Leaving Car Doors Unlocked?

[Tiffany Johnson]

Merry Christmas and a-Happy Happy Joy Joy! I am concerned about a recent social media "movement" by some of my neighbors who advocate leaving their car doors unlocked. This came after a string of car break-ins where thieves smashed windows or ripped doors apart, which cost more money in repair bills than the value of whatever they stole (if anything). The neighbors argue that by leaving their doors unlocked, thieves can just get in and get out with minimal damage to the car (and to the owners' wallet). This offended every fiber of my soul, but when I spoke up about it, one neighbor responded that her police officer boyfriend was the one who strongly advised her to leave the doors open. Now this tactic is picking up steam, with neighbors thumping their chests like, "Yeah, they went through my center console last night but didn't get anything, ha ha ha, I win" (as my eyeballs pop out and my WTF meter explodes). My instincts (not to mention all the things I've learned in training) tell me that the more we facilitate criminal conduct, the more crime we'll see. But I'd like to offer more concrete evidence if possible. Does anyone have a study, or a reliable article, or even anecdotal data that I could share with my neighbors on this topic? Any LEOs care to chime in? I'm working on a website and blog for my neighborhood watch, so the info I gather might turn into a blog post as well. Thanks in advance for the input, and happy holidays, everyone!

Tiff :-)

[Chuck Haggard]

In my personal observation the biggest factor for cars being broken into is leaving things in plain sight.

In many cases the bad guys will not even check the door. I have no idea how many car break-in victims I have talked to that were complaining that they had left the car doors unlocked and the bad guy had broken the windows anyway.

If someone is hitting cars in the hopes there is spare change in the console, then I can profile that there is a homeless dude, probably mentally ill to some extent, working the area over.

[scw2]

Not to derail, but wondering if the thieves are targeting all cars or if there is something that's visible that is leading them to smash and see what's inside. I could understand entertaining that idea if they're going down the street and smashing 100% of the windows indiscriminately, but I suspect that there are things that may make certain cars targets.

Edit: Chuck beat me to it.

[Tiffany Johnson]

Not to derail, but wondering if the thieves are targeting all cars or if there is something that's visible that is leading them to smash and see what's inside

Leaving things in plain sight is another thing I keep warning them about. The recent incidents have been a mixture of both. One guy left his laptop in the back and was shocked when he returned to find only broken glass strewn across the seat. Others left things like backpacks and parcel boxes. But then others (same street) had nothing in view and still got hit. All within roughly a two-week span.

[LSP552]

In my personal observation the biggest factor for cars being broken into is leaving things in plain sight.

In many cases the bad guys will not even check the door. I have no idea how many car break-in victims I have talked to that were complaining that they had left the car doors unlocked and the bad guy had broken the windows anyway.

If someone is hitting cars in the hopes there is spare change in the console, then I can profile that there is a homeless dude, probably mentally ill to some extent, working the area over.

I'd agree with Chuck, except add juveniles to the break into cars for the change category. Never leave anything in plain sight and bring your guns in every night. Locked car doors are like an alarm, a deterrent.

[GJM]

Different, but related thought.

In a FOF scenario I was in at Gunsite back in October, there was a bad guy hiding in the back of a minivan, causing havoc to all that entered. Worrying about the safety of you property (car windows and valuables) ought to be balanced against what I view is the more serious concern, the safety of you. Seems like leaving the vehicle unlocked makes it a lot easier for someone to access your vehicle and be in there when you arrive.

[Dagga Boy]

Same boyfriend cop who likely hands out the "if you shoot them outside, drag the body in the house" advice. Sometimes, you need to let folks learn the hard way and if the choose a victim lifestyle...great. Harden your stuff and the crooks will figure out that it is easier to work over your neighbors who have submitted. Pretty soon when they figure out they are leaving the car doors open, the green light will go on that they will likely not resist if they chose to actually rob the house, or wait in the backseat for them. Sometimes Pro Choice can be being a victim.

[LOKNLOD]

Different, but related thought.

In a FOF scenario I was in at Gunsite back in October, there was a bad guy hiding in the back of a minivan, causing havoc to all that entered. Worrying about the safety of you property (car windows and valuables) ought to be balanced against what I view is the more serious concern, the safety of you. Seems like leaving the vehicle unlocked makes it a lot easier for someone to access your vehicle and be in there when you arrive.

Fear of turning "burglary victim" into "carjacking, rape, murderdeathkill at remote location victim" might be enough to turn some folks off the idea.


You can always put up a sign in your yard saying "my car is empty, but my neighbors leave theirs unlocked!" :cool:

[ranger]

I cannot remember the year, but I remember an organized car burglary ring that targeted a big shotgun shoot (San Antonio maybe?) that hit the hotels and restaurants near the shotgun event and got multiple $$$$$ shotguns. It was all the rage on the competition shotgun forums for a awhile.......

[Lon]

In my jurisdiction we're getting hammered with heroin junkies and juveniles walking up and down the streets checking car doors to find doors that are unlocked. They are largely ignoring locked cars but unlocked cars are sure to be rummage through and anything of value taken. Probably 99% of those types of thefts do not involve breaking into cars just checking for unlocked doors.

I would say it's hard to come up with a clear-cut answer to your question. A lot of it depends on the specific location and suspects doing these thefts. I'd suggest you and your friends invest in a game camera and set it up outside to get pictures of the suspects. We've had good success with that.

[Peally]

"People keep breaking into houses, I should just leave my windows and doors unlocked"

Aye aye aye what in the royal fruck is the world coming to?

[LOKNLOD]

"People keep breaking into houses, I should just leave my windows and doors unlocked"

Aye aye aye what in the royal fruck is the world coming to?

There's a serial killer on the loose, maybe I should just kill myself.

Good.

[Range1]

Our subdivision has had this problem pop up from time to time. Chased four what I believe were juveniles but not sure out a couple years ago. Most recently several cars were gone through this past week. One was a truck with Christmas presents left inside. Strange thing with that one was only a couple items were taken not all the presents. All of the vehicles had been left unlocked. No locked vehicles were damaged. My daughter in-law had her car ransacked twice both times car was unlocked. She had same idea, if car is locked they will break window and do more damage. She finally got tired of having her car entered, started locking it and no more problem. Seems obvious to me.

[TR675]

My sister got tired of having her car windows broken for spare change, so she moved out of Baltimore.

Good call.

[GardoneVT]

I heard this myth too when I lived in Chicago for a brief time.

I locked my car anyways. I also left nothing of value visible.No grocery bags, spare change, nada. Ipass toll transponder came home with me too. Never got broken into in a year.

And folks in South Dakota wonder why I didn't move back when I out processed.

[Tiffany Johnson]

There's a serial killer on the loose, maybe I should just kill myself.

Ha!!! LOL!!! Nice. :-)

[HCM]

I cannot remember the year, but I remember an organized car burglary ring that targeted a big shotgun shoot (San Antonio maybe?) that hit the hotels and restaurants near the shotgun event and got multiple $$$$$ shotguns. It was all the rage on the competition shotgun forums for a awhile.......

Lots of property crime and car burglars in San Antonio but this was an "urban legend". The alternate version was was the competitors cars were supposedly marked in the parking lot of the shooting venue and they were followed home and targeted for burglary. It never happened.

[scw2]

One thing people may overlook is the mounts for gps or cell phones. Also if you use suction cups they leave very visible rings on your windshield and advertise to the world that you may have a gps unit in the car.

[Drang]

Supposedly, in New York it is SOP to leave the car unlocked AND to put up a polite notice that there is nothing of value in the car for an urban entrepreneur who is minding his own business while just turning his life around to waste his time on while not doin' nuffin'. Otherwise, it's your own damned fault for being robbed.

[Clusterfrack]

Good way to turn your car into a homeless portapotty.

[John Hearne]

When I had my soft top Jeep, I always left the door unlocked in hopes they wouldn't cut the top. I had the Jeep rifled once but I never left anything of value in the vehicle.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[okie john]

When I had my soft top Jeep, I always left the door unlocked in hopes they wouldn't cut the top. I had the Jeep rifled once but I never left anything of value in the vehicle.

This x1000.

I also have a soft-top Jeep, and I live in a place where auto burglary is pretty much the national sport. After somebody stole the radio years ago, I reported it to the insurance company. They sent me a new one, which is sitting in my garage where it will remain until the day I sell the Jeep to someone else.

I suspect that having a few inches of wire hanging out of a gaping hole in the dashboard tells the local thieves that my Jeep isn't worth the bother.


Okie John

[Trooper224]

Your neighbors have gone full retard, never go full retard.

[Hambo]

Your neighbors have gone full retard, never go full retard.

Yes. My dad lives in a nice rural area and never locked his car doors. Then one night a couple of nice rural heroin addicts went down the road checking every car for open doors. Moral of the story: no place is safe.

Around here the coppers have PSAs advising people not to feed the junkies by leaving cars unlocked. Personally I want Texas style property defense laws but day or night.

[Wondering Beard]

This x1000.

I also have a soft-top Jeep, and I live in a place where auto burglary is pretty much the national sport. After somebody stole the radio years ago, I reported it to the insurance company. They sent me a new one, which is sitting in my garage where it will remain until the day I sell the Jeep to someone else.

I suspect that having a few inches of wire hanging out of a gaping hole in the dashboard tells the local thieves that my Jeep isn't worth the bother.


Okie John

Back in the 90s, in Paris, many cars were equipped with removable radios/tape players. The owners would just take the radios home with them and bring them back out in the morning when going to work.

[nycnoob]

This is an interesting anti-theft device
Put extra remote controlled deadbolts on your doors.
I really want it for my trunk but my fabricator says the bolt is just not long enough.


http://theautobolt.com/

I live in Brooklyn and only 3 times in 25 years did they break into my car. They were nice enough to only break the small window
behind the passenger window (though it costs about the same as the big one)

[Josh Runkle]

When I had my soft top Jeep, I always left the door unlocked in hopes they wouldn't cut the top. I had the Jeep rifled once but I never left anything of value in the vehicle.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

When I had a soft top jeep, I simply removed the doors.

[GardoneVT]

Yes. My dad lives in a nice rural area and never locked his car doors. Then one night a couple of nice rural heroin addicts went down the road checking every car for open doors. Moral of the story: no place is safe.


Indeed. SD law enforcement just rolled up a home invasion crew from Chicago. The thugs decided to road trip into the country for "easy scores". They forgot that police up here aren't politically afraid of doing the Lord's Work.

Just because your town has one stoplight doesn't mean it has zero hardened thugs.

[Wendell]

...heroin junkies and juveniles walking up and down the streets checking car doors to find doors that are unlocked. They are largely ignoring locked cars but unlocked cars are sure to be rummage through and anything of value taken. Probably 99% of those types of thefts do not involve breaking into cars just checking for unlocked doors...

Damn hobos!




(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slCt05_iiGQ)

[Tamara]

Merry Christmas and a-Happy Happy Joy Joy! I am concerned about a recent social media "movement" by some of my neighbors who advocate leaving their car doors unlocked. This came after a string of car break-ins where thieves smashed windows or ripped doors apart, which cost more money in repair bills than the value of whatever they stole (if anything). The neighbors argue that by leaving their doors unlocked, thieves can just get in and get out with minimal damage to the car (and to the owners' wallet).

Living in the city, I have long left the doors unlocked on any car I left parked on the street. I leave nothing of any value in the passenger compartment.

Incidentally, twice when I lived in the Virginia Highlands neighborhood in Atlanta, I went out in the morning to find the door of my car ajar and my ashtrays and glovebox rummaged through, and several neighbors with broken driver's side windows.

If a car thief is actually going to steal the car, the door lock isn't going to stop them. If a hobo wants to rummage through my console looking for quarters, I'd rather they not have to bust a hunnert-dollar window to do it.

[Warren Wilson]

Pretty much anything that makes it easier for criminals to do criminal stuff is ineffectual in the long term. Most burglars are young, opportunistic feral humans. They don't want to make noise by smashing a window. That would limit the number of targets they can hit. It's worth it for a lone burglary of a vehicle with a high reward; e.g. the high-end stereo equipment advertised in the back window. For the most part, IME, burglars park some distance away, walk around neighborhoods looking for unlocked car and take change, sunglasses, GPS units, stereos, speakers and anything else of value. When I was a small town cop, our police commissioner had his tailgate stolen. He didn't even notice it the first time he drove it.

[Tamara]

Like I said, when I lived here: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.775417,-84.3546534,3a,75y,3h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slhVKsaWACu5wcdEdJ7iNvA!2e0!7i1 3312!8i6656!6m1!1e1 I came out on two occasions to find multiple cars with broken windows.

I'm sure it's different where you live.

I've lived in places where people left cars unlocked and the keys in the ignition or under the floor mat because the most likely person to look in the car was a neighbor or relative who needed it. I've lived in places where one left nothing of value in the car for fear of theft. Different places have different rules. It behooves one to find out the rules of any new place one lives in.

[Savage Hands]

Good way to turn your car into a homeless portapotty.


Or a Soup Kitchen...

[Coyotesfan97]

We have tweekers who load bikes up in the bed of a pickup, park away from the neighborhood, and ride in to steal stuff. We also get roaming gangs of juvies (4-6) who walk down neighborhood streets looking for unlocked cars.

One of my dogs best finds this year was a little thug who got caught in a car, had to run and hide, and got sniffed out by dog over a fence. He climbed over the fence and gave up pretty quick. I love catching burglars!!

My cars are always locked and nothing shows.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hambo]

If a hobo wants to rummage through my console looking for quarters, I'd rather they not have to bust a hunnert-dollar window to do it.

I'm incapable of being OK with that. I grew up in the rural Midwest where respect for other people's property was ingrained. This behavior was reinforced by farmers keeping dogs in the yard and shotguns by the kitchen door.

[Tamara]

I'm incapable of being OK with that. I grew up in the rural Midwest where respect for other people's property was ingrained. This behavior was reinforced by farmers keeping dogs in the yard and shotguns by the kitchen door.

I'm not okay with it. It's a nasty feeling to come out and find your car door ajar and the old fast food receipts tumbled from the console by some lowdown thief's grubby paws. It was probably a worse feeling for my neighbor, who found the same thing, plus a broken window.

[walker2713]

Brings new meaning to "stupid is as stupid does".......

[voodoo_man]

Please keep your windows up and doors locked.

Please.

[fixer]

Windows up. Locked. Noting in plain sight. And if you have a really old car configure a way to keep hood closed.

I've lost multiple car batteries, carburetors, air cleaners, distributor caps, etc....when I lived in AZ.

[JR1572]

Every once in a while our neighborhood will get hit with people doing door pulls.

It's a good idea to make sure your car is locked. Just clicking the key fob doesn't mean the doors are locked. I visually check and walk around the vehicle pulling on each handle.

JR1572

[JR1572]

Please keep your windows up and doors locked.

Please.

I don't know how it is where you work, but I giggle when victims tell me their car was locked and secured, however there are no signs of forced entry into the vehicle.

That usually means "I must not have locked my car, but I'm not going to admit that."

When I worked nights it was fun sneaking up on them and catching them in cars taking things.

JR1572

[voodoo_man]

I don't know how it is where you work, but I giggle when victims tell me their car was locked and secured, however there are no signs of forced entry into the vehicle.

That usually means "I must not have locked my car, but I'm not going to admit that."

When I worked nights it was fun sneaking up on them and catching them in cars taking things.

JR1572

I just tell them the truth. That nothing will happen, no investigation unless we can find something that was stolen and even then good luck prosecuting them since the courts are pretty liberal here.

If you are going to leave your door unlocked don't leave anything inside, nothing visible at least.

[Tiffany Johnson]

Perhaps I should have specified that I live in Memphis, TN. :-)

[Tamara]

If you are going to leave your door unlocked don't leave anything inside, nothing visible at least.

Nope. Not even a stereo faceplate. If they took everything in the car, they'd get the owner's manual, a snow brush/ice scraper, a half-full jug of antifreeze, a bunch of old fast food receipts, and a bag of cat litter. I don't even leave the registration and insurance card in the car parked in the alley.

[dbateman]

I do leave my doors unlocked from time to time and the keys in the ignition because I've wandered off and started doing something.
It's a habit, where I grew up we just leave the keys in the cars, often leave the windows down when parked over night in the shed.
Anyway thats enough of the history lesson.

I do try to lock my door, I'm not real keen on this whole leave your doors unlocked so crims don't cause damage bs.

[voodoo_man]

Nope. Not even a stereo faceplate. If they took everything in the car, they'd get the owner's manual, a snow brush/ice scraper, a half-full jug of antifreeze, a bunch of old fast food receipts, and a bag of cat litter. I don't even leave the registration and insurance card in the car parked in the alley.

That's just bad timing on your part, didn't you know that one super-fiend crackhead was lookin for a fix?

[Tamara]

I do try to lock my door, I'm not real keen on this whole leave your doors unlocked so crims don't cause damage bs.

I don't get the whole "I'd rather have to pay for a broken window than let some punk steal nothing from my car," so there's that. (I mean, I don't leave anything of value in a car parked long-term on the street even if the doors are locked. Why would you leave valuables in what is, essentially, an unguarded glass box on a public thoroughfare, even if the glass doors on the glass box are putatively "locked"?)

[tanner]

In my town, there are two distinct Larceny From Auto (LFA) types. "Car Hoppers" who roam and target unlocked cars (usually local juveniles) and the professional crews who bust windows when they see what they want.

These dudes have given my entire Metro area fits. We have a few wins on the scoresheet, but they are crushing it and have for years now.

http://www.homeinvasionnews.com/the-felony-lane-an-emerging-form-of-lawlessness/

[Hambo]

I don't get the whole "I'd rather have to pay for a broken window than let some punk steal nothing from my car," so there's that. (I mean, I don't leave anything of value in a car parked long-term on the street even if the doors are locked. Why would you leave valuables in what is, essentially, an unguarded glass box on a public thoroughfare, even if the glass doors on the glass box are putatively "locked"?)

Intellectually I understand what you're saying, but deep down in the blood and bone I'm opposed to anything that might encourage a casual thief to fuck with my property. Remember, a lot of theft from vehicles starts with testing the doors. If the doors are locked, they move on. If they're unlocked, you get that warm, fuzzy feeling from a dirtbag violating your space.

[Coyotesfan97]

In my town, there are two distinct Larceny From Auto (LFA) types. "Car Hoppers" who roam and target unlocked cars (usually local juveniles) and the professional crews who bust windows when they see what they want.

These dudes have given my entire Metro area fits. We have a few wins on the scoresheet, but they are crushing it and have for years now.

http://www.homeinvasionnews.com/the-felony-lane-an-emerging-form-of-lawlessness/

We've had them in Arizona. One of the crews was rounded up in the valley. I recognize the MO from your posted article.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dbateman]

I don't get the whole "I'd rather have to pay for a broken window than let some punk steal nothing from my car," so there's that. (I mean, I don't leave anything of value in a car parked long-term on the street even if the doors are locked. Why would you leave valuables in what is, essentially, an unguarded glass box on a public thoroughfare, even if the glass doors on the glass box are putatively "locked"?)

I have stuff in my vehicles and it's not practical to remove it at the end of the day, so I just leave it in there.

Plus I'm pretty sure it's a legal requirement to lock your car when you're not in or around it. Not that I agree with that, it's your glass box you should be able to leave it however you want.

[GardoneVT]

I always locked my car in Chicago, despite said town being the most corrupt metropolis in the land. I've never called CPD for a break in, but I imagine the desk Sgt. would laugh at anyone who did.

It's like the saw of how to defend against a bear attack with a .22 . Kneecap your companion, and run.

There will always be folks on the block who don't lock their car. If a thugs trolling for unlocked easy prey you just passed the first round.
Insofar as determined crooks go, push comes to shove they just tow your ride away and break in at their leisure somewhere else. You rolls your dice and takes your chances.

[Tamara]

It's like the saw of how to defend against a bear attack with a .22 . Kneecap your companion, and run.

There will always be folks on the block who don't lock their car. If a thugs trolling for unlocked easy prey you just passed the first round.

I step out on the front stoop of my apartment building in the morning in Atlanta. My door is ajar, nothing is stolen. The cars around mine all have broken windows. Who shot who in the kneecap again?

[JR1572]

I step out on the front stoop of my apartment building in the morning in Atlanta. My door is ajar, nothing is stolen. The cars around mine all have broken windows. Who shot who in the kneecap again?

Your plan is brilliant, well until a really stupid burglar smashes your window before pulling your door handle.

JR1572

[ranger]

I step out on the front stoop of my apartment building in the morning in Atlanta. My door is ajar, nothing is stolen. The cars around mine all have broken windows. Who shot who in the kneecap again?

That is why I work in Atlanta but live in Canton - I tell myself for hours every day that the commute is worth it!

[GardoneVT]

I step out on the front stoop of my apartment building in the morning in Atlanta. My door is ajar, nothing is stolen. The cars around mine all have broken windows. Who shot who in the kneecap again?
"IF"

conjunction
1.
in case that; granting or supposing that; on condition that:
Sing if you want to. Stay indoors if it rains. I'll go if you do.

Courtesy Dictionary (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/if).com

[Tamara]

That is why I work in Atlanta but live in Canton - I tell myself for hours every day that the commute is worth it!

Walking to my favorite pubs and eateries in VaHi was cool, too. :)

[Tamara]

"IF"

conjunction
1.
in case that; granting or supposing that; on condition that:
Sing if you want to. Stay indoors if it rains. I'll go if you do.

Courtesy Dictionary (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/if).com

So, they break out all the windows around my car because their doors are locked, but leave mine alone because my doors are locked?

You don't even make any fucking sense.

[nwhpfan]

People can do what they please with their own stuff and make assumptions to either theory.... I've seen it go both ways.

My personal observations after nearly 20 years of LE is that criminals will work very, very hard; and damage a whole lot of your stuff to steal change...or to see if you left any in your vehicle.

But hey, these are just "low level property offenders" that shouldn't be in jail anyway....

[psalms144.1]

I will admit that, when I moved back near my "quiet" suburban hometown on Long Island, I got sloppy with locking the car at night. Until one night I left the doors of my take home VERY OBVIOUS Crown Vic Police Interceptor (lights in the back window and grill, no tint, steel rims, the whole shebang). Car was parked right in front of my garage door, immediately under a motion sensor light. Came out in the morning to head to work, and the cheap, 5 year old IPod mini plugged into the console was gone.

Luckily, none of the "just in case" magazines, spare cuffs, baton, etc were missing, and the thief didn't get into the trunk - all of which makes me assume it was some jerk off neighborhood teenager.

I lock my car doors now.

My wife, on the other hand, leaves her purse in the car, and doesn't lock the doors. She also leaves the doors to the house unlocked about 30% of the time, which doesn't make me very happy, but, what can you do...

[Dagga Boy]

People can do what they please with their own stuff and make assumptions to either theory.... I've seen it go both ways.

My personal observations after nearly 20 years of LE is that criminals will work very, very hard; and damage a whole lot of your stuff to steal change...or to see if you left any in your vehicle.

But hey, these are just "low level property offenders" that shouldn't be in jail anyway....

This. Fairly unpredictable what crooks will do. Some will pull door handles, in many cases we had the crooks were walking around with broken spark plug pieces and take the window out of anything that interested them. I had plenty of the "the door was open, I don't know why they would break the window". They are crooks and many crooks to feed a dope habit, so it is not like we are dealing with rational. With that said, most tend to be lazy, and the harder you make it, or more risky the better.

[Tamara]

Luckily, none of the "just in case" magazines, spare cuffs, baton, etc...

Huh. That doesn't sound like "nothing of value". :)

[Tamara]

This. Fairly unpredictable what crooks will do. Some will pull door handles, in many cases we had the crooks were walking around with broken spark plug pieces and take the window out of anything that interested them. I had plenty of the "the door was open, I don't know why they would break the window". They are crooks and many crooks to feed a dope habit, so it is not like we are dealing with rational. With that said, most tend to be lazy, and the harder you make it, or more risky the better.

I can't tell you what happened in your neighborhood, nyeti, all I know is what happened in mine. I'm just a cake-eating civilian with only my own experiences to draw upon. I have not responded to hundreds of auto burglary calls. I have just walked out on my street twice in my life to find the neighbors' car windows all broken and mine not. I've found signs of entry into my car four times now (twice in ATL and twice in IND.) While I was momentarily pissed and annoyed, I calmed down pretty quickly because I hadn't left anything of value in the car I'd left parked on the street*.

Threads like this make me realize that some people truly feel that:

Window broken. Nothing stolen. $100 repair bill.


...is a better resolution than:

No window broken. Nothing stolen. No repair bill.


If it makes someone feel better to buy a new window, I'm not the one to tell them that their feelings are wrong. They did their best to help keep a good boy from going bad, and if they want me to chip in five bucks for their auto glass, I will.


*Then again, the car I leave parked in the alley is my winter car that is on its last legs. I haven't decided if I'm even going to bother with replacing the wheel bearing and fixing the center diff. Right now the car is kept in the sort of state that I can step out of it on the side of the road, remove the license plate, pat it affectionately on the hood, and walk away. "I'm not parking it; I'm abandoning it..."

[Dagga Boy]

Tam, I am not saying you are wrong, just that it is not a subject that you can offer any rational prediction about. Heck, the hottest theft item in many places is stealing pick up truck tailgates, so it gets a little tough to figure out. You may have an area where teens walking around looking for change is a big issue, and four blocks over there is a black market auto repair Mecca and car seats and tailgates are the prime target. The only thing that really works is catching the little bastards, or deterring them through fear of being caught and the consequences (including shot by homeowners here in the Republic).

[HCM]

Wrong thread

[fixer]

To the unpredictable theme:

I had a late model Mustang GT circa 2001 parked in an apt parking lot. The car was literally untouched. It was also brand new with temp plates on it still. But the vehicles--trucks-- on both sides were burglarized and looked to be in the middle of a hotwiring operation. Two trucks were stolen in same apartment that night.

The police were already outside taking statements. They indicated to me that 'no one wants a two door sportscar out here...they want the big pick ups and SUVs...they are reliable, hold lots of people and stuff, and can drive through the desert.'

Thieves are looking for tail gates, pick ups, spare change, and sometimes even the precious metals in catalytic converters and aftertreatment systems.

[deputyG23]

In my personal observation the biggest factor for cars being broken into is leaving things in plain sight.

In many cases the bad guys will not even check the door. I have no idea how many car break-in victims I have talked to that were complaining that they had left the car doors unlocked and the bad guy had broken the windows anyway.

If someone is hitting cars in the hopes there is spare change in the console, then I can profile that there is a homeless dude, probably mentally ill to some extent, working the area over.

This. Nothing in plain sight. Vehicle locked always. Too many juviturds looking for weed money here.