Alarm not triggered during smash and grab break in

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

psufan

Active Member
Joined
May 25, 2013
Posts
73
Reaction score
36
Over the weekend my truck was broken into smash and grab style. The truck was parked on the street in front of my house, and it doesn't appear that the alarm ever sounded. They attempted to break into the truck through the front passenger window (which was facing the street) and were unsuccessful in getting through the laminated glass + tint, but they then successfully shattered the rear passenger window (tint did a pretty good job of keeping it together).

In any case, we heard no audible alarm during this whole time, and they were able to get in through the rear window far enough to open the center console, glove compartment, and sun glass holder in the center / upper console (and remove / sift through the contents). We know the time frame that it happened based on use of the truck, and my GF and I are on somewhat opposite sleep schedules so one of us was likely awake (and it's also only about 30 feet from our master bedroom and easily audible). I checked the ford pass app, which I had setup, and there was no recorded alarm event logged. About a week before, my tire installer set the alarm off on my driveway during the install process (as he jacked the car up), so I'm under the impression that it works (my dog has also set off the motion sensors when I inadvertently left them on with him in the back seat... and he's only 30 lbs). After the break in I tested the perimeter alarm (by opening the door) with the car armed through the broken glass and it worked fine. However, I was unable to set off the motion sensor alarms inside.

sorry for the length but have a few questions:

1) I'm assuming the truck was locked, I lock it all the time regardless of where I am out of habit (always have). I also would hope these ass hats would have checked that before smashing two windows. So that being said, is there anyway I could have locked it and NOT alarmed the system? I was under the impression that this was automatic.

2) I'm assuming that someone crawling in the truck far enough to open the center console and glove compartment from the back seat would have been in there far enough to set off the motion alarms. Is that a fair assumption?

A few other misc things:

- There is nothing aftermarket on the truck with the exception of: ARE shell, BD squadron pros in the fog pocket area.
- I don't have the shock sensor that is available from ford, just the standard alarm on a 2018 802A equipped truck.
- Nothing was stolen (I assume they were looking for drugs, a firearm, or cash). I don't keep anything in my truck with the exception of a few charging cables, first aid kit, documents, etc...).
- Them breaking into the rear window after not being able to get into the front window leads me to believe they weren't pros.
 

The Car Stereo Company

aka grumpy car stereo guy
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Posts
31,593
Reaction score
21,460
Location
here, on frf
i dont know if ford offers a glass break sensor, but just about all aftermarket alarm systems have the ability to add that sensor. its a microphone set to pick up the specific frequency of breaking glass and will trigger the alarm. the proximity sensor is hit and miss. i dont trust it. nor do i trust aftermarkwt ones.
 

smurfslayer

Be vewwy, vewwy quiet. We’re hunting sasquatch77
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Posts
16,064
Reaction score
23,541
It is my understanding that the shock sensor would pick up a glass break attempt like the one described if installed and set to the correct sensitivity. It surprises me that the internal alarm sensors didn’t trigger, I set mine off in the queue waiting to get in for service at the local stealership one day.

I’m sorry to hear about the theft. break in.

you can lock the truck and disable the internal sensors, there’s a dash prompt for it but I think the default is all sensors.
 
OP
OP
P

psufan

Active Member
Joined
May 25, 2013
Posts
73
Reaction score
36
Thanks for the info guys. There definitely is a screen that comes up to select which sensors are active. I always leave them all active unless my dog is in the car (and I remember to turn the internal sensors off).
 

Forum statistics

Threads
92,817
Posts
1,946,182
Members
56,075
Latest member
Arizona Free
Top