Call me stupid but if a car is tracked and located - why not sit and wait out for the car to be collected by the theves and catch them red handed. Job done.

They could also search mobile phone records in a specific area if they really want to do so.

about 15 years back my dad had his metro gta nicked,,, it was parked up behind some shops near their big bins and the police found it,, they informed my dad and also told him they had removed the ht leads and were now sat watching it,, the joyriders came back around 9pm and the cops nicked them all.

but as mentioned the cost and staffing needed today for that to be done is just not there now.

Fuse F107 on a Mk2.5 feeds the OBD and Instrument Cluster which contains the PATS (Primative Anti Theft System :D) module which would probably be a bonus for the car's owner. However, being as PATS communicates with the ECU would frequent loss of power to the instrument cluster and the PATS module cause any longterm starting issues ?

The sad thing is nowadays the police wouldn't be allowed to use that technique, not because they are terrible at their jobs or because they don't want to, not even because they are short staffed, but because they aren't trained to do it. Clive had his old mk2 focus for the police motor, he drives the same thing everyday at home and knows it like the back of his hand, but he couldn't inflate the tyres, top up the windscreen etc, he had to get his mechanics to so it for him lol.

That sort of means to lure then back to the car and then trap them in with a nine starter can't be done. Sad thing is that more and more will return to the car, try drive away and damage it or kill it In the getaway whereas if the police could use their initiative (or should I say could be allowed to without fear of repercussions then they could be caught red handed and without chase or damage, saving the police thousands a year In resource, investigations, reports etc just by being permitted to use the thing between there ears without training and four levels of approval

Given that pats is on the same fuse it's a non starter literally as the immobiliser can't approve the key without pats on the cluster so you would need to refit the fuse to start the car.

Given that pats is on the same fuse it's a non starter literally as the immobiliser can't approve the key without pats on the cluster so you would need to refit the fuse to start the car.

Even just removing the plug and hiding (cable ties!!) somewhere up behind the dash should be enough surely?

Delaying thieves is a lot easier than stopping them, hell they could just come and lift the car if they want it that badly!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Ford OC mobile app

absolutely, just disconnecting it from the dash plate would help alow them down. Moat of these guys will operate in the corners and want ad little fuss as possible, worst case scenario it doesn't slow them enough, best case you just need to replace a window.