Tonight someone decided they needed my leaper hood ornament more than I while it was parked in a fairly well lit and well traveled parking lot. I've owned the Vanden Plas for only about 4 months, but I've had paranoia about the hood ornament being stolen since I first brought it home.

No other damage to the car, but I sure feel like I'd like to break someones fingers.

I know this happens more often than it should; anyone have any ideas to either make it harder to steal or somehow rig an alarm?

 

I too have worried about losing it since my purchase, but so far, I haven't. I've found it turned around a couple times though.

I was thinking about an electrical shock alarm...

 

My sympathies.

When the honda badge was stolen off the hood of my spartan civic wagon parked in an upscale neighborhood, I knew then that the fall of modern civilization had begun. Seriously, a honda badge?

Plus one for wiring up a cattle prod to the leaper. I would love to see that happen.

 

I was thinking of a taser. Create a switch that is activated when the leaper is pulled up too much. That way, you can come back to your car and find the culprit still lying in front of your car drooling on the ground. hehehe

Don't Tase Me Bro!

 

I worry about mine all the time, too! Bummer that yours was taken -- love the taser idea!

I had a Chrysler hood ornament stolen in 1987 --- the fall of the human civilization obviously was well on its way in the 80s!

 

The South Africans have a system to protect the car but a determined leaper thief may still get away with it!

 

Simple,

Use the box for an electric fence, but instead of the ground wire going to ground, run 50,000 Volts through it.

If they are not wearing rubber soled shoes, the problem is removed.

 

I've seriously considered the shock factor option, but I am concerned that the weasel who is trying to take a leaper will instead now be angry enough to smash windows or key the car. Leaper replacement is a lot less expensive than body or window work.
I may instead rig up some sort of horn/siren to the leaper, though. If it works out, I'll take some pictures.

 

We've been very fortunate, we've had Jags over the past 7 years and have not had a leaper stolen yet, knock on wood.

I know some friends who have had the side of their brand new lexus kicked in when they let it sit overnight in a parking garage in down town boise.

Very good point!

Jaguar XJ6 95 97 98 '03 XJ8 XJR Hood Ornament Chrome | eBay

 

I had a Mercedes star stolen. That was not uncommon, when they were easier to steal, but a leaper is held on there pretty good. I had an alarm once that would go off if anybody jiggled the car. Trouble was a good breeze would set it off. If you could make the horns go off if the leaper was touched, or you could put some kind of switch that would sound the horns if someone just pulled on it maybe ...

 

If your going to hook something up to be activated when someone pulls the leaper, then why not simply a camera?

That way you can give it to the police, or even post posters nearby to shame the person as being a lowly petty thief.

 

Guess that pretty well exempts parking enforcement officers.

 

If it runs full time, then it has the benefit of also catching keyers, door bangers, bumper dingers and other such anti-social types.

 

Sorry to hear about that nasty incident . You can consider of Arden's leaper but it's not cheap either and it's leaper base is different too

 

This has been discussed in several threads on this & other forums.

I've had mine stolen once & a few years later attempted theft, damaging it so I have replaced it twice in 12 years. Both times I looked into wiring the alarm to the leaper & it is not practical & no alarm place would do it. I forget the actual reason but, I think it would create too many false alarms going over bumps.
Some people have actually replaced the leaper with a flush badge! You can buy replacement leapers on eBay fairly cheaply, just make sure you get the correct one for your car & make sure you remove the old base & old glue. It is not that difficult. The dealer will charge quite a bit to do it for you.

 

How are they held on ?
Surely a bolt through the bonnet Loctited into the leaper would make it impossible to remove - it would rotate.

 

The leaper is designed to come off w/o damage to the hood. Modifying it to make it harder to steal will defeat the safety measures so next thief would yank & rip the BASE off the hood, denting & scratching it, causing far more expense.

Do searches for “Leaper” & you can read many threads such as my last one:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-broken-78041/

 

Presumably the mounting change was made to reduce the chances of eviscerating pedestrians passing over the bonnet - probably a laudable modification.
That being the case and having nothing useful to say I will go away......

 

A medium sized sign in the front windscreen saying " you are being video taped " would reduce this type of problem.

 

I picked up a new leaper ($73) from ebay (seller canman9, seems to sell a large amount of leapers on ebay). I was a bit leery as I didn't want to buy someone elses stolen part, but this one is new.
I stared at the base of it for awhile, but don't see a great way to attach any sort of alarm. Couple that to the fact that the underside mount is recessed into the hood; and this is not an easy thing to alarm. It looks like I'll probably just take my chances and hope for the best.