How to prevent car theft in Malaysia? Is it even possible?
We will try to share some tips below.
We love self-drive holidays in Malaysia. The freedom along the highway, the food, the scenic beach, hills and old rustic towns. The exchange rate is super attractive but not news about car jacking.
We shared some tips about driving in Malaysia (read article here), GPS Navigation, Tolls, and Safety.
Some tips and scenarios have not changed. Example :
1) Always Park Head in to discourage towing. Refer first photo above, add steering wheel lock (and pedal lock) and hope robber will find an easier target.
2) I am still trying to find a gear-shift lock. You cannot shift the gear, and like point 1 above, I hope it will deter a potential hijacker. But it seems this lock is only available in Malaysia as there is “no demand” in Singapore :p
(Image credit http://www.solex.com.my)
3) I have recently added a kill switch (On/Off) for $60. If someone managed to go inside your car, he cannot start the ignition unless he knows the switch’s location.
(Email me for the workshop and contact, I know it works for Japanese/Korean makes, not too sure about continental. (Disclaimer : Car distributors might claim Kill-switch can void warranty)
4) In worse case, if car is towed away. You will make a police report, and “hope” some syndicate will return your car for a ransom. (This is hearsay, I cannot verify).
We can do tracing with GPS tracker app too.
– I am using Life360 app. This nifty app is compatible with both IOS and Android smartphones. Easy to setup, and it is FREE! Touch wood if car is stolen, app will guide you to the last known location of your car.
Just hide an old smartphone in your car, subscribe to a Malaysia data plan, and pray battery does not fade before your car is recovered. As a bonus, this app can trace your kids too.
(I tried another app “GPS tracker” but it did not work on my spare Android)
4a) Updated 2020Jan. Google Map Location Sharing would provide real-time update. Just ensure you have a Malaysia data plan and mobile phone battery lasts long enough for you to trace.
Do not share your “location” with strangers!
Points 5 to 7 are more common sense. We sometimes like to broadcast our locations to the whole world.
I can never understand the rationale, why do we want to make it easier for crooks to locate and target us?
5) Displaying your bags in full view, or not locking your car doors. This smash and grab Youtube (link) shows how brazen and efficient the robbers can be!
5a) Invest in window film for your ride. If your window is smashed, we hope the film will allow the window to fall in one piece, and not break into smithereens. This will prevent cuts on passengers and make it easier to “clean” your car if you intend to drive to workshop for repairs. (if budget allows, go for IR and UV protection)
6) Cute family stickers, announcing your three generation family members and pets too. Kids and grandparents are easier targets (right?), rookie crooks might just be tempted to ambush the vulnerable car occupants.
(image credit Google search)
7) Share your location on all your social media network, Check-in, #Hashtags, Tag the resorts and what have you. We like to tell everyone on the WWW where we are, and make it easier for people to spot us.
We can always share our recommendations and locations 48 hours after checkout. Our friends would not mind #Latergram.
From Honda to Toyota to Continental cars, no brand is safe.
If it is any comfort, Proton is the number 1 target.
We should always remain vigilant when overseas (not only Malaysia), and try not to make the robbers’ job easier.
Back to our first question, How to prevent car theft in Malaysia?
Short of not driving into Malaysia, we can only deter the robbers by making our car a little bit harder to crack. If robbers are determined, nothing will stop him from getting away with your car.
For those first-timers driving into Malaysia, I have more driving tips here.
Do read our car dashcam Safevue review too, cheap and good.
Your family’s safety must always be the first priority.
If you have more tips to share, do let me know.
Thanks for sharing Andy. These are great tips! You know I have my highest respect for always coming up with activities for your kids and even driving into M’sia – which this Ex-M’sian don’t even dare to. We’ve experienced some ‘inconveniences’ before years back when driving in and since then I only drive in when there’s an entourage travelling with me because my principle is: if anything happens, can I defend / protect my family? So, with very young kids and my Mrs. in tow, my answer for now is ‘No’ hence I only go in if there’s an entourage travelling with me.
Also, the timing of the drive is important – I always believe in driving ‘into the light’ – no, nothing morbid but what it means is drive in the early morning so that the longer you drive, the brighter the day gets and not the other way around. As a driver you are also fresher compared to a night drive and if anything is to happen, the day is only getting brighter hence the chance of help is higher.
And yes, don’t tempt. In fact I don’t even stop at petrol kiosk where people can potentially tag your car. So….be prepared and plan well….But for me, safest is still when I travel in entourage if not, for me, I’d rather not as my kids are still very young and family still vulnerable.
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Yes David, I started with convoys up North.
The problems with Singaporeans is we are so cocooned to believe that the world out there is as safe as our city.
Give you one example, you do not walk in Johor or PJ while looking at your phone.
(not only in Malaysia but anywhere, be alert, otherwise asking for trouble)
Go in only if you feel comfortable π
Thank you for sharing these tips! My hubs and I used to drive into M’sia A LOT. However we stopped doing so after we had kids. Because of all the incidents we have heard or read about. Car jacking is just one of the many. Do continue to be vigilant when you are there with your kids. I hope my hubs will bring us in again soon. He will only do so if there is a little convoy. Group trip anyone? hee hee
Vivien ( Beautiful Chaos )
I understand Vivien, before the kids came out, our passports were in the car and we can drive in at a whim’s notice.
Who knows, there might be demand for convoy from the parents group next time π
Love the GPS app but need to leave a phone in the car? I left mine once accidentally and the heat made my phone RIP! ????
Great info … yes we always need to be on high alert whenever and wherever!!!
Jamie Chaw: (http://karmie080808.blogspot.sg)
Phone app is the cheapest way to track our car. If you wish something more reliable, must grab those GPS hardware tracking devices π
(Hint:Phone can hide under seat fabric , away from sunray, but signal still good )
I prefer my husband to drive for us since I am a horrible driver, hehe… But these are great tips… I will definitely share your blog post link to my husband . But I will download the Life360 App just in case. Nobody wants to get robbed especially on your holiday, that would be terrible. Thank you for these..
The app is also useful for tracking loved one (not stalking.), we can even estimate when the kids will reach home. As in all scenarios, we hope for the best but prepare for the worse π
Wow! Your steering wheel lock is power! Thanks for sharing as we often do drive in too. Great tips here!!
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Used for 10 years already, looks strong and powerful. Perhaps it send a signal to would-be hijacker this “car” harder to steal π
Thanks for the tips. I usually go in with my parents and kids, but only for a day trip. Kinda like a grandparents-grandchildren day out, with this mummy in tow to mind the kids. My dad knows every nook and cranny of JB, cos he goes there all the time. I shall share your tips with him, so he can keep himself, us and the car safe.
There is only one area I will avoid, Taman Sentosa. I know the butter crayfish are the best in Johor but way too many break-ins over there :p
We try to avoid driving around in the evening too.
Car theft is the danger going to Malaysia, it may seem like it will never happen, but it does. My dad lost his car in JB almost 10 years ago, thank goodness for insurance. We managed to sort out the financing out but the car never came back.
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Nobody can guarantee that his/her ride is safe. Sometimes it is just a matter of wrong-place, wrong-timing π
Similar to Vivien, we stopped driving into M’sia after we have kids. I miss the food and massage! If we are doing a convoy with the Parent Bloggers group, I wanna make sure you’re in the convoy too haha π Thanks so much for sharing these tips!
If it makes your family more comfortable, drive slightly further from “notorious” JB. Go to
1) Desaru- farms, seafood, seaside
2) Kluang- farms, hiking, old towns
Convoy “leader and sweeper” always very stress haha :p
Great tips Andy. Being a Malaysian (albeit haven’t lived there for a while), I didn’t know we are not supposed to park Rear In. My god-father’s driver was robbed and car-jacked at gun point, so we should really be careful when driving into Malaysia.
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Everyone know you are non-Malaysian when you do not park Head-in, even before seeing your SGD carplate haha.
Most of us would be helpless when facing a gun/knife wielding assailant.
*Do not alight from car to settle dispute, drive to nearest police station or crowded area
V useful tips for pple who drive into Malaysia! We’re typical kiasi Singaporeans so hv nvr driven into Malaysia b4..hee! One of my bffs & her hub used to bring us in as her hub is very familiar with JB but stopped since pregnant with my boy. Miss all the yummy food & cheap massages ='(
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With kids, we have become more timid too. We used to be more adventurous, but now choose “slightly safer” areas.
You will be surprised but most people only visit Johor’s Legoland and Hello Kitty π
You are the second person to mention massage, will inform my Mrs to go research haha.
Another thing about the cute family stickers, my husband and I were discussing and thought, what if eg someone wants to target one of your kids, and from the stickers knows whether the child has got how many siblings and uses that like says “Your two jiejies asked you to come with me”.
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No need so elaborate π
The age old phishing “Mummy Daddy fall down already, can you help??” will work.
(quite scary to think of it!)
Thanks for the useful tips, especially 48hours later. We used to drive in but somehow heard too much stories and wedon’t feel very comfortable especially with kids. Recently, we went to stay in Hotel Jen JB, we booked a driver to pick us up from home to JB and the next day send us back. We paid Sgd $160 and we are happy with this decision. Hubby and I don’t really enjoy driving long distance with a heavy heart.
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As long as the family enjoy their holiday and feel at peace.
Glad to know you enjoy your trip π
I loved the whole blog very much. It has described with the way to prevent car theft in Malaysia. But here,i want to tell that car theft not only occurs in Malaysia but also across all parts in the world. Still, it is quite unfortunate to say that many people don’t think about car theft prevention until it’s too late. That is why I want to share some common tips in the following that will help to prevent car theft to some extent.
1)Always keep a track of the keys.
2)Secure the car even in own house by locking it properly.
3)Don’t let the valuables inside the car.
4)It is good to use an anti theft device. Etc.
Hi bro,
Can i have the contact for installing kill-switch.
Thank you.
Chris Heng
Hi Chris,
do make an appointment with mobile “9695 2338”, installation about 30 to 45 minutes.
cheers,
andy