I bought a new pick up in May checked all around when delivered so every thing was in order I went to get in the other day and noticed the chain holding the spare tyre was hanging down I checked under and the spare was missing.

I went to the dealer I bought from and was informed this is a growing practice stealing from the shopping centre car parks they back up to your pickup drop there rear door to hide under while relieving you of your spare.

At 3,500 bt for a replacement rim and then to put on a tyre it is an expensive exercise. So now I have purchased a chain and lock to secure my spare and I don't back in to parking spaces anymore just to make it a bit harder for the thieves.

If I ever catch anyone trying it again my expandable baton will earn it's keep

Same happened to me with the first vehicle I owned in Thailand. Only found out when I got a flat tyre and went to get the spare......

"my expandable baton will earn it's keep"

Is that what I think it is?

When I bought my pickup the dealer included and fitted some sort of lock for the spare for free. Luckily they suggested it as I would not have thought of it on my own. I was more interested in things like discounts and other extras like the reversing camera and the rain deflectors.

I'm a member of the same club. I replaced it with a manky (non standard) rim and near bald tyre. Cost me 1,000B. Next time I'm thinking they'll pass me by.

A mate had his spare tyre stolen from the rear of his MU7 when parking at Suvarnabhumi

Buy a short piece of good chain and a good lock, and chian it to the frame ..

OP ... thanks for the heads-up ...

I bought an expensive spare tire lock that was welded to the frame of the truck but they just cut it off and got the wheel and tire anyway.

We had the wheel trims nicked off our truck parked near Chatuchak market. There is a wheel trim seller very nearby...

Apparently Future Park Rangsit's car park is renowned to be a bit dodgy for stuff going walkabout from cars. And whole cars too come to think of it.

Dealer supplied me with lock & key when I bought my Vigo in 2004.That's how long if not much longer this caper has been going on.

We had the wheel trims nicked off our truck parked near Chatuchak market. There is a wheel trim seller very nearby...

Hope he gave you a discount.

The irony of all this is, that I went to about 20 wheel shops trying to buy a matching rim for mine when it was nicked - they all said "no cannot, have to go Toyota dealership". That's why I ended up buying a dodgy looking rim and an old tyre - safe enough but looks like crap.

So it begs the question, where are all these nicked rims going to, or do they only nick them for the tyres and discard the rims?

I wish someone would steal my spare tyre. I have it firmly attached to my waist and can't get rid of the thing.

They will steal the spare AND whatever fancy locking device secures it (from experience)

Only sure answer:

Buy new vehicle - go to tyre depot - buy the crappiest s/h tyre & rim - replace the spare on vehicle

.

Buy a short piece of good chain and a good lock, and chian it to the frame ..

This might be ok chain to frame but just buying a small lock and locking the chain together that the tire/rim lowers on does not work. I had my tire with rim stolen off my new pick up in 1999 and that ''let down chain was locked. I was confushed as heck until a Thai friend that owned a small tire shop showed me how they do it..........they simply let the air out of the tire so it becomes loose then remove the wedge that holds the tire/rim. When I buy, a new vehicle I take the new spare off and store it then buy a used rim with bald tire or just have no spare if I am not going out of the near by area.

"my expandable baton will earn it's keep"

Is that what I think it is?

yes very painful when applied to sticky fingers

Buy a short piece of good chain and a good lock, and chian it to the frame .. alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

This might be ok chain to frame but just buying a small lock and locking the chain together that the tire/rim lowers on does not work. I had my tire with rim stolen off my new pick up in 1999 and that ''let down chain was locked. I was confushed as heck until a Thai friend that owned a small tire shop showed me how they do it..........they simply let the air out of the tire so it becomes loose then remove the wedge that holds the tire/rim. When I buy, a new vehicle I take the new spare off and store it then buy a used rim with bald tire or just have no spare if I am not going out of the near by area.

Yes if you do it that way it will happen .... I suggest a hardened chain slung over the frame and secure it through the wheel nut hole.. slip it back up the centre hole ... come on !! ...It's not rocket science ... think like a thief ... it may not be fool proof ... but better then anything else I've herd ... Chokdee !! PS the stock show room locks are a joke ....

Seems Im lucky not to drive a pickup. Where do you guys live that were affected by this?

I wonder because most shopping malls in this area have cctv cameras in the car park if you park inside the building.

A mate had his spare tyre stolen from the rear of his MU7 when parking at Suvarnabhumi

I had my spare stolen from the airport too.

I bought a lock on my spare under the Vigo over 6 years ago. Last year I had to use the spare and it was a hell job to get the lock off.

Lucky it happened at home, my son was home and we have tools there, if it would have been on the road the spare would not have come off.

So if you have the lock make sure you oil it every year or so.

lost one in bangkok and 2 years later another in udon thani now i have a half use tread spare and no one wants its !!!

I would like to see my thief's face when he finds my donut CNG tank there.

I guess tells it:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yes, this BKK.

Edited November 19, 201312 yr by Rooo
language

I crossed into the US from Canada a few years back. The US border guys took the walk around my

pick up truck with the mirrors looking under the truck. He told me mine was the first truck he had seen

that morning that had its spare still. In the previous 20 pick up trucks they had been removed.

Apparently it was really going around. Takes about 20 seconds to drop the spare out of a Ford F150.

Wind the cable back up and you will not realize it till you get flat and go to get it.

Thanks OP for the warning. I've never heard of this.

I'm a member of the same club. I replaced it with a manky (non standard) rim and near bald tyre. Cost me 1,000B. Next time I'm thinking they'll pass me by.

I'm not sure what manky means, but they could be stealing the rims to turn in and get money from the metal recycler. It just takes about 30 seconds to remove a tire from a rim.

Jeez, this has been going on for years.

Never wondered why most pick-ups have a little chain swinging under the back when you sit behind them at lights.

Even happened to our company ones in KSA.

Happened to a pal only months after buying a new vehicle, I had a chain and padlock ready!

About time the manufacturers improved on this.... meanwhile in Pattaya they have moved onto unchained motorbikes!

This can happen anywhere in the world.

I bought a new set of tyres for a car in Australia in 1969. Two days later I noticed the steering was not good when cornering. When I checked the wheels all my new tyres were gone and they had replaced all 4 wheels with beaten up rims and totally bald tyres. This was at a railway station car park in Melbourne suburbs. I was probably lucky that they did not just leave the car sitting on the axles. At least I could drive to a tyre seller.

What they have not caught onto here, YET ! Is stealling your wheels off the car !! That is coming out and your car is high and dry on bricks and all 4 gone ... Tried to get some wheel nut locks here and most Thais never heard of them ... hope they arent reading this

Spare tire lock is easily cut/bypassed - get used to it.

Buy a short piece of good chain and a good lock, and chian it to the frame ..

This might be ok chain to frame but just buying a small lock and locking the chain together that the tire/rim lowers on does not work. I had my tire with rim stolen off my new pick up in 1999 and that ''let down chain was locked. I was confushed as heck until a Thai friend that owned a small tire shop showed me how they do it..........they simply let the air out of the tire so it becomes loose then remove the wedge that holds the tire/rim. When I buy, a new vehicle I take the new spare off and store it then buy a used rim with bald tire or just have no spare if I am not going out of the near by area.

Rotary........Just mentioned to my wife what you said about how they just let the air out of the tyre and then slide it out....."good idea"...she said..."and it would be a lot lighter"......I was about to make a remark but decided from experience best to just drop it..... YOU GOTTA LOVE EM!