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Crook lock. Anyone use one?

(37 Posts)
Stoker48 Sun 14-May-23 13:20:39

Lots of talk of cars being stolen.
Some experts recommend using a crook lock.
I remember these from the 70s!
Does anyone use one now?
Are they any good?
Are they easy to put on / take off?
My grip isn’t what it used to be.
Thank you.

Newtothissite Wed 17-May-23 20:50:12

I use a cheap adjustable one I got from Amazon, steel expands to fit any car. Helps with the insurance too as they steal lots of cars around here.

Grandmama Tue 16-May-23 18:41:02

DD1 always uses one on her BMW

Shizam Tue 16-May-23 17:49:54

Couple of high-end cars stolen near me recently. Both had lots of fancy security features, trackers etc. But not a steering wheel lock. So they’re probably worth having.
Apparently, the best thing to have now is a ghost immobiliser. Car can be stolen only by physically lifting it up on to a truck. So I’m informed by neighbourhood group.

Ziplok Tue 16-May-23 17:11:29

Yes, we use ours.

Tenko Tue 16-May-23 16:48:15

geeljay

A Krooklock will deter a random theft, but most cars are stolen as a specific target, so if they are stealing to order, they won't be put off.

No they won’t .in my area they target certain roads with high end cars . They also have scammers which intercept the signals when locking or unlocking the car .

Tenko Tue 16-May-23 16:44:06

My dh has one for his midlife crisis boy racer car . I don’t know if it’s a deterrent but with his last car . Thieves broke into our house and stole the keys . Luckily we woke up as they were opening our front door .and they didn’t get the car . My dh chased them down the road stark bollock naked . After that we padlocked an empty bbq gas bottle to the wheel which worked .
We now have a pole at the end of the drive as another deterrent

geeljay Tue 16-May-23 16:36:37

A Krooklock will deter a random theft, but most cars are stolen as a specific target, so if they are stealing to order, they won't be put off.

fluttERBY123 Tue 16-May-23 16:09:49

I think a stoplock is what we've got. I even use it at supermarket and can't not put it on when I leave the car. A lot of car theft round here, we even had an old Fiesta stolen with grand- children's buggy in it. Not difficult to.use.

Kamiso Tue 16-May-23 15:52:02

We have one now but a case of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted!

Our vehicle was stolen not that long after we moved here. We were told it was probably flown out of the country the same day. The insurance refused to pay up for four weeks so we had no transport just as I had a barrage of hospital appointments. We also lost £1,000 on the replacement cost just at the time during COVID when there was a serious shortage of second hand vehicles. The current car is not nearly as comfortable but at least it gets us from A - B.

The police were completely disinterested and several cars were vanishing on a daily basis. We do have a crook lock now and use it overnight. Would imagine they are rather heavy and unwieldy if you have arthritis or other problems.

Wishes Tue 16-May-23 15:13:43

We both have the round Diskloc steering wheel locks on our vehicles. They do come in grey but prefer the high vis yellow.

It is heavy but I can get in on and off in seconds.
Mine is on any time I am not in my car.

I did have my number plates stolen 9pm one evening. DH didn't check when the camera app went off "it's only next door walking the dog" It wasn't!

Riggie Tue 16-May-23 13:40:39

Even if I - occasionally - can't find the key to lock it, I'm sure it still deters would be car thieves

I remember my old one getting really awkward to lock/unlock so most of the time it was just in situ but not actually locked!!

Neighbourhood watch here are currently recommending them. Along with a cage around the catalytic convertor and locking screws on the numberplate.

BeneathTheHowlingStars Tue 16-May-23 13:00:16

I have got a Stoplock on my car. It goes across the steering wheel. I have always used some sort of visual deterrent even though my car has an immobiliser built in.

MichStew Tue 16-May-23 11:28:40

We have one and use it every time we leave the car unattended, wherever that might be. I hope it acts as a deterrent and even if it does not it must make it a bit more difficult and time-consuming for any potential thief to steal the car.

Madashell Tue 16-May-23 11:27:46

Told by Police Officer that if a thief wants your car they’ll find a way. I’d worry more about expensive car being taken as happened to my friend. Thieves knew they’d just got it, broke into the house at night and found the keys. The police said that it was good they'd left said keys downstairs because otherwise the thieves would have come for them and been very threatening and may have harmed them. They had the car less than a weekend. Electronic keys dodgy too. Some thieves steal to order and are informed of new purchases.

Grantanow Tue 16-May-23 11:18:47

A good idea and likely to encourage a thief to move on to the next car. I doubt they would stop a determined thief with tools and time. I used to use one in Spain.

4allweknow Tue 16-May-23 11:15:49

Nowadays its the catalytic converter exhausts that are prime targets, don't need to steal the car though high end cars are still targeted for theft.

Diplomat Tue 16-May-23 11:15:42

D's neighbour had car stolen from their drive they also tried to steal D's car but key far from door in a box as recommended, so they couldn't get a connection. Police also recommended a crook lock which they now have.

Redhead56 Mon 15-May-23 13:35:18

My DH uses one from when they first came out. I don't to be honest they only want high speed trendy cars around here. Really good caravans trailers etc are stole to orders.

Scribbles Mon 15-May-23 09:45:31

A Krooklok won't deter a determined thief. They used an angle grinder to remove the Krooklok from an acquaintance's van. It was a second locking device on the accelerator that prevented the van being driven away because the owner interrupted the attempt to remove it and the thieves ran off.

silverlining48 Mon 15-May-23 09:45:13

Our 10 year old ordinary car has one, they are underneath (think the front). They just lift it up so parking to block access to the front is worth consideration.

silverlining48 Mon 15-May-23 09:38:45

Catalytic converters are stolen from cars quite regularly. Only takes a few minutes to steal and worth a lot.

Ladyleftfieldlover Mon 15-May-23 09:35:12

My dad had one of those in the 70s. Together with his beige car coat, string backed driving gloves and tin of mints in the glove compartment, he was the epitome of a 1970s driver!

Witzend Mon 15-May-23 09:31:13

They do say that any sort of visible deterrent - that’s likely to make a thief look for another car to nick - is worth while. I remember dh having a Krooklock way back.

Around here, we’ve had a couple of catalytic converters stolen from parked cars. Apparently very expensive to replace.🙁

henetha Mon 15-May-23 09:22:39

Yes, they are a good idea. I used to use one. But my scratched and dented car is 19 years old now so I don't think anyone wants her.
grin

Stoker48 Mon 15-May-23 09:20:18

Thank you for your helpful comments.
Good advice given.
Going to check them out later.