Stolen TTG

DRW · Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 9:14 am Post subject: Stolen TTG

Just found out my TTG's been stolen from outside my house in Peterborough.

If anyone hears of one being sold second-hand (with case but without charger, box, software), there's a reward if found.

WATSON · Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 11:55 am Post subject:

Sorry to hear that Sad

- did they break in to your car to get it - was it on view?

Toby.

Juey · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 09, 2004 Posts: 46

Ah, Peterborough, a wonderful place.

Car broken into or stolen altogether 11 (eleven) times while living there.

Now in N London, never been touched.

Comiserations DRW, nothing else quite matches that gutted feeling when your car gets done over. You could always go and ask the friendly local travelling folk if they've seen it Wink

While you're dodging the bullets, see if you can spot an Orion Ghia, Xr2i, Nova x 2.............

Notice how the cars got cheaper as my insurance premium rose Rolling Eyes

Got to the point where Smith's Vauxhall used to keep a set of locks in
stock with my name on.

Hangin's too good for 'um. Gun Shoot Out

JackC · Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 12:42 am Post subject:

Sorry to hear, that really sucks. I've just got myself a TTG and was wondering if there was anything that can be done make the unit useless if it did get stolen? Question

Kind of like they can block mobile phones

Dave · Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 1:12 am Post subject:

Unfortunately like most SatNav systems there is no way to render it useless.

I think we'll see a move with more professional SatNav systems in a couple of years having similar features to car radios with removable facias to stop them working, but until that happens any GO, Navman, Garmin et al, can be stolen and used.

The only thing I would do is record the serial numbers so these can be passed onto the Police on a crime report just in case it surfaces later when goods are found in a raid.

DRW · Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 9:43 am Post subject:

Thanks for your comments. Peterborough is a 100 per cent hellhole and I'm doing my best to get out of here.

To be honest, I don't know exactly where my TTG was taken from. I remember putting it into its case, but my fear is it dropped onto the floor on my driveway – I definitely closed the gate, but it was open by the time I realised TTG was missing. Embarassed

I'd had the TTG since August (when it was nigh on £500) and took a business trip yesterday without it. Did I get lost? Of course...

I guess all I can do is keep checking eBay for TTGs without boxes/software/chargers, and buy another new one. Needless to say, mine wasn't insured.

sgould · Frequent Visitor Joined: Oct 05, 2004 Posts: 1320

If the TTG was out of your car and on your drive, I think you can claim on house contents insurance. Worth a try.

DRW · Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 4:33 pm Post subject:

DRW · Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 6:53 pm Post subject:

After contacting TomTom, it appears the company is not interested in helping owners of stolen units. Fair enough they're unable to disable the Go via GPS, but have refused to block my serial number to prevent the theif from getting updates and such like.

I am not impressed. Angry

Darren · Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:12 pm Post subject:

The updates are not tied to a H/w serial no. so to be fair TomTom are not in a position to offer you any assistance Crying or Very sad

_________________
Darren Griffin

DRW · Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 10:20 am Post subject:

Hi Darren,

If that's the case, why did I have to punch in my serial number when I updated to 4.40? Surely TomTom could demand it?

Sniff · Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 10:54 am Post subject:

I had to put in the serial number when I moved to a new larger SD card. But to update the GO software on the existing SD card...nothing is required...

kartracer · Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 4:42 pm Post subject:

IW · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 20, 2004 Posts: 17

Instead of a removable facia, why not take the SD card out and store it away from the Go when not using it. At least the b-----s would then have to nick a set of maps and a card. I admit that won't help if you leave the lot on top of the car or drop it out of your briefcase.

DavidW · Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:38 pm Post subject:

I think Dave's suggestion was to have some kind of identity chip in the fascia, so that the unit is useless without a matching ID chip.

There would have to be safeguards - such as a way of matching a new fascia to an existing unit. On many car radios, this is done as part of the coding process. However, the technology already exists, and if thieves had to go through the hassle of getting a stolen unit 'decoded', it would make casual theft less likely.

It may be possible to use the CPRM (the "Secure" part of SecureDigital) facilities on an SD card to act as the ID chip, though I wouldn't necessarily want to encourage manufacturers to go too far with CPRM as we may finish up with restrictions being imposed on our units that we don't want, such as not being able to change SD cards for larger ones we own ourselves, or not being able to load maps via a card reader.

One thing - if a company does design a removable fascia, please can they design better fittings than on the Vauxhall CDR500 radio as is still used in the Zafira. As has happened to quite a few people, the left hand fascia retaining clip on mine broke. I managed to take the radio apart and Araldite the clip - which is unbelievably stupid in design as it's almost certain to stress fracture over time. It's a fixed clip which the fascia rubs against as it's removed to the right - no spring loading or similar.

I dread to imagine how much a professional repair would have cost. I've now taken to leaving the panel in the radio, scared of a repeat that I can't repair.

David

	PocketGPS
	Web