What a crappy way to start the day!!!

[epi-do]

So, I get into my car to leave the firehouse this morning, after working for 24 hours. I go to grab a pair of the spare sunglasses that I keep in my car and they are missing. I didn't think anything of it, just figured I had used them and forgotten to put them back in the car. I stop at Dunkin Donuts to get some breakfast and notice that the spare change I keep in my car is also missing. Hmmm......odd. I start looking around my car and notice other things missing as well.

The firehouse I work at is located in between cornfields, and we can see whenever anyone enters the parking lot. It is in the back of the firehouse and the entrance is in the front, so you can't get to the parking lot without us seeing you (unless we are out on a run/training/etc. or asleep, that is). In the three years I have been there, we have never had any sort of problems with stuff disappearing, so I don't typically lock my car. There are execeptions, of course, when I have things inside my car. Now, that is going to have to change.

I called the firehouse to let everyone on shift today know they need to make sure their cars are locked, so it doesn't happen to them as well. It just totally sucks. I know times are tough, and more and more people are doing things that they wouldn't typically do, but who goes to a firehouse and tries to steal from the people there?????? Part of me has to wonder if it wasn't a kid(s) because there was only stuff taken from the front of my car, but my son's CD player and CDs which were in the back seat were still there (even though they took all of the CDs from the front).

 

[Bill Mattocks]

My car got broken into twice in the last six months. Once they tried to pop the ignition switch - had to have been kids because they didn't know how to do it. Second time, they scattered my music CD's across the parking lot. Made me mad - they didn't even steal them - guess they don't like alt.country music. Son Volt kicks, man.

My wife drove up to visit me just after Easter. Left her lunch bag on the front seat. Someone must have thought it was a purse, because they punched out her back window to unlock the Cherokee and take it. They got her lunch bag and a cookie. We got a $350 glass bill (yeah $500 deductible).

It's sickening.

 

[Thesemindz]

My car was broken into about six months ago, and I was only tipped off when my bank called to ask if I had written someone a three hundred dollar check because the signature on the check they were trying to cash didn't match mine. I went outside to drive to the bank to cancel my account since someone had obviously stolen one of my check books, and that's when I found my car open and stuff missing.

It sucks. I feel for you. Good luck.


-Rob

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

I am just curious... do you have alarms on your cars?
I hear of alot of car break ins lately, and every single time, the people left their cars open, and no alarms... except one. That persons car was broken in from the trunk and he lost his stuff.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Sorry to hear that and I hope that it doesn't happen again.

From the sounds of your situation and the place and layout I would think maybe that it happened from somebody on the inside.

Do not rule out this possibility.

 

[grydth]

This type of theft is so common around here that I lock the SUV everywhere I go, and even in my own driveway.

The crimes most are talking about are probably done by kids or druggies in a hurry - that's why more is not found/taken/destroyed. Its smash/grab/run with this type - very annoying but there are much more dangerous types out there.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I am just curious... do you have alarms on your cars?
I hear of alot of car break ins lately, and every single time, the people left their cars open, and no alarms... except one. That persons car was broken in from the trunk and he lost his stuff.

Yes, and they went off. Either no one heard them (including me) or no one bothered doing anything. Personally, I hear car alarms all the time in my apartment complex. I look out, I see nothing. Or I see the car owner madly clicking away on his remote. They don't seem to do much.

 

[girlbug2]

I don't know about you all, but I have become so desensitized to the sound of car alarms that when one goes off, I don't think anything of it, even when it's mine. I have never seen anybody rush out when an alarm goes off. They're useless as far as I'm concerned.

 

[jks9199]

Larcenies from vehicles are an increasingly common problem in lots of places. Part of this is because it's an easy crime of opportunity. Lots of people don't lock their cars, and they leave tempting stuff in plain view. Thefts of GPS devices, especially, are big in my area.

The first thing you should do is record the serial numbers of your stuff like GPS units and CD players, etc. They can't be entered into the national databases unless there is a distinctive serial number or owner applied number (or both) to distinguish them from all of the other similar units... And keep it somewhere in the house, not the car! (It's a good idea to do this with your TV, computers, and other valuable items in the house, too!)

The next thing to do is LOCK YOUR CAR! I'd love to tell you that it's safe to leave your car open -- but it's not. When you lock up -- take a second and put tempting stuff out of sight. And don't forget the GPS mount... it's kind of a clue that there's a GPS in the car!

Car alarms are a mixed blessing... They don't attract attention till they piss someone off by going off too long, unfortunately, because so many go off for no apparent reason. Learn what yours sounds like... and pay attention. At least take a second, and glance outside when you hear one! If you see someone that doesn't fit -- call the cops. I've posted the story before about a call I had where, at about 10 AM, a woman called us because she was iconcerned about something she saw at 6 AM... a group of kids trying to open car doors on her street. Yeah -- we did have a bunch of larcenies from vehicles that day... Think calling us at 6 AM might have been helpful? :shrug:

And, if you are the victim -- call the cops. Let 'em know what happened, even if you did something like leaving the door open. We do want to know, and we may even have suspects that you don't know about!

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Larcenies from vehicles are an increasingly common problem in lots of places. Part of this is because it's an easy crime of opportunity. Lots of people don't lock their cars, and they leave tempting stuff in plain view. Thefts of GPS devices, especially, are big in my area.

All good info. The major mistake my wife made was leaving her lunch bag on the front seat of her Jeep. It was pretty clear the crook mistook it for a purse.

But it's standard McGruff info. Yes, it is good to do, but it doesn't do all that much.

As far as alarms go - good luck if you live in an apartment complex. Not only can't you tell yours from the myriad of others, but you're lucky if you're parked close enough to actually hear it, and the background of car alarms is ever-present. Tell me how many jets went overhead your house last night? Right - I'm on an approach pattern to the Oakland County Airport and I have no idea - they're too common.

And the bad part for me is this - a common means of entry is the window, and they often choose a small rear window to break. I don't really care about the lunch bag they took from my wife's Cherokee. The $350 insurance bill for the glass was close to making us unable to pay our mortgage that month.

So "at least they didn't take anything" is cold comfort. So what, they didn't take anything. I'm still out nearly half a thousand dollars. Great. Big happy hat here.

And yes, I filed three police reports. Yippie.

 

[terryl965]

Sometimes life just gets in the way and some folks forget what they7 do, but times are tough and nobody likes it. Criminals make a great living in these times.

 

[jks9199]

But it's standard McGruff info. Yes, it is good to do, but it doesn't do all that much.

Yes, it's standard info. It's standard because it's effective. And it doesn't create problems.

I'd love to tell you to run a DC charge through the door handles & frame, not enough to kill, just enough to lock 'em right there, till someone calls the cops. Or rig the car with Tasers... Or just enough directed explosives to make a real mess around the car...

Not practical, for lots of reasons.

And, yes, I know that the costs to repair the damage can be more frustrating than the actual loss. But, you know, if they're going to smash it -- they're going to smash it. They aren't particularly likely to try the handle first. And it's very easy to do if you know how. (No, I'm not posting the how. I'm sure that several methods can easily be found on the web.)

What I posted is basic advice - but it keeps needing to be given, 'cause I've got a stack of about 30 larcenies from vehicles, and roughly 2/3 of them were taken from an unlocked vehicle. Maybe 5 of them had the serial numbers recorded...

And it's not that hard to actually look out the window for a moment if you hear a car alarm. Nor am I suggesting that most are distinctive... but I tend to park in the same area each day, and I can tell roughly where the alarm is coming from. But any alarm serves only one purpose: to let people know something is happening. If you ignore the alarms, there not doing any good. So look out that window if the alarm is going off -- it just might be your stuff you save!

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Yes, it's standard info. It's standard because it's effective. And it doesn't create problems.

I'm not suggesting that it isn't good information. Just that it's about as soothing as listening to a preacher tell you about God's Will when your dad dies. Not particularly useful at that moment, if you know what I mean.

And, yes, I know that the costs to repair the damage can be more frustrating than the actual loss.

See, 'frustrating' to me means "Oh damn, now I shall have to write a check." It's not frustrating, it can be devastating. We really had to scramble to make sure we could still pay our mortgage that month. Being evicted is not an 'oh bother' kind of frustration.

But, you know, if they're going to smash it -- they're going to smash it. They aren't particularly likely to try the handle first. And it's very easy to do if you know how. (No, I'm not posting the how. I'm sure that several methods can easily be found on the web.)

I was LE, I know probably most of 'em.

What I posted is basic advice - but it keeps needing to be given, 'cause I've got a stack of about 30 larcenies from vehicles, and roughly 2/3 of them were taken from an unlocked vehicle. Maybe 5 of them had the serial numbers recorded...

There was nothing of value or serial numbered IN my vehicle, and my wife's lunch bag was stolen - no serial numbers on a chocolate-chip cookie.

And it's not that hard to actually look out the window for a moment if you hear a car alarm.

I can see YOU do not live in Detroit. It's the city's official song, is what. You try it.

Nor am I suggesting that most are distinctive... but I tend to park in the same area each day, and I can tell roughly where the alarm is coming from. But any alarm serves only one purpose: to let people know something is happening. If you ignore the alarms, there not doing any good. So look out that window if the alarm is going off -- it just might be your stuff you save!

As I said, I do look out the window if I hear an alarm. I have never yet seen someone rifling through the contents of a car, only frustrated owners trying to punch the 'shut the heck up' button on their remotes, or a horn somewhere in a sea of cars in the parking lot that is going off, no idea from whence.

Yes, your advice is good and proper, and I do not mean to belittle it. It does need to be given. But in truth, break ins are happening a lot, they appear to be on the rise lately, and there just isn't much anyone can do to stop them except sleep in their cars. It is out of control.

I do not have a nice stereo in my car anymore - just the stock AM/FM/CD radio. I do not leave anything of value in my car - just a few CD's to listen to. I roll up my windows, I lock my doors. Hell, where I live, if you leave your window down, someone will urinate in it. No joke, it happens all the time. One fight in the parking lot recently was a guy who peed into an open car window, and hosed down the guy sleeping in the car. They got into a fight, and the funny part was, it wasn't either of them's car.

 

[epi-do]

LuckyKBoxer, no, I do not have a car alarm. I just never really saw the point in it since most people just ignore them anyway.

jks9199, thanks for the reminders/pointers. Yes, I had left my car unlocked, and I can tell you it hasn't been that way since I realized someone had taken the stuff.

You know, it isn't really even the stuff that was taken that gets to me ($5-10 sunglasses, cheap $20-30 sleeping bag, ~$10 in change, a few CDs), it's the idea that some total stranger was in my car. I guess it could have been someone I work with, but I really hope that isn't the case.

I know, shame on me, but I didn't file a report because I was over halfway home when I realized the stuff was missing and had to get to my second job. I just didn't have time to turn around and drive back to the opposite side of the city, and the stuff just wasn't worth that much.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

 

[jks9199]

I'd prefer this one: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4319/trunk_monkey_2/

Not only does it deal with the thief -- but deals with the evidence, too. :EG:

And it works for bananas!