Somerville Anti-Theft program

[joylewis.livejournal.com]

I just saw a notice about this last night at the library. The City of Somerville has an electronics registry to deter theft, especially from vehicle break-ins. Has anyone given this a try? Does it apply to electronics in the home as well? (I recognize that those are less portable, but I'm wondering if the Somerville system permits usage of their registry if it's not related to vehicle break-ins.)

Comments

[ron_newman]

This makes me glad that I don't own a GM car. No wonder so much stuff gets stolen from cars these days:

General Motors Keys Open More Than One Vehicle
Unlocking the Secret of Opening Cars: Ordinary Keys Could Do It
Thieves May Hold the Key to Your Car

[pearlythebunny.livejournal.com]

I'd be happy if a thief used a key. Usually they break a window, or puncture a hole in the door. Expensive repairs ensue, sometimes for minor thefts of loose change.

I've used the Somerville anti-theft program to register a laptop computer. Seemed to work fine.

[ron_newman]

Laptops are specifically mentioned on the city's page, along with GPS, iPods, and cellphones.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

A GPS or a satellite radio on your windshield is like a sign that says "please break in to my car." For some reason -- maybe because it's in plain view? I dunno -- those seem to get stolen ALL the time. I see at least one car broken into for something just inside the windshield on my otherwise quiet street like once a week.

[ron_newman]

Isn't a satellite radio useless without a subscription, though?

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

Yes. Doesn't mean it won't get stolen and pawned, or re-sold.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

You can buy a set of lockpicks online that open any car manufactured before a certain date. It's idiotproof, stick in the keys, jiggle a little and you're in; they even start the ignition. Also, the encryption on car locks used to be SO lousy that you could steal a Mercedes with a Palm Pilot!

[joylewis.livejournal.com]

That would be pretty funny to see.
A real nerd could probably accomplish it with a graphing calculator...

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

As long as it had wireless capability; the hack worked by simulating the "lock open" message in the key fob.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Wireless would be for wusses. A true geek does it with serial cables.

[ron_newman]

The page says it's for portable electronics of any kind. You're trying to deter theft, so it would make no sense to require that something first be stolen from a vehicle before you could register.