I think someone is casing my moms truck!!

[Joyius]

See I had heard a truck similar to my moms pull up, I hadn't seen her leave or even knew she had left, so I checked but didn't see anyone. Shrug my shoulders, return to the computer. Hear the truck again go to look and see if mom is pulling out. It's not her but a similar truck that looks like my moms but is a low rider, aquamarine and has rear wheel wells, I think he was taking pictures of the truck to give to someone so they could come and steal it!!

Her truck is a very nice 1970's ford high boy, and it's a collectors truck. My mom would never sell it for anything. So she's quite worried. And if the guy was honestly that interested in the truck but not wanting to steal it, he would of knocked on the door to ask about it, not sat out in the driveway for no reason! And I know he doesn't live around here, cause I have never heard nor seen a truck of that make or color around here before. From the truck alone I'm sure he would of thought someone was home and would of came and asked about it.

Police were called, and we hope we find out what the guy was doing.

[Sapphire Silk]

Smart of you to call. Does your mom have a garage you can park the car in? Is there somewhere you can move it to for a week or so? Does the car have LoJack or an alarm?

[Joyius]

The truck is too big for the garage, she's just planning to block it in with a red gmc.

[Automan Empire]

If you are concerned it will be hotwired, a secret kill switch is a good idea. In a non-obvious way, tap into the ignition coil negative terminal and connect it through a switch connected to ground. A clever secret switch if this classic car has a metal dash: a magnetic switch in a particular place behind the dash, and a "cute" refrigerator magnet or other magnetic tchotchke stuck to the dash. When you don't want the car to start, stick the magnet where the switch is. For longer term storage, take out the distributor rotor and/or if applicable, replace a section of fuel hose with one containing a large ball bearing.

Determined thieves of "classic" vehicles often arrive by tow truck, and will be gone in LESS THAN 60 seconds! A guy in town has a nice old pickup truck, and he has a 4" thickwall pipe that locks into a receptacle in the concrete driveway, preventing a quick roll or tow away.
If aethetics aren't an issue, for longterm storage put the car on sturdy crib blocks or jackstands, and remove the wheels then replace at least one front one rear with a junk wheel cut into a square or triangle and held on by locking lugnuts.

-Automan

[Aislin]

Even if you block it with another vehicle it is NOT safe. It is very easy to use the very tricks tow truck drivers have to use to get cars out of tight spots to move a blocking car. Also my dad has had people just steal parts off his classic cars rather than the whole thing because he has an eight foot fence.

[Pimento]

It could just be an enthusiast appreciating another truck like his lol.


But honestly if you have a window facing the truck. Put a webcam on it. And put a sign saying "this vehicle under video surveillance" where they'd have to see it.

Hopefully it was nothing. But better safe than sorry.

Also my buddy told me a trick he uses. He installed Find my iPhone on his old phone and tucks it in the seat of his nice classic car (it has been stolen before). So if it goes poof. Then he can hopefully track it.

[Joyius]

It could just be an enthusiast appreciating another truck like his lol.

I kinda doubt that though, cause what enthusiast who doesn't live around here just drive over, park in someone elses drive way just to appreciate someone elses classical truck? We live in a neighborhood near an elementary school so there's a lot of young kids around here too, had we had any younger children we would of been scared he was a molester or pedophile.

[csquared]

If you are concerned it will be hotwired, a secret kill switch is a good idea. In a non-obvious way, tap into the ignition coil negative terminal and connect it through a switch connected to ground.

As it is a '70's ford truck, they are one of the easiest vehicles to hotwire. I won't go into the details as I don't want to teach anyone bad tricks, but you would bypass the kill switch. Your best defense against hotwiring is to secure the hood.

By the way, I know this because someone tried to steal mine.

[dendawg]

But honestly if you have a window facing the truck. Put a webcam on it. And put a sign saying "this vehicle under video surveillance" where they'd have to see it.

If OP is gonna go this route, it's safer to install a dummy cam for the thief to "disable", with the real cam safely hidden.

[mathnerd]

It could just be an enthusiast appreciating another truck like his lol.

My dad has a couple classic Mustangs. When I lived in a different house and he was over, we had random strangers knock on the door to ask if they could admire the car. Automotive enthusiasts are a strange, and not at all shy, bunch.

[Seshat]

I'd suggest asking the police how to secure the car, and PMing Argabarga (with a link to this thread) for his advice re preventing them from towing it.

[Argabarga]

I take pictures all the time of interesting cars I come across,

both dead: https://www.facebook.com/paul.seifer...7884639&type=3

and alive: https://www.facebook.com/paul.seifer...7884639&type=3


You are jumping to conclusions here big time that likely aren't true if you're automatically assuming the worst about someone taking it's picture, especially these days when everyone and the dog has a camera and internet access and doubly so when it's someone who already owns one. Probably taking a picture for his collection/message board buddies. People who want to steal stuff don't do overt things like STOP AND TAKE PICTURES of it, and in my daily job I have people call the cops on me not infrequently convinced I'm trying to steal cars because I happen to be parked in their parking lot.

If you or the owner of the truck are that concerned people are plotting to do something to it, your best option is to move it to an enclosed storage unit that has security. That's the only way to "tow proof" something, put it where there are multiple locked gates up that will keep a tow truck out. Once they can back into the driveway, there's NOTHING that will keep them from getting it if they're determined

But, as I said before, you're worried over nothing, IMHO. I don't knock on doors because I don't want to bug people, I just pull over, take my pictures, and get on my way.

I'm fairly disturbed at the overall attitude here assuming shy people are up to no good.

[Joyius]

Yes, but wouldn't you be concerned if some guy who certainly didn't live anywhere close to your house just pull up into your drive way, turn off his car, get out and start taking photos? All without knock on the door of the residence or asking permission? I understand if be just wanted to take pictures to show his buddies for fun, but my mom had the truck professionally shown in a magazine, so we're a big cautious, it's also a very high value truck as well. I should point out here, we live on a military base, so things like this aren't common or exactly smiled upon, since it could be a soldiers truck and taking a photo of it with the plate showing could get the whole base into trouble.

[wolfie]

I should point out here, we live on a military base, so things like this aren't common or exactly smiled upon, since it could be a soldiers truck and taking a photo of it with the plate showing could get the whole base into trouble.

Based on this new info, I'd suggest letting the MPs (or whoever handles entry/exit security) know what happened. Considering they were driving a similar vehicle, they might have wanted to capture details to make a "clone" of your mother's truck. After all, a distinctive vehicle known to belong on-base is likely to be "waved through", so a "clone" of it would be valuable to the bad guys.

The base undoubtedly has security cameras and logs at entry/exit, so they should be able to get info on the truck's "cousin". Be sure to mention the "clone" risk - military bases DON'T want unknown vehicles to slip through, and you don't want to be connected to anything that happens if the truck is "cloned".

[Argabarga]

Yes, but wouldn't you be concerned if some guy who certainly didn't live anywhere close to your house just pull up into your drive way, turn off his car, get out and start taking photos? All without knock on the door of the residence or asking permission?

Pulling into the driveway? Yes

Taking pictures without asking? No.

If you're that concerned about it's picture being taken, put a tarp over it. The fact you're on military property makes the theft angle even LESS likely than being out in public.