Block Heater Cord Thieves

[Mitsu3000gt]

Some jackass keeps stealing the extension cords we use for the block heater on my GF's car. Are there any strategies to prevent this? I know you can drive onto the cord but I don't think that will work too well and I'd have to buy longer and more expensive cords for these people to steal. I also don't want anything that locks on the car side in case they decided to just pull, I don't want it wrecking the cord attached to the car.

Are there locks or anything you can buy for extension cords? The plug-in is attached to a wooden post, so I have that to work with as well. I was thinking of screwing a clamp down to lock the cord onto the post but then the cord is outside 24/7.

I've also got a wildlife camera I might try to set up in the car to hopefully catch a face. The area is just barely out of range of WyzeCams as well so unfortunately those didn't capture anything.

There are also about 5-6 way longer and way more valuable cords on the same row of cars but for some reason they liked ours....the $10 Canadian tire special. If you're going to steal a cord why not take the good ones?

[realazy]

You can attach a ring or something securely on the post and then wrap the cord around the post a couple times and put a pad lock/bike lock around it and lock it the ring. It might deter them at least.

[Tik-Tok]

Just curious. Are you laying them on the ground across a sidewalk, and your neighbors have them slung overhead? Or are you between an alley entrance/walkway and some high traffic pedestrian area?

[ianmcc]

[heavyfuel]

Hook one of these up to the cord lol


https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5043-1...oaAj2UEALw_wcB

[Mitsu3000gt]

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Just curious. Are you laying them on the ground across a sidewalk, and your neighbors have them slung overhead? Or are you between an alley entrance/walkway and some high traffic pedestrian area?

The way it's set up there is a row of parking spots and everyone has a little post in front of their car with the power outlet - her cord just goes from the car to the outlet and is not at all on the sidewalk. I go out late every night and plug in her car so it must have happened in the middle of the night. I ball up the excess length and tuck it under the car bumper as well. There are several people with the expensive, long, thick gauge cords with LED ends run them a good 50 feet down the sidewalk though. So I don't think it had anything to do with someone tripping on the cord or whatever because that would have been impossible at least with ours. The people with the long cords also leave them out 24/7, where as I plug in the car around 12-1am every night so there is presumably almost zero foot traffic before morning.

- - - Updated - - -

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That actually looks really good, my only concern is if they decided to try force it out it could wreck the block heater cord itself on the car-side. Sometimes I daisy chain 2 cords together to get to my car though and that would be perfect for the junction, preventing theft of the second cord.

My GF will definitely not want to deal with padlocks or anything too inconvenient every morning though so that will be the next challenge haha.

I'm also going to mark the next cord so if someone takes it again I can at least walk around the condo complex and see if it's in use anywhere else.

[Thaco]

I'd try just using a mending bar and screw it to the post, trap the cord in behind, anything that provides a little bit of a challenge they may walk away from, but then again, if they're just stealing them for scrap copper then nothing will stop them because they'll just cut it

[Tik-Tok]

Sounds like someone is just targeting your GF then.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Good ideas guys thanks. I'll hit up the hardware store today and see if I can just build a small deterrent. I'm guessing with the cold it was just a crime of opportunity but who knows. I highly doubt it was targeted but anything is possible.

No way are they stealing them for copper because they left the 50-75ft cords alone that are all over the place.

[Swank]

I used to just close the block plug and end of the extension cord in the engine bay, there was enough gap for the cord to fit, that way you can only get the cord out when you pop the hood.

[Mitsu3000gt]

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I used to just close the block plug and end of the extension cord in the engine bay, there was enough gap for the cord to fit, that way you can only get the cord out when you pop the hood.

Did that mess up the weather stripping or anything? I feel like it would but I haven't tried. I'm also hesitant to do anything that would potentially damage the car if they tried to use force to get the cord.

I didn't have time to bolt the new cord to the post last night and nobody stole it by this morning so I guess that's a plus

I almost want them to steal it just one more time because this time I marked the cords and if the thief is nearby and tries to use it I will be able to identify it.

[mr2mike]

Why not take the extra outlet on the extension cord, plug copper wire into it, string it down the sides of the cord, not touching the ground or each other.
Plug into outlet as normal and wait.
When your breaker drops, it will alert you.

[Mitsu3000gt]

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Why not take the extra outlet on the extension cord, plug copper wire into it, string it down the sides of the cord, not touching the ground or each other.
Plug into outlet as normal and wait.
When your breaker drops, it will alert you.

I like it. I can tie a little bell around my breaker in the basement.

[Swank]

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Did that mess up the weather stripping or anything? I feel like it would but I haven't tried. I'm also hesitant to do anything that would potentially damage the car if they tried to use force to get the cord.

Nope, not in the least. The gap between the hood and fender was just right, the extension cord was a flat kind, not round. You just need to fish the block heater cord up into the engine bay and anchor it somewhere with a zip tie to be able to easily access it, then just get used to opening and closing the hood each time you plug/unplug. Might not work with all vehicles, or maybe I just got lucky with my 8th gen Civic. No need to do it now as my parking situation has vastly improved

[Tik-Tok]

Mount this in the engine bay, then your extension cord into it.

[Mitsu3000gt]

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Mount this in the engine bay, then your extension cord into it.

I looked at those, and they are a good idea in theory but being in a shared living environment I can only imagine the outcome would be the thief long gone (with my cord) and my alarm waking up the entire complex. Then I have to get out of bed in the middle of the night, go outside in -30 and disable it haha (if I hear it). I like the idea, I just don't think it would actually do anything to prevent the theft or catch the next thief.

[Graham_A_M]

I Drive over the cable, only way to steal it would be to jack up the car so that wheel is off the ground. Never had it stolen since.

[ThePenIsMightier]

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I Drive over the cable, only way to steal it would be to jack up the car so that wheel is off the ground. Never had it stolen since.

Shit.