My dads 300CD was stolen tonight - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

turbobenz · #1 10-05-2009, 06:36 AM

My brother had borrowed the car to get to work and back (but we put the insurance in his name). He and his girlfriend went to the movies tonight and during the movie two people slim jimmied their way into the car and stole it. My brother and his girl left the movie an hour early because it "sucked". He called the cops and apparently CHP noticed a gold CD on a nearby road within a mile of the theater. They were apprehended and there is no damage to the car.

Heres the scary part:

The car was stolen in a theater parking lot at about 9:00PM. There had to of been people around.
There was no damage to the steering lock. Not even a scratch on the ignition. They got in the car and just started it.
It's not an exceptional example of a w123, except that it was a turbo coupe. It has bad paint and the passenger door is flaking off square foot sizes of bondo.
The thieves have a history of auto thievery.

I feel like they may have been seeking out this model of car. Maybe they wanted to chop shop it and send the parts off to Egypt. Maybe they just steal classic Mercedes.

OR

Maybe they looked around, saw an old coupe. Thought, hey, we can slim jim that window easily (no window frame) and can probably pick (or whatever they do) the ignition easy since its old and probably not equipped with an alarm.

I read a thread the other day about a fuel line air bleed valve which disables the car. I'm not getting my SD stolen (don't drive the 123 anyway) since Ive put about 5 grand into the car and lots of memories. I plan to install a valve tomorrow along with an electrical solution to interrupt the starter solenoid circuit.

But hey, their caught. I hope they enjoy prison for grand theft auto

Scott98 · #2 10-05-2009, 06:48 AM

Glad you got the car back. That's terrible.

Scott

nhdoc · #3 10-05-2009, 07:20 AM

I don't know how they could have just driven off without a key and not damaged the ignition lock. It's easy enough to start one of these cars without a key but not easy to drive it unless the steering lock is broken. These locks aren't that easy to "pick" (if they were would all those people spend $$$$ to have their locks drilled out when the key failed to unlock them?). I'd suspect either your brother left the key in the car or there was a "hide a key" somewhere that the thieves found. I don't buy the "they picked the lock" story.

Still, glad to hear it had a happy ending. I guess your brother ought to be thankful the movie wasn't very good or they might have gotten away with it

turbobenz · #4 10-05-2009, 07:51 AM

Ill have to ask my dad if there's evidence of them breaking in but I think he said something about a scuff marks and they found the slim jim in the back seat. My brother would not have left the key in the car. He locked it up before he went into the movie because he had his firefighting gear, wallet, and camera in the car.

turbobenz · #5 10-05-2009, 07:51 AM

and I have the spare key sitting on the counter at home

Necrosavant · #6 10-05-2009, 08:36 AM

i had a 1984 300cd that i was able to use my key from my 68 280s or my 1980 sd on the doors or ignition without a problem...yet a screwdriver or non mercedes key wouldnt work..found out when i let a friend borrow my car and when he came to return it i noticed he had the wrong key in the ignition..

pawoSD · #7 10-05-2009, 08:57 AM

Yikes, glad they caught them!

If the ignition tumbler or door tumblers are really worn out, other MB keys will sometimes work in the lock. I am able to open one of my dad's SDs driver door with my key, but not the ignition.

Beagle · #8 10-05-2009, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbobenz

[*]There was no damage to the steering lock. Not even a scratch on the ignition. They got in the car and just started it.

If the steering lock is not latched into the slot on the column when you leave the car, (and I wonder how many bother to engage it!), it is a simple matter to prevent it doing so by pushing in a dummy key or thin strip of metal. Any car-thief worth his salt comes well prepared to deal with this

.

nhdoc · #9 10-05-2009, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle

If the steering lock is not latched into the slot on the column when you leave the car, (and I wonder how many bother to engage it!), it is a simple matter to prevent it doing so by pushing in a dummy key or thin strip of metal. Any car-thief worth his salt comes well prepared to deal with this

.

hmmm...I'll have to try this, so you're saying that any key can prevent the steering lock from engaging so long as it hasn't "popped" into its locked position?

okyoureabeast · #10 10-05-2009, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle

If the steering lock is not latched into the slot on the column when you leave the car, (and I wonder how many bother to engage it!), it is a simple matter to prevent it doing so by pushing in a dummy key or thin strip of metal. Any car-thief worth his salt comes well prepared to deal with this

.

Wow! The steering wheel column lock does that? I've been engaging it for funzies, but I'll keep doing it.

Fulcrum525 · #11 10-05-2009, 10:20 AM

Oh wow I'm glad you got the car back...same thing happened to my brothers Honda a few years ago. We didn't even have a chance to find out it was stolen. Cops gave us a call at 3AM saying that they caught a couple of joyriders who had a Honda master key

charmalu · #12 10-05-2009, 12:11 PM

Good to hear they got the CD back w/o any real damage to it, and so fast. Amazing.

I usually just turn off the engine and hop out. maybe now I will make sure it turn the wheel now to lock the column.

I just replaced the whole locking assembly with a new one from Phill. so I can steal my own car with my key. I was getting so even with the key it was hard to disingage the lock assembly.

So some Hoodlems

that can jump in and drive off w/o a Key. Yikes

.

It`s good they got cought and are now in the system and under Government control. They won`t learn anything, they get fed 3 meals, free health care, exercise room, TV, access to a Library to learn how to fight the system all at tax payers expence.
Think we ought to nail their Ying-Yangs to a fence post and push them over backwards. will think twice about doing it again

Charlie

derburger · #13 10-05-2009, 12:21 PM

Weird, were they guys who wanted to ship your car out of the country because diesel coupes were for the US market only? Or it would be chopped up? I think they were smart not to start a high-speed chase in a 300cd and to give up immediately

Jeremy5848 · #14 10-05-2009, 12:23 PM

It would be interesting to follow up with the authorities who have charge of the thieves, find out why they stole this car. I have always taken a certain amount of pride in driving an old car, knowing it was less likely to be stolen (although I always lock it and put valuables out of sight in the trunk). Maybe they were joyriders just looking for anything to steal that was easy to get into and not alarmed. Turbobenz, talk to the cops, see if they will tell you anything. It would be good information for the group.

Fulcrum525 · #15 10-05-2009, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

It would be interesting to follow up with the authorities who have charge of the thieves, find out why they stole this car. I have always taken a certain amount of pride in driving an old car, knowing it was less likely to be stolen (although I always lock it and put valuables out of sight in the trunk). Maybe they were joyriders just looking for anything to steal that was easy to get into and not alarmed. Turbobenz, talk to the cops, see if they will tell you anything. It would be good information for the group.

Same here....sure if it was one of us I could see steeling it

These punks don't sound like the type. What year is this CD?