Latest news with #cruisecontrol
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Gone in four seconds: Brazen thieves are stealing £1.5k cruise control sensors - as drivers hit out at manufacturers for 'design flaw'
Brazen crooks are going on crime sprees in the dead of night to rip cruise control sensors from the front of vehicles in seconds. Fitted behind the badge of some motors, furious drivers have hit out at manufacturers for a 'design flaw' that they say is making it easy for their beloved cars to be targeted for the speedy thefts. It is leaving anguished car owners to foot the £1,500 bill to have the sensors replaced. Thieves have been captured on Ring doorbell cameras ripping the badges in seconds, before moving on to other vehicles in adjacent streets minutes later. Volkswagens, BMWs, and Mercedes appear to be at the centre of the targeted thefts. They are then selling them online on places such as eBay and Facebook Marketplace for as little as £200 - with the cut wire dangling from the sensor still visible in the picture. Stratis Alisafakis, 40, from Ealing, in London, watched doorbell footage back in horror when he captured his Volkswagen GTI being targeted in March. He is now driving around with a 'cheapo badge' and an orange warning light constantly on display on his dashboard after scoffing at the £1,500 cost to replace it, reported The Sunday Times. Mr Alisafakis said he had been told at the dealership that they are seeing up to four people a week asking them about their cruise control sensors being stolen. But he has hit out at Volkswagen who he has accused of 'washing their hands of it' after receiving an email from its headquarters in Milton Keynes that the firm was 'unable to provide any goodwill support regarding this issue'. 'I am really frustrated. It is rife and it is getting worse,' he told The Sunday Times. He has since started a petition calling on VW 'to address [the] widespread theft'. Mercedes and BMW drivers in London have also seen their cruise control sensors taken. One owner of a BMW M3 Touring - where the sensor is located behind the numberplate - told an online forum it appeared 'all someone had to do to make off with it is simply unscrew it, unplug the connectors and pull it off'. He claimed through his insurance when he was quoted £3,546 to fit a new one. Andrew Perry, 42, from Balham, vowed never to buy another BMW with a radar system again, and, like Mr Alisafakis, has not bothered replacing his sensor. Calling it a 'real flaw in manufacturing and common sense', he added: 'What blows my mind is that BMW would make it so easy to steal such an expensive component. 'If you look online you can see that the radar unit can be removed from the car in about 30 seconds.' Last May, VW owner Tara O'Driscoll told The Guardian she had heard of more than 50 thefts in Clapham where she lives after posting on social media about being a victim. She said: 'Every VW car in our area that has this sensor has been targeted and it has been the talk of the community on WhatsApp and other media, not least as the bills to fix it are so big. 'It seems the part itself is expensive and only VW can calibrate it to work with your car.' Mike Orford, head of PR for VW UK, denied there was a 'design flaw' and said people should report the theft to police with the vehicle's VIN number. He said: 'The average replacement rate for the part in question is only a handful per month, per retailer, across the country. There are only one or two retailers where this number is higher, and they are both in London.' A spokesperson for BMW UK told the Daily Mail: 'BMW Group specialist security teams work continuously to design and enhance the best possible security systems in our vehicles. 'The challenge of targeted vehicle component theft evolves as organised criminals targeting cars become ever more sophisticated, and BMW works in partnership with police and other authorities in the UK and around the world in responding to the latest threats and anticipating new ones. 'To combat this constantly evolving threat, the company continuously innovates and strengthens the layers of security across our vehicle range, although we do not publicly disclose all of these security measures because maintaining secrecy is crucial to staying ahead of criminals.' Mercedes-Benz said: '[We] strongly condemn all forms of criminal activity and any unauthorised reuse or secondary use of genuine Mercedes-Benz parts. 'Our highly complex and safety-critical sensors are permanently integrated into specific components — such as the front bumper — and are precisely positioned, engineered and certified for each vehicle to fulfil their specific function.'
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Yahoo
Police issue CCTV appeal after Royal Oldham Hospital theft
Police have issued a CCTV appeal following a theft from a car at the Royal Oldham Hospital. A cruise control radar - the device which automatically adjusts a vehicle's speed to maintain a safe distance from other cars - worth £1,500 was stolen between 5.30pm and 8.45pm on July 12. The victim was attending an appointment at the hospital with his pregnant wife. Police say they would like to speak to the man pictured in connection with their investigation. READ MORE: Police firearms officer branded 'uncontrolled bully with a badge' at Manchester Airport 'attack' trial READ MORE: LIVE M6 and M56 traffic updates as crashes cause severe delays on both motorways as holiday getaway begins Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting log number 002242-13072025 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it. That's why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable, highlighting the best of what we do - bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don't miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News. And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it. And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@ or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.
Khaleej Times
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Khaleej Times
Dubai Police rescue driver 'in minutes' after cruise control malfunctions on Sheikh Zayed Road
Dubai Police traffic patrols swiftly rescued a driver whose cruise control had unexpectedly malfunctioned on Sheikh Zayed Road, authorities said on Saturday. '(Our) operations room received a report about a vehicle travelling at a constant speed on Sheikh Zayed Road towards Abu Dhabi, with the female driver unable to regain control due to the cruise control malfunction,' said Maj Gen Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police. 'Just minutes after receiving the report, the traffic patrols were immediately dispatched to the location and spotted the vehicle traveling in the fourth lane. 'They coordinated a careful escort while guiding the female driver through phone calls and direct instructions, informing her of the necessary steps to take in such situations to ensure her safety and that of others,' he added. How they did it Al Mazrouei explained one of the patrols positioned itself in front of the vehicle, gradually stopping it, while the other patrols secured the lane behind it. The patrols created a safe corridor in front of and behind the vehicle, keeping other cars at a distance to prevent any potential collisions, which allowed for a safe stop on the side of the road without any injuries or damage. Al Mazrouei said the swift response and effective coordination between the operations room and field patrols were vital for successfully managing the situation. He praised the traffic teams for their professional and compassionate handling of emergencies, demonstrating Dubai Police's commitment to rapid responses and road safety. He also urged all drivers to perform regular vehicle checks and ensure the safety of critical systems, such as brakes and cruise control, emphasising that awareness and preventive measures are essential to prevent dangerous malfunctions.
