Wheel Thieves

[jimmybkk]

Maybe this has been covered in a previous post, if so I apologize, but it seems that if you buy a new pick-up or SUV, or any vehicle where the spare wheel is stored under the chassis rather than in the boot, you are almost certain to have it stolen. Almost everyone i know who has bought a new vehicle in this category has been a victim. I'm told by a Thai friend who works for Toyota that the thieves get quite good money for the spare wheels (i think she said they resell for around 2,000 Baht per piece).

From what I can gather the thieves target trucks/SUV's that are still on the red plate. Mine came with an optional spare wheel lock which apparently was no deterrent whatsoever - I'm guessing a pair of bolt cutters took care of it in no time. When I took my truck back to the dealer recently to have a minor ding repaired the guy at the dealership confirmed it is a regular occurrence. He also told me that I could make a claim to my insurance company and they would pay half the cost of a new one, which I think meant I would have to pay around 1,800 or 2,000 Baht. I couldn't see the point as my truck is still on the red plate so if I get a brand new spare now the chances are it would go the same way as the last one.

It's amazing how many people are driving round totally oblivious to the fact that their spare has been stolen - then again, unless you're suffering from OCD why would you check on a regular basis? I pity anyone who discovers the theft when they get a flat at 3AM in the middle of nowhere without a Thai speaker in the car.

My suggestion to anyone who's about to buy a new pick-up/SUV or to anyone who has just bought one and hasn't yet been robbed of the spare would be to go to one of the places on Sukhumvit and buy a 2nd hand spare for around 800 or 1,000 Baht. Keep using this at least until your truck goes from the red to the white plate, or maybe even until it starts looking a bit older. This is about the best solution I can come up with - anyone got any better ideas?

[Spoonman]

Yeah I had the spare from my colorado stolen, I purchased a 15" steel Honda rim, fitted a pickup tyre to it and filled it with expanding foam then cut out the sidewall, amusingly it has been removed and left 4 times now.............

[janverbeem]

The accessorie shops and most car dealers also sell a special lock that fits on the bolt that holds your spare wheel.Cost is about 1000 Baht.It is not a padlock but it prevents that the thieves can cut the bolt that holds your spare.Worth the money in my opinion.

You can claim the theft to your insurance company but the first 2000 Baht will be considered own risk,but I think if you claim it as lost there is now own risk charged.

Same as if you experience a hit and run and claim it that way with the insurance the will deduct the first 2000 Baht but if you claim you made the damage yourself and no other party was involved they don't deduct the amount.

[LennyW]

The accessorie shops and most car dealers also sell a special lock that fits on the bolt that holds your spare wheel.Cost is about 1000 Baht.It is not a padlock but it prevents that the thieves can cut the bolt that holds your spare.Worth the money in my opinion.

You can claim the theft to your insurance company but the first 2000 Baht will be considered own risk,but I think if you claim it as lost there is now own risk charged.

Same as if you experience a hit and run and claim it that way with the insurance the will deduct the first 2000 Baht but if you claim you made the damage yourself and no other party was involved they don't deduct the amount.

Not sure what you mean there, do you mean like a locking wheel nut that people put on their expensive alloy wheels?

The reason that pick up spare wheels are so readily stolen is that there is NO bolts holding them on, only a simple plate attatched to a chain that is wound up and down through an easily accesible plate usually on the back bumper.

A right pain in the arse and a long suffering problem of pick up owners here!!

[janverbeem]

The accessorie shops and most car dealers also sell a special lock that fits on the bolt that holds your spare wheel.Cost is about 1000 Baht.It is not a padlock but it prevents that the thieves can cut the bolt that holds your spare.Worth the money in my opinion.

You can claim the theft to your insurance company but the first 2000 Baht will be considered own risk,but I think if you claim it as lost there is now own risk charged.

Same as if you experience a hit and run and claim it that way with the insurance the will deduct the first 2000 Baht but if you claim you made the damage yourself and no other party was involved they don't deduct the amount.

Not sure what you mean there, do you mean like a locking wheel nut that people put on their expensive alloy wheels?

The reason that pick up spare wheels are so readily stolen is that there is NO bolts holding them on, only a simple plate attatched to a chain that is wound up and down through an easily accesible plate usually on the back bumper.

A right pain in the arse and a long suffering problem of pick up owners here!!

I try to explain but English is not my native language so we will see some errors.

The lock contains of a hardened steel hook wich which is mounted together with the chain the chain.The spare wheel slided over that hook ,then comes the original plate and under that plate is a round shaped lock mounted which holds the whole thing in place.You will need to unlock this lock with the key first before you can wind down the wheel.Boy air and sound stocks them and I think they were 900 Baht.

[ignis]

This it is not a new problem, my last truck sold at 3 years old, only when it was checked over for sale did I know that the spare was stolen, never had a flat, so have no idea when it was taken...

In 2008 when I bought the new truck asked about the lock, the showroom was more then willing to sell, but said did not help a lot as the spares were still being stolen... The last 3 years the spare has been mounted inside the rear Canopy [un-used].

My new truck ready tomorrow, also ordered the spare to be mounted in the back... bit more of a problem to break in to a canopy and by pass the alarm..

A neighbor had there spare stolen + was fitted with the Security plate, lock and chain.

Never had a flat in Thailand in all the years here, but mounted inside the canopy the wheel is clean if I did have one.

[kirkinpattaya]

ve had my spare for 5 years now, no problem with theft..........guess im a lucky one

[Basil B]

May be an Idea to get a well used "part worn" that may get you by for a few days and store the new tier.

could also paint the tier yellow or red, wipe the paint off afterwords so the color is in the treads as a deterrent avoiding the inevitable damage caused by the illegal removal.