Car Stereo Theft Doesn't Pay What It Used To

from the driven-out-of-business dept

Fri, Mar 27th 2009 9:14am — Carlo Longino

It seems like a decade or so ago, it was pretty easy to find a friend who had a story about their car window being smashed and their stereo stolen. But the FBI says that car-stereo thefts have dropped by about 60 percent since 1994, thanks mainly to technology and economics (via Engadget). Fewer people are replacing their car stereos these days, as the quality of factory units has improved, but also as features like CD players have diffused throughout the auto population. Most thieves won't bother stealing factory stereos because their resale value is so low: they have to find a buyer who needs to replace the same model, and that's much harder than reselling a radar detector or GPS unit that will work in any car. What's more, the cost of aftermarket equipment has dropped significantly, squeezing stereo-stealers' margins even more. Usually when we talk about unintended consequences, it's in reference to something with decent intentions that delivers some negative unexpected outcome, but it's nice to see sometimes things work the other way, too.

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Filed Under: car stereo, theft

18 Comments

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Joseph Durnal, 27 Mar 2009 @ 9:55am

Back in the day
I used to be a car stereo enthusiast. Back when I was in high school mid 90’s, nearly all of my equipment was second hand, and knowing what I know now, I’d be willing to bet that some of the good stuff that I got cheap was ill-gotten. After graduating, attending some college, and getting a decent tech job, I bought all new stuff and spent many thousands of dollars. After a while, it just became more work to maintain than I was willing to do, so, I pulled it all out, and that car to this day (with 207,000 miles which I’ll keep driving until it dies) still has a hole where the head unit goes. When I was out of work a few years ago, I sold the stuff on eBay, none of it went for what I wanted to sell it for, but I got decent prices none the less, probably because I was willing to ship to Europe (and then listen to them complain about import duties).

While I still see a lot of shortcomings in factory systems, they are a lot better than they used to be, and a lot less work to maintain and they are already installed.
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Just Me, 27 Mar 2009 @ 10:10am

this is outrageous!

We need to get Congress on this right now. Throw some stimulus money to the kids who are out of work because of the lack of resell value on stolen stereo's. I say we give them all a bonus!!

oh yeah...and so it'll be passed, I need to add "Won't someone think of the kids?!?!?!?!?!" (while crying)
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Cecil, 27 Mar 2009 @ 10:24am

no mp3?
Who would bother stealing a factory CD player when most of them (at least, over the past 10 years or so) don't do MP3 audio? Pieces of outdated crap, IMHO. Without at LEAST an auxiliary port, why bother with any of them?
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Harold's #1 fan, 27 Mar 2009 @ 10:26am

#2 is a moron
No, you idiot, it is outrageous because folks are not replacing their car stereos at a decent, economically sound rate anymore. This is contributing to the degradation of our economy.

Choosing not to spend is un-American, and borderline treasonous.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2009 @ 10:47am

Re: #2 is a moron
Trolling for a troll. Classy.
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The Moron, 27 Mar 2009 @ 10:54am

Re: #2 is a moron
Wow...someone has been drinking the kool-aid.

Learn what trason is...learn what "American" is....learn what ACTUALLY caused the economy to faulter and then you will be able to step back and see that my comments were a joke.
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hegemon13, 27 Mar 2009 @ 11:28am

Surprising
I am surprised that factory stereos have a lower resale value. In general, factory parts go for considerably more. My friend had his car, which had several modifications, stolen. He had a very expensive after-market intake and exhaust system. However, the thieves left it in lieu of headlights, taillights, etc. He expressed his surprise to the police, and they said it is pretty standard. After market parts, even expensive ones, don't sell for as much as factory ones. I suppose the difference in stereos is that they are more universal, but it still surprises me.
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hegemon13, 27 Mar 2009 @ 11:33am

Re: Re: #2 is a moron
Joke's on you. I am 99% certain the poster you responded to was also being sarcastic.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2009 @ 11:50am

Re: no mp3?
Who would bother stealing a factory CD player...

What's worse is for some makes/models (e.g. Honda Civic) the stock stereo has an activation code. If the radio is disconnected from the battery, or the battery dies, it disables itself until you enter the code. This is intended as an anti-theft device.
Since nobody in their right mind would actually steal the thing, it only prevents the owner of the car from using it.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2009 @ 12:04pm

Re: Re: no mp3?
it only prevents the owner of the car from using it [without taking it to a dealer and paying out the ass to get them to "unlock" it]

Fixed that for ya ;)
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2009 @ 12:04pm

Re: Re: no mp3?
it only prevents the owner of the car from using it [without taking it to a dealer and paying out the ass to get them to "unlock" it]

Fixed that for ya ;)
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another mike, 27 Mar 2009 @ 1:16pm

Re: Surprising
not so surprising really. factory stereo mountings and connectors are pretty much only used by that one model and sometimes only for a few years. so if you yank one to fence it, your customer base is limited to pretty much just the one guy you robbed. he's the only guy looking to buy a factory stereo for his make, model, and year of car.

aftermarket parts aren't as generic so that makes them easier to trace but a factory part's just a factory part. you wouldn't notice a factory headlight driving past you like you'd notice your stolen custom cowling on someone else's ride.
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Fitzie the auto man, 29 Mar 2009 @ 4:10pm

My uncle had an experience of car radio theft years and years ago. It happened twice and he was really pissed off. I haven't noticed it that the number of stolen car radio have decreased.
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nasch, 30 Mar 2009 @ 8:46am

Re: Re: Surprising
Also things like lights and trim get broken and damaged and need to be replaced a lot more frequently than stereos.
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brooke thom, 9 Apr 2009 @ 5:17am

car stereo
well car theft is really very increasing these days. one really need to buy a car alarm to protect car and car accessories. After all car is much costlier den car accessories.. :)
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Auto Parts Sale, 11 Jul 2009 @ 1:39am

car thefts and burglary has gotten worst today. police should act fast on these cases.
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radio cage lock, 22 Aug 2010 @ 11:01pm

Lock
I agree in buying a car alarm for security. One has to consider purchasing a cage lock also for their car stereo as an added protection.
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Ed, 29 Dec 2012 @ 1:00am

Just had my SUV broken into today.
I had a aftermarket double din stereo, but nothing except for stock Bose speakers.

I think they assumed I had a full expensive aftermarket system when they seen my touch screen radio..

Seems that people are still doing this.. even in 2012
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