Our friends coupe was stolen yesterday….

[bluecoupe30!]

I like where this is going. First, I must say I am so relieved cars were found. What a great result! Next, thank you Dave for starting in on messages to thieves. All about communication, right? Let us begin to craft our own messages to whomever enters our Coupes, without invitation. Let's fill in blanks here :
"Hello thief, camera on you, it is very tiny and too late to react. we are on it !" or, "Hello thief, key has some sort of funky kinda grounding thing going on, sends harmful volts through to driver when started. Have not been able to figure this out yet." (then, in your best voice from film "Taken One") "Gouda Luck"! ....Next?

 

[DaveBeddows]

For those with Carbs and the Starter relief relay you can break the +ve to the coil with a switch or 3rd party alarm system. This has a neat effect. When the car's starter is cranking there will be spark via the relief relay but as soon as the key returns to the running ignition position the car will stall. Crank it enough times then they might actually flood the carbs and have a different additional problem to get it going if they ever figure it out before draining the battery. The cool thing about this is the engine actually starts and runs for a moment then stalls. It keeps them guessing. Combine this with a note on the steering like, "Hey Chris when you are looking at the carbs find out why they are flooding and making it difficult to start the car on a cold engine."
Worst case is you get some gas washing the cylinders but at least the car may still be there.

 

[Drew Gregg]

We are all glad the cars were recovered. They were not taken by "professional" thieves,but by thugs who have no respect for the law. What is the law in California? The suggestions and ways to prevent the loss of our cars that have been presented will be a help to everyone in the future.

 

[Arde]

I do not think the problem is the law, but the low priority associated with car related offenses at least in Northern California.
I am ok with that for my regular cars but no so much with classics.
For San Francisco it may have been deliberate policy by Chesa Boudin (who is now a fellow at Berkeley University) in my area is perhaps lack of resources.
It is still way better than other places I lived!!

 

[adawil2002]

Phew, glad both vehicles were found. May whatever insurance company repair any & all damages from the theft. Please keep us posted about that too.