The good news first: none of the anti-theft devices could be cracked in the intelligent test. And all but one newcomer passed the corrosion test. The less good news: Ten candidates took part in the test, but apart from the three ABUS anti-theft devices, all the other anti-theft devices were defeated in the force test. What happened? We had not changed the test conditions or the range of tools used. As with the three previous tests, the test was carried out by Detective Superintendent Manfred Wehner from the Lower Saxony State Office of Criminal Investigation, who is responsible for preventive crime prevention on vehicles throughout Germany. As the fuses that were defeated included parts that had passed one of the previous tests, we asked Manfred Wehner about the reasons for this result (see our interview). For the first time, experts from VdS, the testing institute of the insurance industry, also took part. As already mentioned in the last test report (BOOTE 9/02), the VdS intends to include anti-theft devices for trailers in its test programme in the future. Parts tested by the VdS will then receive a "VdS-tested" seal of approval, as is the case with the Dutch testing organisation TNO. In Holland, a TNO seal of approval is a prerequisite for an anti-theft device to be recognised by an insurance company. It is time for the German insurance industry to do the same, because thefts are on the increase and court cases involving stolen trailers with boats sometimes result in adventurous decisions due to unclear insurance conditions.
Interview with Detective Superintendent Manfred Wehner from the LKA Lower Saxony
BOATS: This was now the fourth anti-theft device test for car trailers that you have carried out for BOOTE. A dark day for the manufacturers?
Wehner: Unfortunately, yes. Almost all anti-theft devices could be defeated in this test.
BOATS: What's the problem? There were also fuses that could not be overcome in an earlier test.
Wehner: Our test criteria - time and use of tools - were not changed. In this test, however, the attempts to attack the security elements and the material were intensified. We took into account the fact that, in our experience, the perpetrators also changed their approach to breaking into the property.
BOATS: What do you think of the new test?
Wehner: The result of this series of tests is as follows from a criminal investigation perspective: A more intensive approach revealed weak points. These weaknesses were found in the material composition and in the design of individual security elements.
BOATS: Were there any special features?
Wehner: It was obvious that all the securing devices could not be overcome using the "intelligence test", but rather in the "force test". It should also be noted that some securing devices could only be overcome when the trailer was suspended.
BOATS: What do you recommend to manufacturers?
Wehner: Manufacturers should stop the cycle between manufacturers and offenders - offender overcomes, manufacturer has to improve - as far as possible by making improvements to the material compositions and the possibilities of overcoming. It would also be beneficial for manufacturers to have new products tested in advance according to the known criteria before they are launched on the market.
The complete article and all test results are available via the PDF download.
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