There has been a spate of dogs stolen from vehicles recently.

I sometimes have to leave my hounds in the vehicle unattended - in an area I’m not wild about. The dogs are in a cage that would be pretty difficult to access without opening the tailgate or powering the rear seats forward. Obviously stealing the vehicle would be another way.

What can I do to improve the odds?

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Unsure how to stop them breaking in with a big hammer but if you want to add an extra hurdle to prevent them driving the RR away there are the obvious mechanical devices. As an alternative I’ve had the Meta Track VTS/S5 fitted to mine. It’s CAT 5 plus Thatcham approved imobiliser. It includes a key fob and app that prevents the RR from starting even if you have the key. This prevents the signal from the key in the house being used to open/start the RR (key cloning).

I’ve used these guys, who came highly recommended, have been very responsive and knowledgeable, and specialise in high value vehicles:

https://www.selectautosystems.co.uk/meta-trak/ MY23 D350 HSE
On my 7th RR plus various other JLR vehicles

Thanks I’ll look into that.

Getting in with a big hammer wouldn’t necessarily be the end of the world, so long as they weren’t then able to open the tailgate or move the rear seats forward to access the dog cage - I’m not clear if that would be possible in the big hammer scenario?

I’m familiar with the possibility of the key’s signal being boosted when at home. Is there still also a risk the key can be ‘cloned’ when I lock the vehicle?

It won’t be cloned if the key is not close by the RR (unless they have read the key while you are walking away) but an extra imobiliser does provide another barrier to them driving it away. MY23 D350 HSE
On my 7th RR plus various other JLR vehicles

I use a Lintran DB10 dog cage which is lockable and secured into the vehicle with cable ties so is difficult to open or remove.
Not totally thief proof but just adds a bit more hassle for the thief.

I would of thought your looking at two distinct sets of thief’s, ones who steel dogs and ones that steel cars and there unlikely to cross. I would also suspect they use very different technology, the first use a screwdriver, rock or hammer etc and the other a laptop etc. If as you say in the original post they would be unable due to the size of your cage open it without opening the boot or powering down the seats then, if your car has powered folding rear seats then I would guess your car will have the valet mode like mine where you input a code in the radio screen which stops the boot and seats being used until the code is reentered, if so use that and save yourself some money.

Cheers Fin. If I locked the vehicle, and someone gained entry by smashing a window, could the vehicle be electrically powered up? Allowing the boot to be opened and the seated motored forward?

Honest answer is without going sitting in my car, have someone pick my in with the remote and then after 5 minutes or so when the computers shut down try the start and other buttons but I’m fairly sure they won’t allow you to do very much. If you have the valet mode which you probably do, you can do as this video as an extra layer of security and what this guy doesn’t tell you is that it also stops entry to the boot even if you have the keys.

[/url]https://youtu.be/HZSIHKFDRMU


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Oh that’s a sport but they are the same on 2013 onward L405 albeit the software obviously looks different on the later models

Thanks again Fin

During the summer/sunny days, when leaving my dogs in a cage in the boot, I use a ventlock. This leaves a gap (different sizes available) for ventilation, but allows the tailgate to lock properly. You then have to remember not to doubleclick when you lock up (ie so you don't set the volumetric detector inside the car

https://www.ventlock.com/tailgatelock.php

Might also save you from a do-gooder smashing your car windows to save your dog!

Even with a window ajar or the tailgate it builds up the heat at an alarming rate. Be careful you don't cook them.