Altea keeps getting broken into, yet alarm is not being set off

[WindyWo]

My 2004 Altea 2.0 FSi has been broken into three times in the last 6 weeks. It is alarmed (factor fitted) but whoever is getting in, is doing so without any apparent damage or setting the alarm going off. They are rummaging around looking for valuables (there aren't any) and leaving all non valuables scattered around the car. Any ideas on what I should do to prevent this? Either someone has a spare key (highly unlikely) or some sort of device that overrides the alarm..

 

[-SlicK]

Hi mate,

Iv read on the fourm that some of the leons alarms havent been activated from the factory, apparently they can be turned on via vag com. This may be the case for you too.

Easy way to check your alarms still working is put the window down in the car, lock it and wave your arm inside the car.

 

[WindyWo]

Thanks for this suggestion. I'll double check but I don't think this is the answer. My 3rd old daughter regularly sets it off if I leave her in the car whilst I pay for petrol.

 

[Viking]

What part of the country are you in?

 

[WindyWo]

London

 

[Viking]

Take a look here for some possibly relevant info.

Link.

 

[WindyWo]

Thanks for the link. Interesting and worrying at the same time! I read your post and I suspected something like this is happening. The people who broke in so far haven't relocked but at least left the doors shut.... until last night when they left the boot 6 inches open.

So if this is the what is happening (laptop, clone etc), not even changing the locks would get rid of the problem as presumably they could jut do the same again?

A potential quick fix may to use an additional in car motion sense alarm ... with an independent battery.

Any other ideas welcome.

 

[Viking]

Yep, the access is via the remote, so lock changing won't help at all. An aftermarket alarm would alert you to their intrusion.

Does this happen at your home or work? And is the car in the same location every time it happens?

 

[WindyWo]

It's outside my home, parked on the street; usually in same spot.

 

[Viking]

So, they know where it's at and just drive past every now and again and take a look to see what you've left in the car.

This country is populated by scumbags. And there's nowt you can do really other than make them go elsewhere. Makes my blood boil.

 

[WindyWo]

Yours and mine!. Thanks for your help. Appreciated.

 

[Viking]

Just thought. Short term fix might be to pull the fuse for the central locking. Then they'd need the key. You'd need to unlock and lock with the key also, but that shouldn't be a big issue.

 

[WindyWo]

Good idea. Thanks. I'll give this a go.

 

[WindyWo]

Just checked. Looks like the central locking fuse is not on the fuse box, but on Number: Air (?) underneath the steering wheel and is also linked in with electric windows and electric mirrors. Disabling all of these these is probably a no-go.