HVAC/RADIO theft on the rise??

[GraysonSubaru]

Just a thread about something that a customer has had happen....twice.

the HVAC/radio section of this console has been stolen out of his 2006 LGT sedan.


is there a shortage of these? are people stealing them to upgrade a legacy that might not have the dual climate controls/6 disc CD??

EDIT. started this thread because i mentioned it in another thread i had started and a few people agreed it would be best to start another thread about this specificically since it was getting buried among the other posts.

[CasopoliS]

well those MP3 units have to come from somewhere.... lol
j/k

I don't even know what cars come with the MP3 model. VDC or something like that.

[fweasel]

You need more than the radio to convert a manual HVAC to dual zone. And even after you have all the parts, it still doesn't work. I forget who tried it already... Anyway, can't imagine the stock Legacy radio (or from any car for that matter) would be of much value to theives.

[GraysonSubaru]

well those MP3 units have to come from somewhere.... lol
j/k

I don't even know what cars come with the MP3 model. VDC or something like that.


2007s have the MP3 input jack...his 2006 didnt even have this feature.

another thought..maybe they are using the stolen ones to create hacked MP3 input radios without having to be without their own HVAC/Radio while they try to do it??

[CasopoliS]

2007s have the MP3 input jack...his 2006 didnt even have this feature.

another thought..maybe they are using the stolen ones to create hacked MP3 input radios without having to be without their own HVAC/Radio while they try to do it??

I am not talking about MP3 input, I am talking about reading MP3 disks. They are pre-2007.

[GraysonSubaru]

gotcha.

i just dont see why this might be a high risk item to be stolen...once...ok, i can see maybe someone had a busted one and wanted to steal one instead of paying the certain NASA budget for a brand new one from a dealership, but two??

haha how big can the market for this be in knoxville..especially considering we have probably sold 15 or 20 TOTAL LGT's since they came out in the current form in 2005 -- many of those customers not even being in knoxville.

[NSFW]

Look at it from the theif's perspective - he knows where he can find the part he wants, in a car that's left unattended for a long period in a place where he can do the "work" he needs to do...

I'm guessing. Still seems really weird.

[Deer Killer]

Why not find out who the guy selling them on ebay is?

[fweasel]

Why not find out who the guy selling them on ebay is?
People who have recieved these from eBay have noted that not only is there no hazzard switch installed, but the plastic holes for the hazzard switch screws have not even been tapped yet. That would indicate new hardware, to me anyway.

[unclemat]

Yeah, these are brand new and the business looks perfectly legit - big electronics recycler.

[Need4Speed]

People who have recieved these from eBay have noted that not only is there no hazzard switch installed, but the plastic holes for the hazzard switch screws have not even been tapped yet. That would indicate new hardware, to me anyway.

I installed mine yesterday and the holes for the hazzard switch were definitely never tapped.

This baby is new or someone took a LOT of time making it look that way.

[SubiGT]

Lotta crime out there in Knoxville, makes me happy I live in Cali.......:)

This guy on eBay has alot of sales, and the overwhelming majority are +1 transactions.
Sucks that a niche market car with no aftermarket stereo options is the target for thieves. Maybe it's just this guy?
How many members have had a stock radio stolen from their 05-07 LGT?

[SubiGT]

another thought..maybe they are using the stolen ones to create hacked MP3 input radios without having to be without their own HVAC/Radio while they try to do it??
If this was the case, wouldn't the thieves try to market this item, say... to a large owners forum for these cars?
They are in it for the money. If we (the owners of current LGT's) aren't being offered these for sale, the thieves are really as dumb as we already think they are.

[mickeyd2005]

Why would a thief take the time to steal a factory radio?

These factory radios (new) are selling for $70 on eBay and that's the one with MP3. Did the 2006 LGT come with MP3 capability?

The non-MP3 stock units are being bought by fweasel for even less.

In all the years that I have lived on the west coast, I have heard of cheapie $100 aftermarket Panasonic radios stolen but I have never heard of a $700 factory radio stolen out of any car regardless of the make.

[zmarko]

Maybe your customer has an enemy or something? And this is an accessible and fairly easy way to get back at him. I know in cars where I've had my stereo out for 2-3 days (or longer), it certainly makes the ride less enjoyable. Maybe it's a grudge thing against this guy? I dunno.

[GraysonSubaru]

^^ +1 on that thought (having someone with a grudge against him...or his car)

[wayoutwest]

If people really stole these, they would be selling for a LOT more than $99.99 shipped. Not worth the risk to the thieves. Not to mention the ebay seller is a reputable electronics liquidator with impeccable feedback.

[Infamous1]

Probaly was stolen by the same person.

[Bdubs]

I don't see how someone could take one of these stereos out in a timely manner, you have to rip 50 freaking trim pieces off to get to the screws to even pull the thing out.

[fweasel]

I don't see how someone could take one of these stereos out in a timely manner, you have to rip 50 freaking trim pieces off to get to the screws to even pull the thing out.
If you knew how to do it and had the right tools, the most difficult part is unscrewing the shift knob.... around, and around and around and around....:icon_mrgr 5 mintues tops.

[Deer Killer]

I don't see how someone could take one of these stereos out in a timely manner, you have to rip 50 freaking trim pieces off to get to the screws to even pull the thing out.meh.. I bet I could do it in under a minute with a power screwdriver and not giving a crap about scratches..

[fweasel]

meh.. I bet I could do it in under a minute with a power screwdriver and not giving a crap about scratches..
I can't scratch a car, even if I'm stealing the radio in a small TN town. Its in the genes.:icon_mrgr

[zmarko]

If you knew how to do it and had the right tools, the most difficult part is unscrewing the shift knob.... around, and around and around and around....:icon_mrgr 5 mintues tops.
I didn't even unscrew the shift knob. :lol:

[alphabit]

Maybe its the person who started this thread stealing them, because he can get the guy to come to him and resell him the radio he use to have in there?

conspiracy!

;)