I decided to study in more detail the principles of operation of anti-theft systems, their effectiveness, to understand how premium-class cars stuffed with security are hacked.
It all started with the fact that one morning, getting into my car and going to work, I saw my neighbor at a public transport stop. I stopped and offered to give me a ride to the nearest metro. To my question: "Yura, why on foot then?" For a 20-minute ride to the station. m. Prospect Enlightenment, Yura told me the story of the thefts of TWO !!! their cars. In 2012, he bought a brand new Honda Accord on credit. A consumer loan was issued and a CASCO policy was issued only for the first year of operation. And in 2013, when the insurance ended, the car was stolen from the yard at night. I reported to the authorities, posted ads on the Internet, looked in all nearby yards, but all to no avail. The scammers called several times with a ransom offer, but he knew right away that they were just scammers. A year after the hijacking, an unknown person calls him and offers the following deal “You give us 350 thousand rubles, and we return the Honda to you, or we pay you 200 thousand rubles, and you give us the title, all the documents for Honda and draw up the Purchase Agreement - auto sales ". Yura, already tired of paying off the loan for the stolen car, agrees to the second option. By the way, the hijackers called from a phone number registered in Krasnodar. On the appointed day, a gangster-looking man arrives, transfers money to Yura in exchange for documents and a sales contract. But the most surprising thing is that they are not afraid - they personally call and come, have the audacity to dictate their terms. And also, what amazed - this "bandit" praised Yura of his own Honda: "Great car, pah-pah-pah. I have been driving it for a year, there are no problems at all”.
Having paid off the loan in full for Honda, Yura buys again on credit (but already a car loan) Subaru Impreza, but six months later it is also hijacked. This time they hijacked insolently, brazenly, with a bunch of witnesses. Yura and his family flew away on vacation, and Subaru remained to wait for them at the house in the parking lot. Before leaving, I pulled out the battery from the car. The time is 6 am, the hijackers, cursing the Subaru driver, load it onto a tow truck and leaving the parking lot, they cannot share the road with the minibus driver. Nobody wants to give in, but the hijackers begin to threaten the miner of non-Slavic appearance with physical violence. There is a verbal conflict, the cars are driving away. There are a lot of witnesses in the minibus who drove to work in the morning, but neither they, nor the cursed minibus driver could describe the appearance of the hijackers. Currently, Yura is preparing documents for the insurance company, since the Subaru Impreza, unlike the Honda Accord, was insured.
This whole story, told by my neighbor, inspired me very much to study in more detail the principles of the anti-theft systems, their effectiveness, to understand how premium class cars stuffed with security are hacked. Indeed, in the place of Yura, I could easily have ended up. There are 2 cars in my family that I love very much and stealing them would be a real stress for me.
By the way, I work in the Federal Penitentiary Service, which prompted me to learn all the nuances directly from those who are engaged in theft. While checking one Correctional Colony, I asked the employees: "Are there any persons in your institution who are serving sentences for carjacking?" To which he received the answer: “We have one character here, but he is sitting under a different article. According to operational information, he stole more than a dozen cars in St. Petersburg. A month ago, the alarm at our service Lada Grants turned off, the door locks were locked, and the keys remained in the car. How to open, not to beat the glass? We call the Japanese (approx. The nickname of the convicted car thief), so he opened Grant in 20 seconds. We ourselves did not understand how he did it. " I realized that this is exactly who I need. After 10 minutes, an inconspicuous man of average build, who looked 35-37 years old, was standing in front of me. More like a programmer than a criminal. I explained to him that I was not going to interrogate him, but that I wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with him. He, having hesitated for a couple of minutes, agreed to talk with me.
Me: Why did you get the nickname "Japanese"? You're Slavic in appearance.
Japanese: I am a specialist in Japanese foreign cars, although I can easily open up Germans too. In general, no matter what kind of horse.
Me: Is it easier to hijack the Japanese than the Germans?
Japanese: Of course not. It all depends on the quantity and quality of the anti-theft devices.
Me: Were there any cases when the hijacking attempt failed?
Japanese: It was a couple of times. On Kruzak 200 there was a hood lock, the hood was unbent for a long time, and time is money. I had to quit. But after a month we took him away anyway. The second case is the Camry, where the taxi frightened off, stopped nearby.
Me: In both cases, the Toyota brand appears. How do you choose a victim?
Japanese: Whom to take away depends on the orders. Most orders are for Toyota and Mazda. Although recently, Lancers with Focuses are held in high esteem.
Me: Who orders that? Who are the customers?
Japanese: Differently. If Cayenne or X6 is gone, then this is an individual order. The numbers are interrupted and the fraer goes for a drive in another region and does not know any trouble. If the Focus was taken away, then it's for parts, finding a car is not an option at all. Customers are sellers of spare parts. There is a very large office in St. Petersburg selling spare parts, only in the city there are several shops. So they are the main customers.
Me: And what kind of office?
Japanese: No comment (laughs).
Me: It turns out that if there is an order for your car, then you will steal it anyway, no matter what security systems are on it?
Japanese: It turns out so. One Gelik was grazing for two weeks, there was no way to get close. There the driver drove the owner - he was always next to the car, and Gelik spent the night behind the fence. They spat, took away the same one from the neighboring area.
Me: How many people are there in the team? What kind of people?
Japanese: A lot. Everyone has their own responsibilities, someone is responsible for the naughty and cover, someone opens and starts the horse, someone drives, someone accompanies, someone disassembles, someone works with customers, someone drives into other region on request and so on. It's a whole system. We have a tough discipline, many with higher education. There are no alcoholics and drug addicts among us.
Me: What kind of education do you have? Not always engaged in theft?
Japanese: I have incomplete higher education. They were expelled in the 4th year of the St. Petersburg techie. For five years he worked in several Official car dealerships, installed alarms. But they pay little money there, but they want to eat.
Me: And there are many such organized teams of hijackers in St. Petersburg?
Japanese: I didn't. I know there is a Caucasian team, but they work on the principle of "Scam".
Me: What is the principle of "Scam"?
Japanese: This is when the horse is taken away from the Victim by deception. Stealing keys with a keychain from your pocket in a shopping mall is as easy as shelling pears. After all, the Victims cling to one ring both the keys and the key fob from the signaling, and even the immobilizer tag. The Victim comes out with string bags, but even then there is no horse, hand in his pocket - and keys too.
Me: So what exactly is the trick? These are ordinary pickpockets, only their goal is a car.
Japanese: Yes, this is the easiest way I told. There are many more. For example, cans tied to the exhaust pipe on a rope. True, this is already as old as the world. The victim starts the car, gets under way, hears metal grinding from the back of the car. He comes out to look, begins to untie these cans, swearing. At this time, the Horse thief sits on his horse (approx. A thief who steals livestock, for example, horses) and leaves, the car is started, the keys are in the ignition. A similar scheme: sits in a car, say a girl, turns it on. A guy in a hood walks by and demonstratively relishly glues a piece of paper with a bold inscription "DURA" to the rear right window of the car and quickly leaves. The girl gets out of the car and begins to peel off this piece of paper. At this time, her car with the Horse Stealer drives away. Here is a more interesting way: the Victim is driving along a deserted road in the city, and some drunken guy is staggering in her way. The victim honks, yells, and the type not only does not leave the road, but begins to fall on the hood of the car. The victim can not stand it, goes out and begins to lead the drunk to the side of the road. Horse thief right there, the car in one direction, the drunk guy immediately sober up and runs to the other. There, around the corner, another car with a partner is already waiting for him. On the deserted road, only the Victim remains, without a car, keys, documents, and most likely without a mobile phone.
Me: Why no mobile? It is not necessary to keep the phone in the car, I always have it in my pocket.
Japanese: If the phone is in your pocket, then the type who mowed under a drunk will pull it out, so that the Victim does not immediately call the cops. With the documents for the car, the same thing.
Me: Hmm, interesting. Are there any other ways?
Japanese: Yes, complete. Let's say there is a car with a Victim at a traffic light. A boy of about 10 walks by and knocks on the window to the Victim "Uncle, open the window." The victim opens the window and is immediately spat in the face from the child. Swearing, he gets out of the car and chases after the child. At this time, the Horse thief leaves in his car. The boy, previously for this case, received a pack of cigarettes, or beer, or a tube of glue.
Me: It turns out that this Caucasian group specializes only in the so-called "Scam"? Doesn't he use technical means for theft?
Japanese: Why? Applies of course. It all depends on the specific situation. For example, on a winter morning, the Victim comes out to his car, starts it and, while the car is warming up, sweeps the snow off the car. Interested guys are sitting nearby in their car. They had already read the Victim's car alarm code. And they successfully block the doors of the Victim's car from a distance. The car is started, the keys are in the ignition, and the doors are closed. Usually a bag with documents is also in a closed car. The victim is in a panic, but then calms down, as she remembers that there is a spare set of keys at home. With the thoughts "who does not happen to, the signaling has turned off, thank God, there is a second set", goes home for the keys. The guys unlock the car and, with all the car documents, the Victims calmly leave.
Me: This scheme, it turns out, works only in winter, because in summer no one warms up the car?
Japanese: Not at all. It's even easier in the summer. Fold down the right car mirror. The victim sits down, starts up, wants to look in the mirror to get out, but it is folded. He leaves the car to fix the mirror, and at this moment the guys are blocking the car doors. The scheme is the same, the second set of the house, while the Victim walks, his car drives away.
Me: You told me about the methods of the Caucasians, and what are the methods of your team?
Japanese: We, unlike Caucasians, are intellectuals. We have a whole technical complex for opening and hijacking, the cost of which is several thousand euros. But all these gadgets have paid for themselves long ago. The scheme is as follows. If the car is expensive, we track it down for several days. We hit the wheels to trigger the alarm. We are watching the reaction of the owners. By the way, you can understand what brand the signaling is for the terpily by the antenna. In the morning around 4-5 o'clock a couple of our crews arrive. At this time, everyone usually sleeps, even late staggering teenagers and other drunks. We open the car using the grabber code. The signal was peeled and counted in advance. Further - a matter of technology. If there is a satellite system, then we jam it. Mechanical locks for automatic transmission, hood, etc. are also neutralized elementary. For everything about everything - no more than 15 minutes. Usually, most of the Victims, sophisticated anti-theft devices are installed right in the salon of the Official Dealer of their favorite and expensive car. And they don't bother with their installation and always put them in the same places, without worrying about secrecy, etc. And we all know these places. When the car is started, it, accompanied by two of our crews, goes to the sump - a quiet courtyard area not far from the place of theft. One of the escort cars is driving ahead, and if a traffic police patrol is ahead, the driver of this car demonstratively violates traffic rules right in front of the traffic police. His main task is to stop him, and not the stolen car. He is slowed down, and the stolen car with the second escort car goes to the sump.
Me: Wait, what if the traffic police stop the stolen car?
Japanese: The stolen car will not stop under any circumstances, because the whole front panel is smashed. It is immediately clear that it "smells fried" here. If the chase starts, then we don't need gunmen with shootings. The stolen car turns off the headlights, turns into the yards and gets lost there. We throw this car in the yards and forget about it. If suddenly there is an unforeseen situation, then the person driving the stolen car always has a large amount of cash with him for such a case - 2 million rubles. Pay off in any way.
Me: Well, not everyone is corrupt. What if an honest employee comes across?
Japanese: The phrase “You will not take it, your superiors will take it, and they will release me tomorrow. And they will call you an honest fool until retirement! " will do its job. Everyone will take it, I'm sure.
Me: We arrived at the sump, then what?
Japanese: We rent rooms, throw everything out of the car. We peel off all sorts of noticeable stickers, etc. We leave the car for 7-10 days. If the car was not found by the satellite and was not taken away during all this time, then we hang up fake numbers and drive to "our" service. Further, the car is prepared for the customer, either disassembled, or interrupt the numbers, draw up new documents, etc.
Me: How to resist car theft?
Japanese: Take public transport. (laughs again) Or you can also put a note in the glove compartment of your car: “I am a mother of three children, my husband left me, a credit car. Do not steal, please! " Suddenly I will read it, let a stingy man's tear and will not touch this car. But seriously, to install individual serious anti-theft systems from professionals in specialized services, and not from Official dealers.
Me: Have you ever had to return an already stolen car?
Japanese: There was a case. Somehow, by mistake, an Audi Ku7 was taken away from some FSB chief. A day later, they come to us and ask us to return the car in an amicable way. We do not need problems, they returned safe and sound.
Me: What brands of cars are not in demand among car thieves?
Japanese: We do not touch the French, Volvo, too. Previously, Koreans were not taken, but recently, due to the massiveness of certain models, orders for spare parts have appeared. Solaris and Rio are constantly leaving. Previously, Renault was not interested in anyone, but there are many orders for Duster parts, so they leave very easily. This car is cheap, the owners do not install anything other than the Chinese signaling, and it takes 1 minute to steal such a car.
Me: What should the owner do if his car is stolen?
Japanese: Wait, hope and believe. I don't even know, probably, to travel around neighboring yards, all kinds of sedimentation tanks. Many find their horses just like that.
I thank the Japanese for the conversation and give him my half-empty pack of cigarettes. The first half, we smoked with him during the conversation. For myself, I decided that tomorrow I will start monitoring the sites of installers of anti-theft systems. I will definitely sign up to them and install professional anti-theft systems on my 2 cars. And…, just in case, I will put notes in the glove compartments of my cars with the text “I am a mother of three children, my husband left me, a credit car. Do not steal, please! " And what? You never know?
