Golf cart theft?
 

Sorry for the stupid question, but I am not in TV - simply a prospective snowbird trying to learn about the area. Is theft of golf carts, or even from golf carts, an issue? Someone in the thread about no apartments was talking about vacant parking lots and how easy it is to roll one up on a flatbed and be gone. That led to my question.

Thanks!

The concern about rolling a golf cart onto a flatbed is only regarding a situation which currently doesn't exist. There are no apartments IN the town squares themselves. And so it's not likely you'd ever see golf carts parked in them overnight, since businesses shut down at usual business time. The risk of golf cart theft is higher very late at night (or the wee hours of early morning before sun-up) because most residents are asleep.

That said, it's not as common as you might think it could be. Theft happens, but that's true in any environment. People like to think they're immune from the troubles of the world outside the Villages "bubble" but they're not. We just have less of it than in other areas. Also, when it does happen, the main daily newspaper doesn't report it. Unlike most actual real-world local newspapers throughout the country, the Villages Daily News doesn't have a police blotter once a week. The badly-written anti-Villages online newsrag "reports" police reports all day long, but they editorialize them to the point where it's hard to distinguish the actual facts of the report from the spin.

There -was- a rash of golf cart theft a couple years ago but the thieves were caught, after displaying those stolen golf carts for sale up the road. Thieves around here apparently aren't very smart.

I actually installed a replacement automotive ignition switch in place of the Yamaha switch. The cost was $15 at auto parts store, about 1/2 hour to install. It came with 4 keys that are keyed to that switch. This makes it a little more difficult since the "standard" Yamaha keys will not work on this cart.

Thank you, you've painted a realistic picture of the actual situation, I appreciate it.

I would guess that the most popular golf cart brand to steal would be Yamaha, so if you are looking for safety, choose the least popular brand you can find. Also, I don't think electric carts are high on the desired list for thieves, so make yours electric. And never leave an expensive set of golf clubs in your cart when parking in a shopping center, such as WalMart. You might not have them when you get back. Not a lot of golf cart crime in The Villages, but it does happen on occasion.

I timed myself on how long it takes to steal a cart with no key and no destruction of any part of the cart.. Eleven seconds. Yamaha ignition, security ignition, any ignition. Eleven seconds.

By the way is anyone looking for a cart, I have got a great deal on one (humor).

No, I'm not going to tell you how I did it, suffice to say it is simple.

The typical low life golf cart thief has substance abuse issues and is looking to steal anything that can be quickly monetized to fund their next fix. It’s no surprise that historically gas Yamahas have been their target since they are by far the most common cart, creating a strong market for aftermarket parts. Looking to the future, it is reasonable to expect there will be a strong aftermarket demand for the new and very expensive lithium batteries in the newer electric carts. Put a kill switch in your cart and use it and park in visible public spots with good lighting and you should be safe.

My cart has a hidden kill switch, but I rely on golf cart insurance just like with the car. Kryptonite disk lock is possible too, we use it to stop motorcycle theft.

Just hide GPS tracker in golf cart. If it get stole you can lead the Sheriff right to it.

Ran a little wire?

A screwdriver and a 14 gauge jumper wire will do the trick.
The Idea is: not to let the thief access to use the screwdriver.

You don't need to drive the golf cart to steal it. The only thing preventing it from moving is a brake, which you can unset simply by pressing on the brake pedal. And then as I said - roll it onto a flatbed. You can steal 3 golf carts in the same trip, no need to even start the vehicles at all.

After my first motorcycle was stolen I used iron clad snake lock and a post. Need liquid nitrogen to break chain.

My point was to make my golf cart more difficult (not impossible) to steal so the thief goes to the next one.

Battery powered grinder will cut any chain or cable.

Yes, but it makes noise and requires the thief to be prepared - my chain is 1 inch solid steel in diameter.

That is the best answer yet. . . although interesting story out of NYC, that most cops don't understand this type of technology yet, so are skeptical about it.

Never go try to recover it yourself without a police officer.

true crimes reader

Hubby just saw a post on some TV Facebook page from someone who says his neighbors' 4-seater was just stolen from Cracker Barrel at 11 a.m. while they were having breakfast. Surveillance video shows a man walking out of Chase Bank, getting into the cart, and driving away. In broad daylight.

I hate thieves.

kathy

Details please?

I have the cable golf club cover. Thieves may be able to cut the cable but it would be highly noticeable.
:ho::ho:

Really? Why would anyone buy a golf cart they don’t want just or one that nobody wants just to make sure it doesn’t get stolen.

Apple Air Tags
 

East to install and hide: Apple Air Tags!

Just had mine stolen yesterday when we were at CrackerBarrel. The police said Yamaha has a very generic key The thief took it within 10 seconds.

one key fit's all.....change the ignition switch and put alarm on it.....

Theft is very low here. I see people leaving keys and clubs in unattended carts all the time. Not a good idea.

Locks are for honest people.

Just insure it, if a thief wants it, he will get it....

Every time I see someone reporting they had something stolen off of their cart, I am surprised. Then you find out that left the item in the cup holder in plain view. Take a few precautions and you should be safe. For how many carts are out and about here I do not hear about a lot of theft.

Let's talk about crime, there's enough crime here, but you have to go to alternate sources to read about it. Patty larceny, stealing tools out of garages and out of trucks, the arrest for drunk driving both in cars and carts, partners who beat up on each other cuz they're drunk and of course the arrest from stopping cars and finding drugs in the cars. You will also find every year so a few golf carts stolen because someone has a drug habit and usually after I stake out with some fake golf carts they are caught. Golf cart insurance is fairly cheap and can cover you easily. I would never leave anything in the open weather in my car or my car

The best way and most factual way to answer your question is to get a crime grid from Sumter County(most populated county in The Villages) Any other information is anecdotal and not objective.

Someone told me there were high theft rates and other neighbors did not concur with him.

I am more concerned about someone stealing my clubs than my golf cart. Golf cart is identifiable(has VIN). Make sure you buy insurance which does cover theft on the golf cart and take reasonable precautions. In our case the theft deductible for the golf cart is less than our homeowners theft deductible.

If you have a two car garage and 2 cars and a cart, park cart indoors and leave one of the cars outside.

It happens. There have been thefts during the day as well as at night. I do not believe it is a huge problem, but it is sometimes difficult to find "bad" news from TV. Reporting property crime, sinkholes etc. does not sell houses.

We had an alarm system installed on our cart. Once the brake is locked and the alarm activated, anyone trying to release the brake and roll or even drive the cart away gets a bloody murder high-pitched screeching from the cart that can only be stopped if WE press the stop button on our fob. So far, so good. As for personal items being taken from the cart, not so far. Of course, other than for our golf clubs, we don't leave anything of value in/on the cart.

Yes, I installed a $3.00 kill switch in mine and, as someone else said, this makes it more difficult, not impossible, to steal. Also I keep a chain and lock handy should I feel that may be needed....depending on circumstances...

Five Finger discount heaven
 

IF you are silly enough to leave goods in your cart. Golf Clubs, Keys Phones, hats, jackets, etc especially at Town Squares, you are asking to lose them. Its stunning to see the goods folk leave about. But hey they must have more money than sense, and they get the Insurance to pay. Thats why the rest of us have high premiums.

Dont give thieves the chance, and yes the flatbed crew will take it all away, when you leave the keys. Folk dont do do they!!! oh yes they do.

where did you get the alarm?

Youth
 

Obviously you had a misspent youth! At one of the Rec Centers (I will not say which!) I can get into the safely locked club storage area quicker than the staff with keys….yes also a product of a misspent youth….

Was working at a Golf Shop, there was a broken down golf cart in the parking lot. A tow service was called by the owner, a service from Wildwood arrived with a pick up truck and a trailer, dropped the gate, pushed the cart on and left in exactly 4 minutes. A kill switch would not have have stopped it from being loaded rapidly!

Not sure what you are after, standard after market automotive ignition switch (ACC, OFF, RUN, START), you do not connect to the START. Battery power (aka master fuse) to the Power stud, then the normal golf cart wire to the RUN stud, and any accessories to the NEW ACC stud. The hole where the original key switch was mount may need to be enlarged, an exacto knife works well for this.

Not very common to have one stolen. Best idea is to buy insurance. Policy not very expensive.

stolen golf cart
 

My golf cart was stolen at Walmart off Wedgewood, took 30 seconds for him to open my dash on camera last December and drive away, and the perp stole another one two weeks later. he was caught, spent 5 mos in lady lake jail, was released on probation, and got caught on another stolen cart again weeks later.