timbo

I was talking to a mate last night, who had just returned from a "interesting" weekend in Sydney, where the wheels from his Mazda 6 were stolen while it was parked outside his mother's house in Concord (last Friday night 21/4). Professional job -- jacked and bricked

Anyway. it was cool -- he managed to get a new set from a dealer and it's all covered by insurance. But the dealer also mentioned the same thing had happened to a 6MPS owner in the same area over Easter

Seems like there's a few collectors out there

takahashi

This sucks... hey but it certified the value of our stock rims!

Should I put lock nuts on my wife's SP23?

timbo

I think it is more about avoiding risky areas. From what I have been told, lock nuts add 10s per wheel to the thief's rapid removal process

takahashi

Hmm...

A leveling sensor will work - when it is jacked it sets off the alarm.

Old technology but will it work? ... I guess Sydney would not care and even look at the car with an alarm off... the thief could continue their business

Revolver

That sucks.

And I agree about the locknuts - if they want them, they'll get them.

yellowrx8inoz

When I lived in a block of units in Cremorne in 2000 there was a spate of wheel thefts like this from the "secure" car park. One guy had his WRX rims taken three times, and I remember seeing no less than five cars sitting on bricks one morning.

Eventually the body corporate set up a video to nab them. They weren't really professionals - just kids rather stupidly returning to the same place time after time. They were selling the rims to a shady dealer for drug cash, nothing more.

My car had after-market rims with wheel nut locks and was never touched.

xatnep

Ummm I would love to have a go at yellowrx8inoz's wheels myself if there are no locknuts on them now
I love the yellow and black

EZZY

it has been going on and on for ages.... sorry to hear the bad news, but at least he wasnt car jacked for that

as mentioned before, if "they" want it, they will "get" it......

concord isnt exactly the "safest" area in sydney anyway

Revolver

Lock nuts might be protection against moronic drug addicted kids but professionals will not be deterred.

"they" = professionals.

EZZY

how many ppl keep their lock nut adaptor inside the cabin.....? ;-p

kunz

Good one lol I havnt met one person who doesnt keep their locknut inside their car (apart from me lol).

I agree with the whole locknut issue, however I think its a good deterrent as most of the wheel thefts arent really done by professionals.

I usually try and have atleast 2 unique locknuts per wheel (they're fairly cheap) and will usually put off the teenagers who are trying to make a quick buck off your rims. However, i'd hate to imagine what they'd do to your car afterwards. Best to avoid the crime ridden 'burbs of Sydney IMHO.