Is BlockShaft or any other kind of integrated mechanical anttitheft device available in the UK?

SouthLondonUser

I rented a car in Italy, and it came with a device called "block shaft" - a kind of lock installed behind the steering wheel which blocks the steering wheel shaft.

https://www.blockshaft.it/antifurto-auto-agevolato/

The mechanism is internal and invisible to the user - all you have to do is turn a key behind the steering wheel. Apparently it's quite popular in Italy and it's relatively common to have it installed when you get a new car. Note I rented a small city car, not an AMG Mercedes.

Somewhat similar to the thingies we can buy to stop the steering wheel, like the yellow StopLock bar or the disc installed on the steering wheel, but easier to activate and probably even safer (I suppose that cutting a stoplock with an angle grinder, or maybe just a small portion of the steering wheel, wouldn't be that hard).

My questions are: is anything similar available in the UK? Are the stoplock bar and the steering wheel disc lock the only mechanical antitheft devices?

I have, in fact, always been surprised that car manufacturers don't seem to make more efforts when it comes to anti-theft contraptions - yet some cars (like some Range Rovers) are becoming impossible to insure in London precisely because they're stolen so much.

Mildly_Miffed

Almost every new car has had a factory-fitted steering lock for at least half a century. The only exceptions I can think of are Saabs with the ignition in the centre console, which lock the gearlever in neutral.

On cars with keyless start, it's electronically operated. 

facade

The problem with discrete or hidden anti-theft devices is, even if they actually work, the thief has already smashed his way into the car, causing £££££££££ of damage (and a probable insurance write-off, plus you get a potentially unuseable car) by the time he discovers it.

A disklok can easily be seen through the window, and hopefully a thief will spot it before damaging the car, and simply go to next door's car.

SouthLondonUser

Mildly_Miffed said:

Almost every new car has had a factory-fitted steering lock for at least half a century. The only exceptions I can think of are Saabs with the ignition in the centre console, which lock the gearlever in neutral.

On cars with keyless start, it's electronically operated. 

Well, then either the Italians are idiots for going through the trouble of buying and installing an additional locking device, or the BlockShaft provides an additional layer of security.

The fact that some cars are so easily stolen (like the Range Rovers which are becoming almost impossible to insure) would make me think that whatever integrated locks are installed as standard are not enough.

SouthLondonUser

facade said:

The problem with discrete or hidden anti-theft devices is, even if they actually work, the thief has already smashed his way into the car, causing £££££££££ of damage (and a probable insurance write-off, plus you get a potentially unuseable car) by the time he discovers it.

A disklok can easily be seen through the window, and hopefully a thief will spot it before damaging the car, and simply go to next door's car.

True, but:

1. according to the car rental guy, these blockshaft things are so common in Italy that thieves know how to spot them (you just need to check if there is a keyhole behind/under the steering wheel)
2. that would be an argument for having a visible but less secure device like a stoplock + a more secure, less visible device, not to have only the former

forgotmyname

Seems the locksmiths already have a decoder for they brand new cannot be copied key.   There is also a weakness to defeat the
lock that requires ripping the lower half of the cowling off, reminds me of a car I had stolen in the 90's. ***

Not seen anyone just crank the steering to defeat it like a standard steering lock. Wonder if thats possible also?

Cars have steering locks, alarms and immobilisers so whats the point of adding another?  Maybe the cars in Italy don't have alarms
like they do over here?

Range Rovers are being stolen due to a key security issue. Dont forget many cars have knee airbags and this is likely to cause issues.

They show someone with a small can of freeze spray and then hitting it with a hammer.. So funny, if someone really want to steal it they
would have something a bit better than a small can of that.


*** Just spotted their Fiat 500 video on their website, if a thief really wanted that they were only seconds away from defeating it.

SouthLondonUser

@forgotmyname I'm afraid I don't quite follow what you're trying to say

The UK and Italy have a similar population (ca. 62-65m people) and a quick google search tells me a similar number of vehicles were stolen in 2022: 130,000 in the UK and 125,000 in Italy, so it's not like the problem is much bigger in one of the two countries.

So the broader questions are:

• I get the point on the visible deterrent (the  car had a "blockshaft" sticker on the glass which I presume Italian thieves will have learnt to recognise), but is something like that, locking the steering shaft, safer than a stop lock? You say you looked at their Fiat 500 video and concluded the device would be easy to defeat. Can I ask you to elaborate? I don't  have any dog in this fight, just genuine curiosity
• what other mechanical anti-theft devices are effective and how do they compare? I'd think the stoplock is probably easier to defeat than the disc covering the entire steering wheel, because with the stoplock it's enough to cut two small sections of the wheel itself, which can probably be done in seconds with an angle grinder.

"Cars have steering locks, alarms and immobilisers so what's the point of adding another?  Maybe the cars in Italy don't have alarms
like they do over here?"

[/quote]

Because the existing mechanisms are not enough? Especially if they are controlled by the same keyless system which starts the engine and which is so easy to hack in some cars?

Mate, I was talking about renting a brand new (it had fewer than 10,000 kms and was about a year old) car in Italy in 2023, not about a car in North Korea in the '80s Do you think many manufacturers add additional security on the car they sell in the UK vs on the European continent?

"Range Rovers are being stolen due to a key security issue. Dont forget many cars have knee airbags and this is likely to cause issues."

The key security issue is inexcusable, but isn't that one more reason to add mechanical security? Even if you have the real car key, you cannot drive away unless you also have the blockshaft key

I doubt the small car I rented had knee airbags, but the only alteration is a small key hanging from the thingy behind the steering wheel.

"They show someone with a small can of freeze spray and then hitting it with a hammer"

You mean the Range Rovers? Hitting what exactly?

Barkin

Mildly_Miffed said:

Almost every new car has had a factory-fitted steering lock for at least half a century. The only exceptions I can think of are Saabs with the ignition in the centre console, which lock the gearlever in neutral.

It's reverse actually. With the gearbox in neutral, the key can't be removed.

Ectophile

The disc type locks are awkward bulky heavy things.  But they are a lot more secure than the bars.

I have one which has the marks on from where somebody tried to remove it with bolt croppers.  They failed.

forgotmyname

The alteration is bigger than you think, they need to removed a section of the column and weld on a new housing
for their lock.  OK on an older car but on something newer that may have a warranty no way would I be doing that.
It could affect the clock spring and airbags in the wheel etc.

If they use the key defeat like the LandRover products as well and many others then that is easily sorted by putting the
key somewhere safer.  Far cheaper and far less intrusive.


Sorry I cannot elaborate on the defeat, if your mechanically minded you should be an obvious flaw in the mechanism.
Just watch their video and the extremely poor attempt at defeating the lock with a tiny can of what is essentially an air
duster.  Nothing like the stuff you can use to weaken metal which is what that test is trying to show.
All I can say is watch the video closely and you may see where they failed in the design and no the can of ice spray
is nothing to do with the defeat.

Google enough and decode kits are available for the key they state cannot be copied.

My comment on the 80's is just a heads up that thieves used to rip the cowling off to steal cars in seconds before
immobilisers came in. That old school attack shows the mechanism.

I remember a neighbour buying the new Cavalier with anti theft deadlocks, he had the car less than 3 weeks before
it was stolen and I think they have made a similar mistake.

facade

A bit risky using a can of liquid nitrogen in your bare hands!

Anyone who miss-represents a test video has something to hide......