Land Rover Defender Stolen - The Easiest Car In The World To Steal?

Ive always wanted a Land Rover Defender, and a few years ago I finally got one! Although I knew the Land Rover Defender was an easy car to steal I thought I had all the security extras needed to keep my dream car safe.
That was until I took my car to a body shop for some paint work and it was stolen!
This film the story of how I lost and found my Defender, my experience and what I have learnt.
There is a company called Land Rover Defender Security who I have used for security upgraded and I would highly recommend them;
www.landroverd...

[@chriss4925]

Thanks so much for sharing your story. Very disappointing to hear lack of interest from the Police. So pleased that you got it back though. It's making me rethink my Defender's security layers.

[@KrisMcDonald]

Thanks for watching Chris. From my experience you can’t have enough security. 😆 It’s where you stop really isn’t it! I’m at the point I never drive the thing because I’m too worried about leaving it. Just a really expensive piece of eye candy in the garage. 😂

[@andrewdowd8314]

Good to hear you got the car back mate. Boss video as well giving the circumstances

[@KrisMcDonald]

Cheers Andy! Hope all is well!

[@andrewhoward7200]

My 1956 Humber Hawk was vandalised on my drive. Torquay police told me " If it was valuable it should have been in a garage". My Defender has 2 great big metal bars that I padlock, one on the steering, one on the pedals. It might not stop the scum but it will give the police enough time to stop someone for hurting somebody's feelings.

[@rupertdrew4876]

Excellent video and well done for all your detective work and perseverance to get your vehicle back. Merseyside Police should hang their collective heads in shame at their lethargic approach to tackling crime, particularly house burglary and vehicle theft - as you discovered, they don't care one jot. Enjoy many more years driving that awesome looking vehicles - and you can never have too many lights !

[@KrisMcDonald]

Hi Rupert. Thanks a lot for watching and your comment. I just glad to have got it back, although I virtually never drive it now as I’m always worried where I park it. 😆

[@regnicol2646]

I watched your article on KZbin and also the Liverpool Echo it was produced very professionally and you represented people from Liverpool very positively.

[@KrisMcDonald]

Thanks Reg! I tried to put my posh scouse accent on! 😂

[@alastairsutherland9341]

I had a similar experience with Sussex police back in 2016 when my TD5 was stolen. If it hadn’t been for the fact I had a tracker fitted I wouldn’t have got it back. As you say if you have to leave your Landy overnight at a garage for any reason make sure their premises are secure and all vehicle anti-theft devices on the vehicle are engaged.

[@KrisMcDonald]

Hi Alastair, sorry to hear you have also experienced this. Glad you got it back! Thanks for watching and commenting! 🙏🏻

[@scaryfakevirus]

Just had a call from my local garage to book my 1997 300tdi in for some welding. He told me I could leave it over night and post the keys for them to retrieve in the morning. NO WAY!!! I said I will drive it in myself at 8am. It's a really nice one with all the gear. I am well aware how nickable they are. Too valuable to lose.

[@markriley2733]

Oh yeah and another thing IF you had dispensed a little of your own justice on the scumbag I bet plod would be all over you then ! Pay your way work hard follow the rules and where does it get you! Right sorry rant over Looking forward to seeing more defender updates from you. Cheers

[@jacksonkho8743]

Thanks mate for sharing your experience, it does really provide us some precautions to keep our defender well👍. Hope to see you do more video about your defender.

[@KrisMcDonald]

Thanks a lot! I have a couple of other things planned with the Defender, as long as I can keep it safe before filming it. 😆 Thanks for watching and commenting, appreciate it. 🙏🏼

[@larrybain5934]

Superb video - so sorry for your loss and so pleased you recovered it (yourself!!!)

[@KrisMcDonald]

Thanks Larry! It was certainly an eventful couple of days! 😂 Appreciate the comment, thanks for watching!

[@neils4390]

I've had a similar situation with merseyside police, one day I've been sat in southport police station saying my shops been broken into and staffs money stolen (nearly £1000) heres the cameras of their faces and names, they didnt care, then I've said the private carpark i park my car in is the meeting point of heroin deals every night and the pc ran out the back and tried to give me her mobile number, couldnt make it up. Their interest depends on how much money can potentialy be siezed aka drug dealers, glad to see you got your car back.

[@KrisMcDonald]

Hi Neil! So many people seem to have had similar experiences. It’s a shame!

[@markriley2733]

Glad it’s a happy ending. You have all the security in place so you should not feel nervous taking it out The fault is of the paint shop being slack with your pride and joy What a bunch of muppets causing you all that hassle and cost not to mention insurance increase next time you review it ! Cheers for sharing

[@turnbull321]

"with a little help from my friends". I would love to know more.

[@KrisMcDonald]

That’s part two. 😂

[@keyboarddancers7751]

If you own a Landie, the best advice is to keep it locked in a very secure garage. Don't drive it anywhere; just keep it locked up.

[@KrisMcDonald]

Sadly I agree! It’s such a shame, and a horrible feeling when you want to take the car out but worry about where to park it. 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@jamesmoncrieff4974]

Brilliant video, sorry it happened and glad you were able to get it back. From your perspective, it's a very frustrating response from the Police, however, you have to take a look from their perspective. Unless you went very high up in there ranks, or approach the local Crime Commissioner, you would probably not get to the root of the problem, which is basically that they have a limited budget to spend, and that budget is spread very thin, and constantly subjected to cost cutting demands. So allocation of funds to tracking and tracing stolen property which is both time and resources very expensive with low chance of recovery, is low on the priority list, anything life threatening is much higher, and you have to have sympathy for the way this is, the Police want to do the best job possible, but they are squeezed by budget.

[@tomvarcoe3100]

So to sum this up. If you speed in your own truck you will get done by the powers but if you steal a truck you can carry on without worry 🤔

[@KrisMcDonald]

It feels that way Tom! Thanks for watching and the comment. 🙏🏼

[@tomvarcoe3100]

@@KrisMcDonald no thank you for the content

[@Stazzych]

Police response is very concerning, but from experience of my friend who had his BMW stolen its about right. my mates case was closed in 6 hours.

[@KrisMcDonald]

Its shocking Staz! I guess your friend didn't get the BMW back? I know I am super lucky and I wish the police took it a little more seriously.

[@dragomilavich7227]

Dlnde hay un millonario apasionado por los magnificos defender clasico para volverlo a renacer ?

[@bluecheese6767]

Are discovery 2s also easy to steal?

[@phillips321]

So why didn't the body shops insurance cover the cost of replacing the vehicle? They were in possession of it when it got stolen.... who paid for the missing parts and labour to put the vehicle right? How do you know the engine hadn't been ragged and bounced off the redline? As far as I'm concerned the insurance of the body shop were responsible for all of this...

[@richylad]

And this is why I’m giving up on defenders this year, i have to leave my vehicles unattended while I go walking etc, and always dread walking back over a hill and it not being there, I don’t like my decision but it spoils going out in it when I have to leave it, in fact I use it less and take another vehicle if I’m going to be parked up for a good while.

[@jakehoward4755]

Absolutely the shame here.

[@oldcargeezer]

Glad you got the Land Rover back, but what a shameful response from the Police. Added to that the thieves are now free to steal more Land Rovers. Did you repair the damage done to your Defender By the way l think it looks really good, possibly the best tdci 110 l've seen.

[@KrisMcDonald]

Hi! I got the damaged fixed, did some of the minor body work myself but I never took it in for bubbling around the windows. I’ve been using a different body shop now too, they are much more secure. I’ll eventually take it in for the work I originally planned. Thanks for the comment and watching! 👍🏻

[@oldcargeezer]

Security is always a problem with these, l've got a 110 TD5 which l use for my work and l have to park all over the place. They are currently being stolen at the rate of around 4 per day. l had the same minor bodywork issues on mine and they were done last week. l always worry when mine is in a garage, l can't believe the thief walked in and stole your key from the safe !

[@bennytdi]

The look of those 2 load bars all they way to the rear really gives me an icky feeling. Doesn't look good at all

[@aredfern1992]

this is my experience with merseyside police too! My 110 was stolen on NYE - with clear CCTV. they haven't even watched the CCTV we have. really disappointed. I am yet to even receive a call

[@zhrh4]

Hi, it's good to hear you got your land rover defender back. I have been in the similar situation but with no luck finding it. I can send you the pictures of the defender as well as some cctv footages, can you help in any way? I live in Manchester. Thanks Zryan

[@KrisMcDonald]

Hi Zryan! I think I had a lot of luck with this. From the cctv we were able to get information from people who lived local. How long ago was yours stolen? Sorry you have experienced this also, it’s not nice at all!

[@zhrh4]

Thank you for replying. On the 17th of January and polices are not foing anything about it even though it shows on the cctvs that the defender has entered the m60 Thanks Zryan

[@KrisMcDonald]

@@zhrh4 Have you posted in facebook groups like Landy Watch? We have there are a few crime watch groups too? The Landy Watch is particularly good, there are often posts from people who see Defenders on the back of trailers etc.

[@ricardoestee-wale1798]

The Land Rover Defender came into production in 1984 and not 1948 as you have said.

[@mattiem7dmv158]

Defenders are Successors to the old Series Landrovers which have been in production since 1948 in any form. The more recognisable body shape came in 1958

[@andicog]

Police don't care, I was told 'it's a trivial crime, claim on your insurance' had you been a celeb then it would get more attention, Merseyside police found Wayne Rooneys stolen Rolex in Manchester a few days after the theft. I've had 3 vehicles stolen over the years, one I recovered myself, one Merseyside police failed to tell me was recovered 5 mins from home, 2 days after the theft, totally intact and undamaged, only found out 3 months later when the storage yard gave me a call to tell me about fees owed! Managed to buy it back in the end. The last vehicle I didn't see again. Police are a security and revenue raising service for the rich, not interested if your property is stolen.

[@KrisMcDonald]

That’s terrible having 3 cars stolen! 🤯 It’s horrible to hear people having these experiences, car crime is serious and should be treated with a little more force. Thanks for watching and sharing your experience. 🙏🏼

[@andicog]

@@KrisMcDonald And I lived in the 'good' end of Liverpool 😂 keep up the good vids 😊

[@alanhynd7886]

And yet if you post an inappropriate limerick online the police will find time to drop around to knock on your door to check your thinking.

[@awalk5177]

The only person interested in finding a stolen car is........the owner. You can spend thousands on security gadgets, but if they are not activated, or someone has access to the safe and keys to just drive it away, then that money spent on security is wasted. The police today are only interested after an event, to enter data into their computers, from the warm security of their desk and a cup of coffee. The owner of the vehicle needs to be pro-active and maybe have a basic defender, used for the purpose they were designed for. Making them more attractive to others, does just that.

[@miklawson211]

I don't understand the Polices reluctance to investigate a crime when CCTV evidence is available and a suspect named. Once again named because of CCTV evidence. This is not doing what they are paid for. You are not the first i've heard this tale from and i'll doubt you will be the last. The Polices attitude does seem to be one of wilfull intransigence that really should be addressed by the Home Secretary and Chief Superintendants. I am glad you got your Landy back and i hope the body shop paid for the repairs to the damage while in their (lack of) care?

[@KrisMcDonald]

Thanks Mik. It’s does seem strange, you hear all the time about tool theft from vans. The police must be stretched dealing with so much, but when you do all the leg work and point out the evidence you think they would run with it. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@kerrywilliams9995]

Thats a in side job

[@michaelcram8923]

Sums up this country x

[@bez2k]

Rats everywhere. Lovely car mate, glad you got it back. Such a shame the police didn’t care. Imagine not taking finger prints. Absolute disgraceful. I know you’ve been calm and collected about it but to be told ‘nahhh just be glad you got it back, there’s no point’, is a complete paper work cop out by the police. You can guarantee if it was one of their cars they would of taken prints. Rats.

[@KrisMcDonald]

Thanks for watching and commenting! I agree with what you say it’s very frustrating but I’m glad I got it back. 👍🏻

[@bfurlong100]

I hear you but i just have them hunted down and then have them put in the ground!

[@ThatLadKev]

Took a bit of detective work to find this video. Echo are bad rats not giving credit via a link

[@KrisMcDonald]

Thanks for letting me know, they just added the link now. 👍🏻

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

The police don’t care about your car unless there’s some money to be made from you speeding🤷‍♂️

[@husnainanwaar1992]

what is the point of police if they cant find stolen goods

[@milliondollarwhippet8515]

Police are the same all over then as had the same problem here.

[@KrisMcDonald]

Thanks for watching and commenting! 🙏🏼

[@dinarank2816]

Ever since *darcracks* was recommended to me and he did my first two job with stress. I have introduced him to many people . I have and he have not disappointed for a sec

[@dinarank2816]

Ever since *darcracks* was recommended to me and he did my first two job with stress. I have introduced him to many people . I have and he have not disappointed for a sec