Is a car or an eye worth more?

Many of you by now should be familiar with biometric systems - security systems that require identification of a unique biological feature - the most common being fingerprints and retinal patterns - before the system is unlocked. Voice recognition and facial characteristics are also common; however the former can be affected via changes such as accent and simple things such as a sore throat. The latter is just too inaccurate. Also, besides the fact that fingerprints can be lifted from certain surface, it should be pretty safe, right?

Wrong. Determined thieves would not hesitate to do what is necessary - including cutting the fingers off victims. An accountant in Subang, Malaysia had his finger cut off, because the S-class (shouldn't a young man like him have a better preference for BMW or another marque?) he owns, which was hijacked, refused to mobilize without his fingerprint.

The lesson is: there is probably such a thing as too much security. Especially with thieves that are ruthless enough to be willing to do what it takes. If the car's system worked on retinal recognition (which is more secure), the thieves would probably have not hesitated to gouge his eyes out - nothing no amount of money can replace. Yet.

See also:
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/
National/NST32293955.txt/Article/indexb_html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4396831.stm