VW T5 ... Breaking in.... Legally

[MattR]

Friends are stuck in France. The keys to their T5 were stolen along with their wallets and phone. Their wheel lock is engaged and their stearing wheel has a lock on it.

Questions:

How easy it to get into the vehicle without smashing a window?

Will the alarm go off if the doors are opened without a key being used?

Can a key be matched to the chassis number without opening a door? Would the registration number be sufficient?

Can disk locks be picked easily enough with the right tools?

The police said to smash the window so they could have somewhere to sleep for the night but they decided against it as it appears to have an alarm.

If any of the answers are security sensitive, please send me a private message.

Update: The AA have just told them that they will send a recovery vehicle after all (they had refused last night). They will still need to get I some how - so any suggestions to the above would be welcome.

 

[34127]

Have they not got a spare key at home that someone could ship out to them, it would say a lot of hassle.

 

[SuperMike]

I know it’s of no value to your friends, but we have a key safe similar to what people have outside their front door, hidden on the outside of the van, with a complete set of keys inside. Locked myself out once, but fortunately there was an open window.

 

[MattR]

No spare keys anywhere. Both sets were in the bag that was stolen. They know that was daft and it was, apparently, the first time that they had combined their bags into one. This is their first trip to France and they had had a great time up until yesterday afternoon.

 

[Two on Tour]

Wow, sounds like your friends are in a bit of a pickle.

Can't help much, but found this video on YouTube that may at least get them into their van and give them accommodation until a plan is hatched.

The video is for a VW Caddy but the T5 back door lock looks to be in the same position relative to the number plate.
Skip into 5.40 minutes on the video where it gets interesting.

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[Silver-Fox]

There is a way of getting in without having to break windows or drill holes.

It involves dexterity and and a bit of knowledge of the engine layout.

Those that know, know and I’m not going to post on an open forum what to do.

A good locksmith would get in no worries.

Glad they are sorted though.

 

[MattR]

The door at the rear has this handle / lock at the bottom in the middle of the door

 

[MattR]

There is a way of getting in without having to break windows or drill holes.

It involves dexterity and and a bit of knowledge of the engine layout.

Those that know, know and I’m not going to post on an open forum what to do.

A good locksmith would get in no worries.

Glad they are sorted though.

Can you pm me please? The recovery guy has been trying for an hour with different master keys. He can't move the vehicle with his truck as the wheels are not straight and the hand brake is on.

 

[Two on Tour]

Bugger, I thought it might be the double rear door.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

There is a way of getting in without having to break windows or drill holes.

It involves dexterity and and a bit of knowledge of the engine layout.

Those that know, know and I’m not going to post on an open forum what to do.

A good locksmith would get in no worries.

Glad they are sorted though.

Yes, saw the AA man do this to a friends T5 who had locked the keys inside. Took him quite a while but he did it

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[BwB]

Call the nearest VW garage? They should be able to offer some help even if it has to be paid for.

 

[MattR]

Call the nearest VW garage? They should be able to offer some help even if it has to be paid for.

The recovery guy is trying to get it there. I guess that they will ask someone to come out of no luck getting in while on the campsite.

 

[pappajohn]

Nobodies mentioned the half tennis ball over the lock barrel yet. .. Come on, your all slipping.

 

[Deneb]

We used to use the services of auto-locksmiths in my job. In my experience a VW dealer will likely have as much idea as an ice-cream salesman, but will be happy to call out an auto locksmith and charge the locksmith's fee plus their own service charge on top.

Call out a professional auto-locksmith direct and he will almost certainly have the door open within minutes, and most likely be able to cut and program a new key in situ as well.

 

[HandyAndy]

Completely pointless "breaking in" as the steering lock won't be able to be bypassed without breaking something.. Just go to the VW dealers and get a new set of keys.
If you have to "wait" for the ball to start rolling, check into a cheap hotel for a few days and explore the area you are in.

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[Two on Tour]

Double post.

 

[Two on Tour]

Completely pointless "breaking in" as the steering lock won't be able to be bypassed without breaking something.. Just go to the VW dealers and get a new set of keys.
If you have to "wait" for the ball to start rolling, check into a cheap hotel for a few days and explore the area you are in.

Much easier, cheaper and quicker for a good auto locksmith to use a lock code reader to produce a set of key and program the immobiliser chip than to wait for days and even weeks to get ripped off with a VW dealer.

 

[MattR]

For info. It took the recovery guy 5 hrs or so to open the doors. I don't know how long it took when the guy resorted to plan C but it made me wonder how scum bags can break into and drive away with T5s unless they always cause damage.

Apparently, it will take VW a week or two to get new keys etc. I've no idea why.

 

[MattR]

Completely pointless "breaking in" as the steering lock won't be able to be bypassed without breaking something.. Just go to the VW dealers and get a new set of keys.
If you have to "wait" for the ball to start rolling, check into a cheap hotel for a few days and explore the area you are in.

They needed their passports to get home while VW sort things out.

 

[Deneb]

For info. It took the recovery guy 5 hrs or so to open the doors. I don't know how long it took when the guy resorted to plan C but it made me wonder how scum bags can break into and drive away with T5s unless they always cause damage.

Apparently, it will take VW a week or two to get new keys etc. I've no idea why.

Because they know more than recovery drivers. VW dealer will order complete new keys from the factory. They will also want the van taken to their workshop to program the new keys to the van.

A competent accredited auto locksmith would have the door open without damage in a matter of minutes. He would also have an account with most major manufacturers enabling him to send sufficient information to VW to obtain the necessary codes to cut a mechanical key on the computerised machine in the back of his van and program it into the vehicle there and then.

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