Security again!

[Rodbr]

Has anyone considered "Smartwater" as a means of deterrent. It seems that would be thieves shy away from this stuff as it is almost impossible remove traces of it. Like the explosive packs used by the banks in a robbery.

 

The Police highly recommend it and with a small sticker applied thieves consistently avoid locations where it is used.

 

I have a sticker on the screen and rear window I noticed at the show at the weekend after reading the storyboard people read the stickers and asked what it, was others ran like hell.

Edited September 1, 2015 by Rodbr

[john.r.davies]

I felt suspicious of this - little particles in a bottle of water that can permanently mark your car???

So I looked about and the company website offers this: http://www.smartwater.com/news/mp-praises-smartwater-stone-theft-project.html

If dry-stone walls, in Yorkshire (I refer to the hostile weather conditions on the fells, nothing else!) can be protected, then a classic car should be easy!

I think I might try some.

John

[Rodbr]

Hi John,

I was like you sceptical but this does seem to be very effective, and in combination with every component you can, marked with inexpensive security uv pen. Belt and braces the owners location is marked with number and postcode.

 

I think it would be worth looking at a group discount.

 

rgds

Rod

[Motorsport Mickey]

Used as a matter of course upon new trucks and vans and applied when they are being PDId, it's not uncommon for individual high cost parts ECUs etc to be targeted and nicked and so a splodge of this gives a permanent marking. There have been arrests made supported by the "Smart water" evidence.

 

Mick Richards

[Rodbr]

I contacted them with a view to supplying a group discount where 12 or more members all order together.

Will revert when I know more. I

It would also be a benefit knowing that any car or spares you buy are not stolen!!!!!!

 

Simple UV light check shows up marked items.

[RogerH]

Hi Rod,

it sounds good. But what if you buy an item that has been previously marked by the seller.

 

Is there some record of who has what or is it up to the owner to know what he has an report accordingly if/when stolen.

 

Roger

[Rodbr]

Each individual treatment is registered with them (Smartwater) and I imagine that you can transfer the subscription to a new owner. Not so easy with spares but time will tell in discussion with them with a view to suggesting to the Cumbria group as a trial. I suggested to them that given the size of the TR Register the potential market for them was there.

 

Lots of interesting information on the website Roger and worth a read as I think it is the way forward, simple, unobtrusive and very frightening to the ungodly will avoid like the plague.

 

Hopefully make them work for a living, less effective than a CULL of low life scum though.

 

Flack jacket donned and awaiting incoming!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Rgds

Rod

[cvtrian]

If you look back to 2010/11 in TR Action, full page "members discounts" promotions and you will see that we negotiated group/club discounts with Smartwater, after three years and zero take up, it was allowed to lapse.

 

Similar arrangements were negotiated with Opie Oils, Rejel (manufacturers of Dinitrol etc), Frost, Battery Megastore, and several other suppliers, each with similar very low levels of support or take up from the club. I understand the enthusiasm behind group discounts, but our recent club experiences/track record have proved to be of little interest to members, resulting in very low take up levels at best.

 

The best of luck to the next club officer trying to arrange similar deals.

[Don H.]

Smart Water (two words) is a Coca Cola beverage brand over here for a purified drinking water.

 

The idea to mark all parts on my car because someone may check them later sounds nice, but over here just doesn't sound that practical. Who's gonna check?

 

In 2012, the US had 230 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents. England and Wales had a rate of 142, and Scotland a rate of 108. Worldwide, the figure is 66 thefts per 100,000.

 

The US, of course, has a lot of cars and a high ratio per capita. There are over 82,000 cars per 100,000 residents in the US, The UK is about 52,000 per 100,000.

 

These statistics, (from 2010-2013 and available via Wikipedia) tell me that vehicle theft in the UK is less of a concern than here. For some reason, I'm not aware of the same level of concern in the states about TR theft. We talk about it a lot on this forum. It never comes up over here, as far as I know. I'll have to put the word out to find out when the last TR was stolen over here -- it certainly didn't create any impact.

 

Is TR theft a greater risk in the UK? Are we just hardened to the risk or less concerned over here? For whatever reason, worrying -- or taking preventative measures like SmartWater to ensure my car isn't stolen -- don't occupy a waking moment for me.

[Rodbr]

Hi Ian,

I was unaware of the members discounts but perhaps the fact that values have risen markedly perhaps people might take note. Trackers and the like can be bypassed, removed thrown over the nearest dyke but permanent marking does make sense to me at least.

Probably talked down by the diehards and treated as "snake oil" but the words and Police viewpoint sell it for me.

 

Perhaps an article about the application and demonstration of the use of Black light highlighting might be of interest.

 

Perhaps like me unless looking for a specific item, ads and discount offers leave me cold and I turn over to the next item of interest.

I would be more inclined to read an article about something like this than perhaps someone's holiday trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TR5tar]

Sometime back I marked up several body panels on my car with a UV marker pen, stating my name and phone number, but it struck me that all a thief would need to do is go around the car with a UV light to find the markings and then paint over them. I suspect that most stolen classics get a full re-spray anyway. Smartwater looks to be more effective at getting around that problem, because it can be spread more liberally around the car and carries a unique identifier. That being so, I'm tempted to purchase.

 

It would be great if we could negotiate a new club discount for this, as I always like to purchase via the club if I can. However, if there's minimal take up of such discounts, as Ian says, then it does seem a bit pointless to negotiate another one. For me it raises the question: why is there such poor take up of these discounts? Whenever there's a post relating to an item that is available in the club shop, I always try to add a link to that item in the thread, because I get the impression that often people are unaware that we sell these items at a discounted price.

 

I'm not saying that anyone is at fault here, but it often seems to me that the club doesn't know whether or not it really wants to have a shop, and because of that it doesn't make the best job of promoting it to members.

 

Darren

 

P.S. Don, perhaps it's something to do with our history that we are just a bit more suspicious and paranoid than the typical American

[Rodbr]

Don,

Not sure of your point but there have been instances of cars stolen while parked and if those could have been stopped I am sure the owner would have been very pleased. just because it is unlikely doesn't make it less important to take steps.

My Motorhome was broken into and I caught the guy and gripped him gently by the throat till the police arrived, The damage done by his action affects my insurance on everything I ensure even three years later.

 

Using your logic we would look at the risk in our area and if low not bother insuring our home as statistically we are unlikely to be a target. I would not in truth having been a victim twice in an area of town where crime doesn't happen!

 

 

I am talking to their marketing people as we speak and so will let you know the outcome.

 

To me it is a bit like looking for cheap tyres for my TR after spending £20k restoring it and then running cheap rubber. No brainer.

Edited September 1, 2015 by Rodbr

[Don H.]

Don,

Not sure of your point but there have been instances of cars stolen while parked and if those could have been stopped I am sure the owner would have been very pleased. just because it is unlikely doesn't make it less important to take steps.

My Motorhome was broken into and I caught the guy and gripped him gently by the throat till the police arrived, The damage done by his action affects my insurance on everything I ensure even three years later.

 

Using your logic we would look at the risk in our area and if low not bother insuring our home as statistically we are unlikely to be a target. I would not in truth having been a victim twice in an area of town where crime doesn't happen!

 

 

I am talking to their marketing people as we speak and so will let you know the outcome.

 

To me it is a bit like looking for cheap tyres for my TR after spending £20k restoring it and then running cheap rubber. No brainer.

 

My point, Rod, is that worrying -- unnecessarily in my case -- too much about a car being stolen takes away a heck of a lot of the fun of having it! If I had something so vulnerable that I wanted to make every part glow in the dark, I'd question why I owned it. Or why I lived where I did. Life's too short.

 

YMMV, of course, and if part of your joy of TR ownership involves protecting it from lowlife scum, more power to ya.

Edited September 1, 2015 by Don H.

[McMuttley]

Smartwater comes with those trailer id tags that cannot be peeled off and are obvious if you try.

 

i remember painting the stuff in every hidden nuk n grannie of the trailer and then thinking more obvious places would be better!

 

Mine was registered, in fact still is! I found it odd when the guy that bought it off me ( a known racer at Castle Coombe) didnt want either a reciept or the ID Tag re-registration details, especially as it was a large and expensive box trailer (with my company logo over it).

 

When TR's are nicked, are they really broken up or just given a fake ID?