Breaking into a Prius...

[nikkisewz]

This past weekend the unthinkable happened: my prius was broken into... without breaking a single window.

I live in Brooklyn, NY and one of the many reasons I purchased the Prius was because I didn't want to walk onto the street and not have my car be there anymore. So sad.

So, has anyone else had their Prius broken into? Is the security of my car compromised? I didn't know if I needed to get a new key fob thing.

[Porsche998]

Need more information - how did you lock it when you left it? Was it found unlocked? Pros have means and methods I am sure.

[qbee42]

There is nothing too unusual about the door locks on the Prius. You still have a mechanical lock on the driver's door, and mechanical actuators on all of the doors. I wouldn't expect that part of the car to be any better or worse than any other new car. I wouldn't expect the SKS fob to be related in any fashion.

Tom

[nikkisewz]

When I left it, I locked it with the fob and watched it blink. I usually hit it about two or three times as I walk off (I live in Flatbush Brooklyn, so I'm not taking any chances with my car).

When I came back, my friend walked straight up to the car and opened the passenger door before i even got close to the car with the fob.

I just stood there and watched as he walked around and opened the entire car. The whole thing was open.

[Tammy7287]

Are you sure you weren't in range for it to unlock? That seems kind of strange. Were things missing from inside your car?

[Ichabod]

You have a car in NYC?!?! That's insanity! When I lived in Brooklyn (Cobble Hill), I borrowed a car for a few days one time and got fed up within minutes of trying to deal with alternate side parking!

As for break-ins, the only experience I have with it is a rock through a window. Pretty low tech!

If nothing was stolen or damaged, consider the possibility that you left it unlocked. I've felt the same way more than once: I'm sure I locked it, but there it was, unlocked.

[nikkisewz]

Lots was stolen unfortunately.

And I have to drive to work (no trains go there). I know, I know. I lived in Brooklyn for 5 years car free and just recently had to buy one so I went with the Prius. Am totally in love with it so far, besides the break in.

Here's what was missing (which is actually sorta funny):

1. my laptop (which was hidden in the back under the flap, so that wasn't why they broke in)
2. my broken digital camera
3. my carmex chapstick
4. my makeup bag out of my center console
5. my manuscripts from work (they were about sewing buttonholes, so no big compromising info lost there)

Things left in the car:
1. my ipod which was in the center console next to my makeup bag. They DID however play the ipod because it was on a song that I haven't listened to in forever.
2. my sunglasses, which used to be in the little glasses case in the cieling were now on the driver's seat along with their case which used to be in the VERY back of the car in the laptop case)

[Patrick Wong]

Originally Posted by nikkisewz

This past weekend the unthinkable happened: my prius was broken into... without breaking a single window.

I live in Brooklyn, NY and one of the many reasons I purchased the Prius was because I didn't want to walk onto the street and not have my car be there anymore. So sad.

So, has anyone else had their Prius broken into? Is the security of my car compromised? I didn't know if I needed to get a new key fob thing.

Sorry to hear that your car was broken into and that your laptop was stolen. The good news is that the car was still there when you returned, as it would be quite difficult to "hotwire" a Prius. (Of course it is still possible to drag the Prius, while in Park, onto a flatbed tow truck.)

My guess is that the thief used a "slim jim", which is a slender lever used to snag a rod that connects the inside door lever to the door lock, for purposes of opening the lock.

There is no need for you to replace your fobs. If you had lost a fob, you would then need to have the immobilizer ECU reprogrammed so that it would not respond to the lost fob.

I hope that your comprehensive auto insurance coverage and/or homeowner's coverage will help with your stolen items.

[nikkisewz]

My insurance is covering everything, so I'm okay there. The only thing that was extra awful about the whole incident was actually the BrooklynPD who never showed up to the scene after I sat on the side of the road for more than 5 hours. Lame.

I was mainly scared that the security of my car had been compromised. Especially after looking at this link:

How to break into a Prius with a laptop and an hour to spare - AutoblogGreen

[freshmtt]

Sorry to hear about the break-in, don't you feel so violated?? I have never had my car broken into and things stolen, but one time they tried to siphon gas out of my Saturn VUE and I was so enraged and pissed off that somebody even was touching my car and fiddling around with it, I felt so... violated!!!! Hopefully this will be the first and last time it happens and that is great that your insurance is covering the loss of your personal items, especially the laptop!!

Thankfully they did not vandalize your Prius after being pissed off that they could not steal it.

And 5 hours and no cops??? OMG,,, is NY really that bad..

WELCOME to PC and enjoy the forum, this is a great place to get lots of info