we all know that there is no such thing as theft prevention but, on the learning channel last nite, they had a show on car theft. they interviewed one guy who installed security systems on porches, ferrari's, etc....
i thought what he does is clever. he did all the usual stuff we all do, and lots of other different tricks. but one of the best things he did was, if a car is stolen, a small LED screen slides to the bottom of the rear license plate reading, "CAR STOLEN PLEASE CALL POLICE"
this way, even if someone flat beds your car, the LED will still alert everyone who is driving behind the truck.

argiris

 

does he have to send a signal for the screen to slide down? the car isn't going to know when it's stolen...

Not to mention that as soon as the thief sees this, they will just rip it off/break it...

Unless I'm missing a detail...sounds interesting though

 

Yeah, I saw that too.

The laws in Cali are really weird.
Thieves jack a car and strip it. Then they leave the chassis for the cops who put it up for auction. The same thieves can then buy the chassis and put all the parts back on and sell the car legally.

 

i am pretty sure that you wouldn't have to send a signal for it to activate. as for the thief seeing it, that wouldn't happen either, unless the thief had someone following him who tells him about it.
on another car he set up, the plate slides to the side and a strobe light starts flashing to alert police.
then, on a ferrari he set up, a tiny antenna comes up from the engine compartment in the rear, allerting someone i guess.

argiris

 

yeah, the auctions we're basically a legal way for the thieves to sell there stolen cars. doesn't make much sense.

argiris