turn the wheels fully to one side, pull the fuel pump relay and/or fuses and remove the battery to take it home to trickle charge.

 

[General karthief]

Hate too mention this, but if you store your ride in a 'secure facility ' get insurance coverage for fire and theft and not through the facility, Hagerty has a storage policy.
Ask me how I know.....

 

[Stang337]

If you want to install a kill switch regardless of how you store it. On the starter solenoid cut/break the red with blue strip wire. I only solider connections like that vs crimp connectors (see pic) and connect it to a toggle switch hidden in the drivers compartment. I would use 12 or 14 gauge wire as you're extending the run of the circuit. A single pole toggle with a 20amp rating for 120v will be fine (Home Depot) has them. Most people put it right under the dash, but most thieves will run their hand looking for something, so find a good spot. I also put the wires in the black plastic loom and use black wire ties to tie it with the factory loom. The rubber boot coming from the firewall next to the fuse block is a good place to enter the inside. (see pic) This is how I did it back in the day when I used to install alarms and such in the "70s and '80's before all the electronic stuff came out. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Rcdgl]

The airtag is a good idea, otherwise, just leave it covered, locked and parked. A flatbed can get it even with no wheels. We have several cameras covering the front and driveway areas.

 

[nickyb]

See if there is a pitbull rescue in your area, ask if you can foster a few like four of them.
Chain one to each wheel .

 

[General karthief]

See if there is a pitbull rescue in your area, ask if you can foster a few like four of them.
Chain one to each wheel .

They'll just eat the car.

 

[DadLife0724]

Anything to deter is better than nothing. I live in a tiny town in NW PA. We don't even have a flashing red stop light. A month or so ago some pos thought he deserved my neighbors g-body Monte Carlo SS more than my neighbor did. He actually opened the door to my fox and must've realized it was a 5 speed and moved to my neighbors car. Car was found a week later pushed behind a barn a ways away. Dumbass ran out of gas. Then to add insult to injury, he smashed the dome light and took the keys.
Some people's kids really piss me off.
Anyways, anything towards deterence is worth it. Especially since from what I gather you live in a much more populated area. Good luck man.

 

[revhead347]

I didn't realize car theft was still even a thing. Theft is a crime of opportunity. Put it a position where it's not easy to drag it out with a tow truck. Pull an essential relay like, a fuel pump relay or something. I thought I was the last human on Earth that still had "A Club." Having a manual transmission is the greatest theft prevention system currently available.

Kurt