First Thing You Must Do When You Buy A New Car: Tear This Off!

In India, when we buy a new car or bike, we consider it a part of our family and welcome it warmly. We also try to keep the vehicle looking new and take extra care to ensure that it doesn’t get dirty. We have seen many people in the past who don’t remove the covers on the seats, fearing that they might get dirty, and even keep the plastic on various interior panels. Similarly, there is one more thing that people often ignore on their new cars - something that can actually become the reason why your car might get stolen.

Car theft is a major issue in India and several other countries. Car manufacturers are loading vehicles with advanced technology to make our lives easier. Unfortunately, thieves are also upgrading themselves and using this technology to steal new cars. How are they able to do this? Well, a very unsuspecting culprit - a sticker on the windshield or quarter glass - is the villain.

The sticker seen in the video mentioned above is actually pasted by the manufacturer at the plant. Many people forget or ignore this sticker as they don’t realise how important it is to remove it. This small mistake of not removing the barcode sticker from the rear windshield or quarter glass can actually cost you your car. The sticker is placed at the factory for the convenience of the brand and helps them track their inventory easily. It consists of crucial details like the VIN number, model name, variant, engine type, fuel type, and even the colour of the vehicle.

A few months ago, Delhi Police busted a car theft racket that was targeting high-end cars. After arresting the culprits, officers interrogated them to understand their method of operation. This interrogation revealed how they pulled off these thefts.

The gang members would first spot their target and then check if the car still had this barcode sticker on the glass. Once they found a car with the sticker, they clicked an image of it and sent it to a technical expert working with them from Dubai.

Once the technical expert received the barcode images, he decoded the details and helped the thieves by deactivating the security system. He then generated a new code using the same barcode and sent it back to the thieves. After receiving the new codes, they approached the target car and broke the glass or opened the door using their tools. The car alarm wouldn’t go off as the security system had already been disabled.

Once inside the car, they used a special tool to run the new code and start the vehicle. They also ensured that the GPS and other third-party security systems were disabled using a jammer.

They started the vehicle using the new code, and the immobiliser wouldn’t activate as the car didn’t detect any duplicate key. Since the original codes were overwritten, the vehicle identified the new code as the original one. By the time the owner realised what had happened, the car would have already crossed borders or been dismantled at a scrapyard for parts.

This is exactly why we urge people to remove such stickers before taking delivery of their new vehicle. Many brands have now even started giving disclaimers on the sticker, asking dealership staff to remove it before handing over the car.