Hardtop Stolen

Guest · Feb 4, 2004

I thought I should let you guys know that having a hardtop for a
Boxster is a very expensive option. I have had two stolen within the
space of a year, one just last night. Thefts of this kind are now
becoming very common and unless you have secure carparking I would
advise against having one.

Please beware of anyone offering surprisingly cheap hardtops. By the
way, the Boxster needs special mounting brackets retrofitted to it, if
the hard top was not originally factory fitted.

It only takes the thieves about 30 seconds to complete the theft, the
alarm hardly has a chance to complete its cycle, you also lose both
driver and passenger windows and risk damage to both doors and the
rear boot.

Unfortunately Porsche did not provide any security to lock the top in
place. I have had the rear window security etched with the
registration but that has not stopped the thieves.

Any ideas?

Thanks Philip

Guest · Feb 4, 2004

To be honest even with the security glass I think there would still be severe internal damage to the electric window mechanism from the concussion of a sledge hammer blow (even if the window did not break first or second attempt).

I think Porsche just needs to provide a mechanism to lock on hardtops - lets face it the reason wheels are no longer stolen is because of the wheel locking nuts.

As these cars get more difficult to steal, thieves have to resort to sealing bits off of them. Its odd but there can't be a huge market for these hardtops, and the Boxster needs to be modified to take a hard roof (its not standard). Who's buying the modifications? Perhaps Porsche should not sell them without a hard top purchase?

Mark_Bennett · Feb 4, 2004

The bits to modify the Boxster to accept a hard top are very cheap, and easy to fit.

Maybe you are right - Porsche should need proof of ownership of a top before selling the bracket kit. However there ARE a lot of adverts for people selling hardtops. Not all can be stolen.

TISPKJ · Feb 4, 2004

Hi Guys sorry to hear of your loss philip, you also need this kit to fit the speedster humps, not just the hardtop.

Regards
Paul

evoke · Feb 4, 2004

Bad luck, Philip. My car is always parked down my road in an allocated parking space and I worry all the time about theft and vandalism, particularly as I am often away for a week or two at a time. I went through a spate of thefts a few months ago, albeit minor compared to the theft that you have experienced: someone was nicking the set of Porsche crested valve caps from my car. In the first theft, the thief nicked the two nearside caps but must have got disturbed before he could nab the other two. I bought a new set and a week later all four were nicked. I bought another set and a week later they were nicked again.

This would always happen on a Saturday night and a week later another set were nicked even though I tried to stay up all night watching my car in the hope of catching the thief.

Anyway, although the thefts were only costing me a tenner each time it was the worry associated with the thefts that was getting me down - what if they had keyed the car or torn the hood? So, I spent several weeks sourcing the components for a CCTV system and have now installed it. The system has night vision through infra-red lighting and 24/7 video recording. As I sourced all the components myself and put it together myself, it has only cost me 500 quid or so. But the peach of mind it brings is priceless. I have also got an A4 security sign that I leave on my dashboard every night warning passers-by that the car is being monitored with CCTV. There have been no thefts since I installed the system. In fact, I have managed to provide evidence to another neighbour that had his spare wheel (on the back of his Jeep) stolen one night as his car was in the field of view of my CCTV system.

One or two of the neighbours have complained as the system and the warning signs are very obvious and they are trying to sell their houses and they tell me that prospective buyers are being put off when they see the CCTV system and warning signs! Now that's a difficult position to be in because I want to protect my property but don't want people to get the impression that the neighbourhood is a high risk area for theft.

Taz

Guest · Feb 4, 2004

Hmmm... I didn't realise that there were third party suppliers of hard tops, otherwise you could have asked for a Porsche purchase reference number for any request of a hard top mounting kit. Oh well.

Regards Philip

dawn lang · Feb 4, 2004

God, I never even thought about someone stealing the hard top.

How horrible to have this happen to you twice!

Mark_Bennett · Feb 4, 2004

I didn't realise that there were third party suppliers of hard tops

Lots of people sell them privately.

People who decide they don't need it after all (only driven in the summer) or second owners who never wanted it.

Likewise lots of people decide they would like one.

This whole thing kind of makes a mockery of the idea of buying a hard top to make the car more secure for those who have to park on the street, doesn't it?[

]

Helen Goff · Feb 5, 2004

i would have thought pulling the hard top off with out disconnecting the wires would damage the connection ?

Guest · Feb 5, 2004

Yes thinking back when the first hardroof was replaced I noticed that a new connector had been installed for the heated rear window, it was a more 'positive' connection. Given it takes a good few minutes to uplug this lead (they are a snug fit, and difficult to access) it means the thieves must either cut them or yank the plug out of the socket possibly damaging the wires.

ian edwards · Feb 5, 2004

I'm sorry to hear that people have had hard tops stolen off their cars.Must have been a hell of a shock.The post is helpfull in warning us all of the danger but it also brings to notice how easy it is to carry out this crime.I would ask that consideration be given to remove this thread as I beleive it may give someone looking in ideas.

GreigM · Feb 5, 2004

Ian, I disagree as only PCGB members can read this forum, and I'd hope were mostly an honest bunch. Also, if these things can't be discussed here, then where can they....I found this information about the hard top very useful.

Helen Goff · Feb 5, 2004

ORIGINAL: GreigM

Ian, I disagree as only PCGB members can read this forum, and I'd hope were mostly an honest bunch. Also, if these things can't be discussed here, then where can they....I found this information about the hard top very useful.

agree totally, i had always thought of my car as being more secure with it's hard top on,i think it's usefull to know thats it's not.
if we know about this sort of thing then maybe we will be more aware of the dangers and also get Porsche to come up with some answers...like locking clips.

Guest · Feb 6, 2004

Many thanks for all your comments, and thoughts. I can summarise what I have learnt.

Issues

1) A Boxster with a hard top is easily identified as a potential target, whilst not everyone finds them stylish they do really stand out.
2) The theft takes mere seconds to accomplish
3) Damage to doors, windows, rear boot and electrical fittings occur
4) After the thieft the car needs to be moved to secure parking to protect against the elements and further thefts (the RAC were very helpful in this regard and have my thanks, unfortunately twice over)
5) Car is off the road for many weeks (as it is obviously not been pre-booked in for this kind of work!)

Precautions

1) Secure car parking only for this option - this is not open to everyone especially those who have purchased the hard top in the belief it increases the security on the car!
2) Possible window reinforcement (though I am unclear on this)
3) Security mark the glass on the rear window of the hard top (though this did not stop the theft in my case)

Conclusion

How do you go about requesting Porsche to look into the security issue posed by the hard top? And come up with a solution?