Chop Shop had key to my '95 S500.
 

I was informed by local police that they arrested a gang running a chop shop. The police confiscated a copy of a key to my '95 S500 that these thugs had. Needless to say, I'm lucky the police got these guys before they stole my car. I now want to replace all my locks. Will insurance cover this? Is this only something that a dealer should do? Can the new MB keys be installed? Thanks....

i thought the MB keys could only be duplicated at the dealer, that's alot of trouble for these guys to go thru to get a key cut. did you loose your keys or did they take a copy of them?

How about a copy of his registration. That's what they usually ask for at the dealership. If it was in the glove box, they used it.

As I understand it, the MBZ policy for key or lock cylinder replacement is a copy of the owner's driver's license, copy of the vehicle registration and the VIN.

Well, obviously someone wasn't playing fair. Since the US made it manditory to place the VIN in plain sight on all cars. A quick look through the parking lot and an inside source and there is no stopping a lazy crook.

I mean it ain't fair them stealin it with a key.

True, not everyone does things by the book.

You've seen gone in 60 seconds right?

When did you buy the S500? Its not possible the car itself came from the chop shop?

I met with the police yesterday, and they informed me that a crook working at the dealership no doubt went and had a copy of my key made. He then gave/sold the key with my name, address, vehicle VIN, etc. to these chop shop guys. What would have happened next is they would have stolen my car, and most likely replaced the VIN tags around the car and sold it to some sucker. To boot, the service at this dealership was very poor, now this.

That s the way its done most of the time. They will pay a hundred or two to a dishonest person at the dealer and he will supply the key. Very common way to steal this type of car.

So this is a pretty convincing argument for some sort of aftermarket anti-theft device, such as:

The Club
Hidden Electrical Cut-Out Switch
Hidden Fuel Cut-Off Switch
Tear Gas Cannister

I saw an anti-carjacking device that's used in South Africa (apparently a big problem there) that actually shoots a big burst of flame from a propane tank out the driver's side of the car.

Ken300D

I like the tear gas cannister idea. I don't know about the propane thing, I wouldn't want to take the chance of a flame scorching my seats.

The propane flamer worked with the door closed. Someone comes up to your door that you don't like - POOF!

Big flashball of flame about three feet in diameter. Don't know if it would actually set someone on fire but it sure would make them back off. I saw it demonstrated on TV using a BMW 3-series.

Ken300D

Sue the dealer and make them replace all tumblers and Radio unlocking devices including infrared. Don't forget that eventhough MB laser cuts their keys. A key shop can still copy the key. Keep you car garaged locked with a club on it for the time now. Call a lawyer and tell them of your situation. I bet you can sue the pants off the dealer. Your chop shop keys probably can be proved that they were ordered by that dealer. Call MBUSA too and maybe MB might decide to strip the dealership of their right to sell MB.

The toughest keys to break are:

1. Mercedes SmartKey (impossible)
2. Mercedes switchblade (impossible)
3. BMW rolling code (possible, but VERY difficult)
4. Japanese rolling code (Lexus etc...) (hard)
5. Others...

The only way to steal a late MB without a flat-deck is to find a crook at the dealer, or go to your house and steal the keys.

When I was in the auto electronics biz, we spent a WEEK with a C43 apart trying to break the SmartKey. And we access to computers, sophisticated code grabbers (grab sequences to break rolling codes) and we were stumped. We tried to create a fake key, no luck. The computer recognized the fake and shut 'er down.

The BMW we broke, but it was tough.

MB should get some sort of award for that key...

Waste of $$. Ten seconds tops for me to defeat it. W used to buy some and demonstrate to customers.

How?

1. Saw through the wheel. Easy, but some newer "clubs" have some protection for this assault.

2. Freon in the lock, and a hammer blow. Easy, and reliable.

3. Slide hammer the lock. Hardest, and slow, but still works on many "club" locks.