New car-******* method.....not a users guide - a warning!

Posted by: arf005 on 07 December 2006

Just received this via e-mail, from the security dept of a major oil company based up here in Aberdeen, thought I'd pass it on.....

Sent: 29 November 2006 10:01

ALL CAR OWNERS AND CAR DRIVERS PLEASE READ Warning!!!!
Be aware of new car-jacking scheme.
You walk across the car park, unlock your car and get inside. Then you lock all your doors, start the engine and shift or put into reverse. You look into the rear-view mirror to back out of your parking space and you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window. So, you shift the gear stick back into park or neutral, unlock your doors and jump out of your car to remove that paper or whatever it is that is obstructing your view. When you reach the back of your car that is when the car-jackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off!!
Your engine was running, you would have left your purse in the car and they practically mow you down as they speed off in your car.
BE AWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME THAT IS NOW BEING USED IN GLASGOW AND MANCHESTER AND IS MAKING ITS WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY!!!!!!!!
Just drive away and remove the paper later! It is stuck to your window and be thankful that you read this email. I hope you will forward this to friends and family especially to women! A purse contains all identification, and you certainly do NOT want someone getting your home address. They already HAVE your keys!!!
JUST BE AWARE AND TAKE CARE IT WILL PROBABLY SOON ARRIVE IN YOUR AREA
Brian Molloy
Detective Constable
Force Intelligence Bureau
Strathclyde Police
0141 532 5867
*******************************************************************
Posted on: 07 December 2006 by Steve Toy
I generally look at what may have been stuck to my car before I get in it.

They'll probably get me at the fuel pumps though - before I go and pay.
Posted on: 07 December 2006 by Beano
Urban myth! This has been doing the rounds from in-box to in-box since February 2004. No truth in it whatsoever.

Beano
Posted on: 07 December 2006 by BigH47
quote:
No truth in it whatsoever.



Not until some car jacker reads it anyway.
Posted on: 07 December 2006 by Steve Bull
Snopes is your friend for this and all the other e-mail 'warnings'... http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/carjack.asp

Steve.
Posted on: 07 December 2006 by Deane F
I hate getting this kind of email. The header usually contains a great many email addresses (as in, the entire contents of the last sender's address book) other than mine. Then, all it takes is one compromised computer and a spammer (at best) has a lovely list of active email addresses.
Posted on: 07 December 2006 by Rico
they missed the irony - the peice of paper was usually a printout of this email.
Posted on: 08 December 2006 by Steve Bull
Please don't take this personally arf, but why are people so f**king gullible about mails like this?

We live in the information age, with vast amounts of data at our fingertips. It took me barely a minute to check Snopes* and yet so many people seem to think "oooh, it's in an e-mail so it must be true and I must tell everyone about it."

* Yes, I'm aware of the irony of using the internet to check the veracity of the internet.

Steve.
Posted on: 08 December 2006 by arf005
....you should see the security guards we have to deal with......

No offence taken btw.
Posted on: 08 December 2006 by J.N.
A friend from London tells me that if you use a 'stick-on-the-windscreen' Sat Nav stalk (and remove it when you leave the car unnatended), some thieving arseholes are looking for the tell-tale sticker ring on the windscreen - then breaking into the car, in the hope that your Sat Nav is secreted inside.

John.
Posted on: 08 December 2006 by Jay
quote:
Originally posted by J.N.:
A friend from London tells me that if you use a 'stick-on-the-windscreen' Sat Nav stalk (and remove it when you leave the car unnatended), some thieving arseholes are looking for the tell-tale sticker ring on the windscreen - then breaking into the car, in the hope that your Sat Nav is secreted inside.

John.


Exactly!

So what I did was take some window clean and wipes with me at all times so I could clean the windscreen of all marks when I left the car unattended.

And what happened?

That's right. They broke into the car and stole my Windolene.
Posted on: 08 December 2006 by Tony Lockhart
quote:
You look into the rear-view mirror to back out of your parking space


I reverse into parking spaces and drive out in 1st! They'd have to follow me all the way home because I wouldn't be getting out of the car again at this time of year unless I really had to.

Tony
Posted on: 11 December 2006 by Rico
the best way is to resolutely reverse out ignoring the white square in your window (lets face it, most cars have rear windows bigger than an A4 sheet)... and if the carjackers were waiting, there's a good chance you'll run them over.

I love UK, it's so civilised. I mean, a distracting piece of paper is really good manners for criminals. By contrast, in Mexico City back in the 90's, it was more common for car-jackers to merely throw a couple of starved rats in through your open sunroof while you were waiting at a traffic light. Gets folk out of the car quick smart - they even leave the keys and the engine running! Fancy that. aircon was less prevalent, and kemacocos (sunroofs) were de riguer in the heat and sun.