COMPETING PRODUCTS
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The Ravelco Antitheft Device is the only security system with millions of installs that has never been outsmarted. How do other products compare?

1. ALARM SYSTEMS - Who hasn't heard and ignored an alarm? Even the police don't pay attention to them - shown recently on a television news program was a policeman unknowingly assisting a car thief, who was breaking into a vehicle with a coat hanger while the vehicle's alarm was going off the whole time! Numerous vehicles equipped with alarm systems are stolen every day. Most can be easily bypassed right under the dash in a matter of seconds. To make matters worse, many car thieves use a "code grabber" or "scanner" that will disarm remote control alarm systems from up to several hundred feet away. These devices can be purchased for around $100 through mail order or the internet, no questions asked. Even top of the line alarm systems that claim to have anti-scan or anti-code grabbing technology can still be disarmed, as demonstrated on CBS’s The Early Show and 48 Hours (click here to see the video).

2. TRACKING SYSTEMS - These costly systems come into play only after the vehicle has been stolen, doing nothing to prevent the actual theft. The problem with this is that by the time the victim reports his or her vehicle stolen, it may have already been stripped and dumped. If the owner of the stolen vehicle is lucky, the thief will not have removed the tracking transponder while stripping it, and the tracking system will lead the police to the abandoned shell of the vehicle. Even cars that are found without being completely stripped still typically have significant damages. Recovered vehicles usually require around $1000 worth of repair work. Significant effort can also be required in cleaning and odor removal once the car has been returned. Further, these systems are not available in all areas, and they are very expensive ($595 and up). Wouldn't you prefer to prevent your vehicle from being stolen in the first place?

3. GM's PASSlock II, FORD's SecuriLock, CHRYSLER’s SentryKey, and TOYOTA's Engine Immobilizer - These factory-installed antitheft systems consist of a miniature transponder imbedded in the ignition key head itself, which allows the vehicle's computer to identify the "real ignition key" and thereby enable the vehicle to start. Recently, a national automotive magazine published information on how to bypass these systems. All a thief has to do is cut the black wire in the three-wire ribbon cable located under the dash and measure the resistance between the black wire and the yellow starter wire with a volt meter. They then touch the two wires with the matching resistor and the vehicle will start. This sounds complicated, but only takes about 20 seconds to defeat. Also, there is a company that manufactures a product called the "No Key Required Bypass Kit", which bypasses the transponder key system in any vehicle made. A salesman might tell you that because of these factory-installed systems, you do not need any extra security for your vehicle, but this is NOT TRUE! Many vehicles equipped with these systems have been stolen.

4. IMMOBILIZER TYPE DEVICES – The Immobilizer name is used by many different antitheft device companies around the world. Many foreign car companies install this system as standard equipment on their vehicles. This system consists of a resistor or tiny radio transmitter imbedded in the ignition key and sends a signal to a receiver in the steering column, much like the GM, FORD, CHRYSLER, and TOYOTA systems discussed above. A variation of this system involves the use of a plug, rather than an imbedded chip in the ignition key, but all are connected under the dash and all are very easy to locate and bypass. The wires used for these systems do not have any armored cable or security covering to protect or conceal them, making it easy for a thief to locate the wires, reconnect them, and steal the vehicle in a matter of seconds. Some of these systems claim to interrupt as many as 4 different circuits, but it does not matter how many circuits you interrupt . . . if you can easily reconnect them under the dash. Many vehicles have been stolen that were equipped with this device.

5. TOUCH SENSORS - These devices hook up to the starter wire under the dash. An existing part of the vehicle, such as the cruise control button, the high beam lever, the wiper switch, or even a radio knob becomes the trigger for this device. The driver has to touch this "secret switch" in order to start the vehicle. These devices all work in conjunction with relays that continuously burn up due to the high amperage from the starter wire to which they are connected. Most of them even have a toggle switch which allows a person to override the system. Car thieves are not at all deterred by these devices.

6. FLAT PLUG DEVICES - These devices are all mounted below the dash. The connections are very simple to make and only go to each end of the starter wire beneath the dash. The more sophisticated models include a red flashing light . . . which has nothing at all to do with the device's ability to deter theft. It is merely a red light that either blinks or burns continuously. Car thieves can overcome these devices in seconds by using a jumper wire or even with an "old fashioned" hat pin, simply by sticking it through one wire and into the other. They typically have a maximum of six different combinations and most car dealers use the same combination on every vehicle they sell. These systems are cheap, which enables some car dealers to install them on every vehicle in stock and try to sell their vehicles at a higher price. If a customer balks and does not want to pay for it, the dealer simply inserts a chip that will override the system. Dealers also know that these systems often result in problems . . . and customer complaints. Most of the dozens of companies that have manufactured flat plug devices have already gone out of business.

7. STEERING COLUMN COLLARS - Now nearly obsolete, these devices are worthless in terms of theft protection. All a thief has to do is reach below the dash; pry the ignition switch off the topside of the steering column post, exposing a rod; and pull the rod upward, allowing the vehicle to start.

8. THE CLUB and the AUTOLOCK - Widely advertised, The Club is probably the best-known antitheft product on the market today. But as demonstrated on CBS's American Journal, a car thief using a hacksaw can cut through the vehicle's steering wheel and remove The Club in just 22 seconds! The program also demonstrated how a thief can spray freon into the locking mechanism of The Club, hit the now - frozen lock with a hammer, and shatter it like glass, enabling him to remove The Club. In addition, there is a device called the Club Buster, which will break The Club and AutoLock devices in 60 seconds. The Club Buster is intended for locksmiths, tow truck operators, and auto repossession professionals, but any thief can buy it over the internet right now for $93.

9. KEYPAD SYSTEMS - These systems connect to the starter wire under the dash. They can be defeated in seconds by locating the "brain box" of the keypad (which usually is wire-tied or taped to the steering column under the dash) and then touching the two contacts with a jumper wire.