Results 1 to 24 of 24
-
02-20-2019, 08:28 PM #1
PSA I got robbed by car key fob disarming jerkoffs
I'm travelling with family across Central and South America (TR here) and was driving rental car back to SJO airport in Costa Rica. Not to pick on the country, that's just where we were. We have been pretty careful about thievery, special bags, hidden pockets, etc. But we met our match at the crocodile bridge at Carara National Park between Jaco and San Jose. Left my rental car for two minutes to recharge my sim card. Locked the doors with my key fob (or I thought I did). In this time two guys open my trunk and steal two bags. I came back to the car, decided to go join my family looking at the crocodiles, and head off. Thieves try again. I forgot the camera, head back just before they make off with my truly valuable bag in the passenger seat. I head off again but notice the lights didn't flash when I hit lock on the key fob. I assume the battery died in my rental car key fob so I head back, manually lock all the doors including the trunk (thankfully). They move on to steal a phone or something from another touron who just pulled up.
We made it 15 minutes down the road before needing to stop for gas, realized the bags were missing. We are in a rush to make flights but I make it back to the spot, ask around, and the shop keeper has video cameras. I try my key fob and it now works (because the bad guys in the tinted Montero are now gone). I had no idea this jamming was a thing until now. I got the whole thing from the shop keeper, check out the youtube links if you have 5-10 minutes to kill. Chilling how close to these crooks I was when they were taking my stuff and how brazen they were when they thought I was heading off again. Minute 1:30 on first link is when the jack my stuff. I had no time to fill out a police report although may still try to do so online. I couldn't believe how helpful the shop keeper was in showing me the video in the back room so I think chances are low he is in on it.
I feel a little better that I know how it happened and where my stuff went. Maybe this saves you some trouble down the line. They got my kids inhaler which has been hard to replace also the baby carrier for hiking. And $500 plus of our other stuff that is not so important immediately. Thank god they didn't get the good bag with the cash and electronics or for that matter our big packpacks = dream trip over. That would have left a mark and the guy was about 2 seconds from getting it.
Part 1
Part 2
Got good pics of the crocs though
Day Man. Fighter of the Night Man. Champion of the Sun. Master of Karate and Friendship for Everyone.
-
02-20-2019, 08:49 PM #2
Sounds like you're handling it pretty well and you have the bandits red handed - Shit Happens. Think about the new SA wardrobe you'll be sportin the rest of the way.
Hope you quickly score an Inhaler and find a serviceable kid pack.I am not in your hurry
-
02-20-2019, 08:52 PM #3Funky But Chic
- Join Date
- Sep 2001
- Location
- The Cone of Uncertainty
- Posts
- 49,306
Sorry about your shit, kokomas.
Never heard of key fob jammers but some quick reading says that if you hear the locking beep or whatever sound your car makes you should be fine. Stay close enough to hear the locks engage and you're definitely fine. They can't unlock the car, they just jam the signal and prevent your fob from locking it. Li'l PSA.
-
02-20-2019, 08:58 PM #4Registered User
- Join Date
- Sep 2010
- Posts
- 303
A buddy of mine used to own a surf hotel in Jaco. He said they would always stop at that spot on the way in from the airport to show their guests the crocs. And car prowl theft was so common, if you walked away from your car and then spun around a few hundred feet later, you'd often catch the thieves coming out of the bushes toward your car. That was like 10 years ago or something. My take (ratified by my buddy) is that Costa does not do much to stop petty theft against tourists. It's like a form of tax to them. My Panamanian relatives also told me to be extra careful in CR, because "they're all thieves". After 3 trips there, I felt like it was a sleazier version of Vegas, only with surfing and jungle wildlife parks. That place is severely overrated as a family tourist destination nowadays. If you're looking for hookers and blow, well then you found the right spot.
-
02-20-2019, 09:00 PM #5Registered User
- Join Date
- Oct 2015
- Posts
- 1,866
I met 4 British tourists in the mid 2000s who had their bags stolen in the same place at the start of their trip. They had 2 credit cards and a passport between them. They were getting smashed after buying flip flops and touristy shirts at the 7-11 or whatever the equivalent was.
They were taking it in stride.
-
02-20-2019, 09:10 PM #6
Another reminder to keep important stuff like cash and passports on you at all times.
I have a good friend in the CR and her crazy ex husband shot two guys dead when they robbed him. He was out of jail by Monday, grandfather was president.
Anyway, I tread carefully when I visit her.
Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
-
02-21-2019, 11:39 AM #7Registered User
- Join Date
- Nov 2012
- Location
- Vancouver, BC
- Posts
- 1,333
That's shitty that they stole your bags and thankfully, as you said they didn't get more.
Last time in CR I spent 10 days on the East coast staying on the beach in Cocles. The beach was completely deserted so we thought. Each time we'd both go into the water joggers would appear seemingly out of nowhere right by our stuff. One of us would move to head back to the towels and they would run off the other way. The funniest were these younger guys that were drinking beers on the edge of the jungle. We'd both motion to go in the water and they'd start walking towards our shit, I'd double back after about 10 seconds and they'd go back to the jungle. We did this probably 10 times until they just fucked off knowing we were on to them. A local said while CR people are generally nice, they have no issue with stealing your stuff if its available.
-
02-21-2019, 11:55 AM #8
This sounds a lot like most of southern Italy, minus the jungles.
"timberridge is terminally vapid" -- a fortune cookie in Yueyang
-
02-21-2019, 12:07 PM #9
Do they still charge $10 to throw a live chicken down there?
Sucks about your stuff...Forum Cross Pollinator, gratuitously strident
-
02-21-2019, 12:40 PM #10
I just got a car with keyless technology, and I think it sucks. This is just another example of why it sucks.
I agree it is a constitutional right for Americans to be assholes...its just too bad that so many take the opportunity...iscariot
-
02-21-2019, 12:41 PM #11
Whadja get?
Well maybe I'm the faggot America
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda
-
02-21-2019, 12:48 PM #12
-
02-21-2019, 01:03 PM #13
If the owner key is out of range they can't crack the code or open the car. The way they do this is to put a laptop next to your house and try to pick up the rf from the owner key. If you don't want keyless just take the button off and use the key.
Also, if you are worried about rf theft just take the battery out of the key. the key gets power from the car in the recepticleLast edited by 4matic; 02-21-2019 at 01:32 PM.
-
02-21-2019, 02:52 PM #14Banned
- Join Date
- May 2007
- Location
- Sandy, Utah
- Posts
- 14,410
but wait, dont a lot of these keyless cars not even have a keyhole to unlock the doors from the outside? I have driven a few and unless its hidden somewhere behind something I dont ever recall seeing a place to unlock the car doors or trunk for that matter without the keyfob.
-
02-21-2019, 02:53 PM #15
Build a faraday cage around your car
Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
-
02-21-2019, 02:54 PM #16
-
02-21-2019, 03:13 PM #17
PSA I got robbed by car key fob disarming jerkoffs
No. Driver door always has a tumbler for the hard key. Hard key won’t start the car.
Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
-
02-21-2019, 03:24 PM #18
-
02-21-2019, 05:05 PM #19Banned
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
- Posts
- 10,525
I've had a spot down there for the past decade and its gone downhill particularly in the last 5 years. The tourist destinations in particular have moved from an engaging place with curious locals to a place overrun by grifters.
There's too many other amazing countries in Central America to waste your time on CR
-
02-21-2019, 06:02 PM #20
Yes you can go to guatemala. When my friend was robbed they hacked him to death with machetes in front of his wife.
Glad it was minor and everyone is fine. Good thing about this is you did not have a bunch of broken glass to deal with.
-
02-21-2019, 09:31 PM #21
-
02-21-2019, 10:19 PM #22lysterine
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Posts
- 670
-
02-21-2019, 10:36 PM #23
-
02-22-2019, 05:33 PM #24
"Via chicken, vi not a duck" to paraphrase a certain brother.
I agree it is a constitutional right for Americans to be assholes...its just too bad that so many take the opportunity...iscariot
Bookmarks