warning to all

**nitehntr** · 12-28-2019, 08:42 AM - **2 Likes**

i am not sure if this is where to put this but i wanted to caution everyone. while visiting my son in Miami Florida thanksgiving week my vehicle was broken into at Bill Baggs state park at cape Florida. the worrisome part is that they cloned the signal from my key fob to open my vehicle without having to break anything. i lost pretty much everything, lenses i had saved up for and bought one at a time over about a 10 year period, except the K1 and 70-200 that i took with me to climb the cape Florida lighthouse. i probably saw whoever broke into it since the investigating officer told me they needed to be fairly close when you locked your car to get the signal so he/they saw me getting camera gear out as i was leaving. this is not a Florida problem apparently the app for a cell phone is available on the dark web. to add insult to injury i am a retired law enforcement officer and there was an FOP sticker on the window of the lift gate they got into to get some of my stuff. the SOB probably chuckled at that while he was robbing me. i told the officer that Pentax gear wasn't that common if they found a load it was probably mine and i had a lot of the serial numbers but i am under no illusions it was gone by the end of that day. your car is no longer secure from now on i will only take what i think i will be using and have already ordered a bigger back pack so everything i take will be with me. i have an SUV but the trunk of a sedan is not secure either. insurance covered right at half what i lost. life goes on if thats the worst thing that ever happens to me i am still way ahead of the game, i spent nearly 30 years in law enforcement and retired with my health and my family intact.

mkgd1 · 12-28-2019, 09:45 AM - **1 Like**

Sorry to hear that. It makes me so angry, just reading about it.

timb64 · 12-28-2019, 09:50 AM

Bad luck over your loss.A reminder to us all that a car is never a secure place to leave valuables.

**aslyfox** · 12-28-2019, 10:27 AM

terrible experience

thanks for the warning

_________________

folks consider checking with your insurance company about coverage

I have personal property rider on my equipment and other items

check if your home owners and auto would cover

and what it actually covers

_______________________________

I also recommend registering your equipment at Lenstag.com prior to any theft

you can also list your serial numbers here

Pentax Serial Number Database - PentaxForums.com

bobell69 · 12-28-2019, 11:09 AM

What a terrible thing to experience while enjoying an outing. Technology is moving so quickly it is near impossible to develop a perfect strategy to protect your valuables when they are in a vehicle. So sorry that your insurance only covered 50%, but at least you were able to salvage something. Hope you next visit to the area will be without problems.

Vmax911 · 12-28-2019, 03:23 PM

Sorry to hear about that. If they want it bad enough they will get it. I guess coming back to a broken window and all you stuff missing would have been even worse.

VSTAR · 12-28-2019, 06:53 PM

Came home from Vegas once...one car had a broken passenger window...second car had a broken lock on the outside of the door.

About 2 months ago...wifes car had her drivers door a little open, first thin in the AM. Yelled at my wife that she needs to be more careful. Nope, they used the same technology they used on you...they opened the car electronically and searched for anything in the car (nothing there), opened the glove box, and left the door partially open-likely so the alarm or lights did not go on.

They can clone your key fob by being close to you when you get out of your car and lock it up.
They can go to your front door of your house, and clone your fob code if the fob is close enough to the door. So some are suggesting to leav the fob in the back of the house, in a tin can, or wrapped in aluminum foil.

Unregistered User 8 · 12-28-2019, 08:10 PM

Originally posted by nitehntr

i spent nearly 30 years in law enforcement and retired with my health and my family intact.

I'm saddened that those " sneaky scum suckers " ( a.k.a...........well, you know

) made off with your hard earned gear, but the last line in your story is the good news that I take away from it. On behalf of your community, THANKS for your service, and thanks too for the timely reminder to stay vigilant.

Good luck with retrieving your stolen gear.

**James also** · 12-28-2019, 08:34 PM

Thank you for the info.

Good luck retrieving the lenses.

Zooland · 12-28-2019, 08:43 PM

Nothing is ever safe.

**barondla** · 12-29-2019, 01:19 AM

What a shame. If they stole any cameras, there are programs that will find any pictures uploaded to the internet using cameras electronic serial number. Good luck.
Thanks for the sarning,
barondla

WorksAsIntended · 12-29-2019, 01:45 AM

Sorry to hear that. Unfortunally some cars have a badly secured handshake for key exchange, as it consumes less battery from the physical key.
I wish you all the luck that it might still be found!

timb64 · 12-29-2019, 05:31 AM - **1 Like**

Unfortunately no (affordable) technology for domestic vehicles would defeat a brick through the window so the safest course is not to leave valuables in an unattended vehicle,this is not meant as a criticism of the OP but just a comment on the sad facts of life.

torashi · 12-31-2019, 12:34 PM

I'm sorry to read this. I'd be devastated. I hope some of it can be recovered, like the 645Z that was stolen a few months ago. Crossing my fingers.

**Roaming** · 01-07-2020, 11:04 PM

I believe that if you key lock, rather than fob lock it is "more locked" not sure if this applies to all makes. That is you cannot open it electronically.
One thing i have done is fully insure my gear
Since i have a Land Rover Defender , not the most secure vehicle, i am thinking of bolting a security box into the rear cabin. But a bit extreme for a lot of vehicles.

12-28-2019, 08:42 AM - 2 Likes	#1
nitehntr Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Rivesville West Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 238	warning to all i am not sure if this is where to put this but i wanted to caution everyone. while visiting my son in Miami Florida thanksgiving week my vehicle was broken into at Bill Baggs state park at cape Florida. the worrisome part is that they cloned the signal from my key fob to open my vehicle without having to break anything. i lost pretty much everything, lenses i had saved up for and bought one at a time over about a 10 year period, except the K1 and 70-200 that i took with me to climb the cape Florida lighthouse. i probably saw whoever broke into it since the investigating officer told me they needed to be fairly close when you locked your car to get the signal so he/they saw me getting camera gear out as i was leaving. this is not a Florida problem apparently the app for a cell phone is available on the dark web. to add insult to injury i am a retired law enforcement officer and there was an FOP sticker on the window of the lift gate they got into to get some of my stuff. the SOB probably chuckled at that while he was robbing me. i told the officer that Pentax gear wasn't that common if they found a load it was probably mine and i had a lot of the serial numbers but i am under no illusions it was gone by the end of that day. your car is no longer secure from now on i will only take what i think i will be using and have already ordered a bigger back pack so everything i take will be with me. i have an SUV but the trunk of a sedan is not secure either. insurance covered right at half what i lost. life goes on if thats the worst thing that ever happens to me i am still way ahead of the game, i spent nearly 30 years in law enforcement and retired with my health and my family intact.

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12-28-2019, 09:45 AM - 1 Like	#2
mkgd1 Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Mohave county Arizona Photos: Albums Posts: 1,076	Sorry to hear that. It makes me so angry, just reading about it.

12-28-2019, 09:50 AM	#3
timb64 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: /Situation : Doing my best to avoid idiots! Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,510	Bad luck over your loss.A reminder to us all that a car is never a secure place to leave valuables.

12-28-2019, 10:27 AM	#4
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581	terrible experience thanks for the warning _________________ folks consider checking with your insurance company about coverage I have personal property rider on my equipment and other items check if your home owners and auto would cover and what it actually covers _______________________________ I also recommend registering your equipment at Lenstag.com prior to any theft you can also list your serial numbers here Pentax Serial Number Database - PentaxForums.com

12-28-2019, 11:09 AM	#5
bobell69 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Courtenay BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 498	What a terrible thing to experience while enjoying an outing. Technology is moving so quickly it is near impossible to develop a perfect strategy to protect your valuables when they are in a vehicle. So sorry that your insurance only covered 50%, but at least you were able to salvage something. Hope you next visit to the area will be without problems.

12-28-2019, 03:23 PM	#6
Vmax911 Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: ABQ Photos: Gallery Posts: 826	Sorry to hear about that. If they want it bad enough they will get it. I guess coming back to a broken window and all you stuff missing would have been even worse.

12-28-2019, 06:53 PM	#7
VSTAR Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Toronto Posts: 390	Came home from Vegas once...one car had a broken passenger window...second car had a broken lock on the outside of the door. About 2 months ago...wifes car had her drivers door a little open, first thin in the AM. Yelled at my wife that she needs to be more careful. Nope, they used the same technology they used on you...they opened the car electronically and searched for anything in the car (nothing there), opened the glove box, and left the door partially open-likely so the alarm or lights did not go on. They can clone your key fob by being close to you when you get out of your car and lock it up. They can go to your front door of your house, and clone your fob code if the fob is close enough to the door. So some are suggesting to leav the fob in the back of the house, in a tin can, or wrapped in aluminum foil.

12-28-2019, 08:10 PM	#8
Unregistered User 8 Closed Account Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,694	Originally posted by nitehntr i spent nearly 30 years in law enforcement and retired with my health and my family intact. I'm saddened that those " sneaky scum suckers " ( a.k.a...........well, you know ) made off with your hard earned gear, but the last line in your story is the good news that I take away from it. On behalf of your community, THANKS for your service, and thanks too for the timely reminder to stay vigilant. Good luck with retrieving your stolen gear.

12-28-2019, 08:34 PM	#9
James also Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 330	Thank you for the info. Good luck retrieving the lenses.

12-28-2019, 08:43 PM	#10
Zooland Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2019 Posts: 370	Nothing is ever safe.

12-29-2019, 01:19 AM	#11
barondla Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: midwest, United States Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,713	What a shame. If they stole any cameras, there are programs that will find any pictures uploaded to the internet using cameras electronic serial number. Good luck. Thanks for the sarning, barondla

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12-29-2019, 01:45 AM	#12
WorksAsIntended Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 639	Sorry to hear that. Unfortunally some cars have a badly secured handshake for key exchange, as it consumes less battery from the physical key. I wish you all the luck that it might still be found!

12-29-2019, 05:31 AM - 1 Like	#13
timb64 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: /Situation : Doing my best to avoid idiots! Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,510	Unfortunately no (affordable) technology for domestic vehicles would defeat a brick through the window so the safest course is not to leave valuables in an unattended vehicle,this is not meant as a criticism of the OP but just a comment on the sad facts of life.

12-31-2019, 12:34 PM	#14
torashi Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Medellín Posts: 1,322	I'm sorry to read this. I'd be devastated. I hope some of it can be recovered, like the 645Z that was stolen a few months ago. Crossing my fingers.

01-07-2020, 11:04 PM	#15
Roaming Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Working in PNG Posts: 45	I believe that if you key lock, rather than fob lock it is "more locked" not sure if this applies to all makes. That is you cannot open it electronically. One thing i have done is fully insure my gear Since i have a Land Rover Defender , not the most secure vehicle, i am thinking of bolting a security box into the rear cabin. But a bit extreme for a lot of vehicles.