GPS Thefts on the Rise

Sorry if you feel my comment was ridiculing you. You may be a bit sensitive. There is a little something called humor. But if a sign stating what has been removed can deter criminals then my statement stands. The logic should apply with all property.

As many have stated in this thread and others (and I am sure police reports will corroborate)...leaving your mount in plain view does increase your risk of break in. The fact that seven or eight people that you know have not had break ins with a sign on the window is not statistically relevant.

I had my Nuvi 680 stolen out of my car a few months ago... it was right next to my 40GB iPod and the guy who took the Nuvi left the iPod!! Always password protect your device - it's a pain when you guy it, but at least if it's stolen you'll have the pleasure of knowing that it's not usable!!

My boss had his stolen from his car in a gated community. I have heard of a number of people that leave the windshield mount in the car but take the GPS with them. The thief can't tell that the unit isn't in the console or glove box so a window gets broken anyway.

1.) Purchase a GPS and guard it jealously

2.) The GPS is never left in the vehicle cause
you're playing with POI, MP3 and JPEG files
some may sleep with their new GPS units

3.) A nice carrying case is purchased - because
your baby needs a nice bed

4.) After a time you get lax and the GPS doesn't
leave the vehicle with you as often as it once
did, and nothing happens. It's still there
when you get back

5.) You've gone from lax to complacent with a
false sense of security and begin to leave the
GPS in the vehicle more often for longer
periods.

6.) One day you return to your vehicle and a
window is smashed in (if your locking your car
door) and the GPS is gone

7.) The usual frustration, anger and pouting

8.) Start Shopping online for a new GPS as the
withdrawal symptoms continue to increase in
quantum leaps

9.) New GPS ordered, you upgraded to the next
model with more bells and whistles, you
anxiously await its arrival

10.) New GPS arrives. Repeat cycle.

Thats just GENIUS!!

palestar, your above post just cracks me up. I'm still chuckling my guts out!

Thanks... I’m still in phase 2 although I’ve stopped sleeping with mine because it refused to respect me in the morning.

Great post palestar.

FYI - with regard to sleeping with your GPS. You should check out turboccc's voice editor. You could make your GPS speak sweet nothings to you while you sleep.

I would like to do that but I’m still waiting for a voice like Jessica Rabbit or Cathy Moriarity.

I can still hear her line from the movie she was in with Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi called Neighbors (1981).

She played Dan's wife Ramona and the line (13:18 into the film) was “What are you so nervious about Earl? Think Vic will think your up here.... chew'n me?” said in the most seductive manor to John Belushi and it's permanently etched on my over active libido.

I saw a vehicle with a gps on the dash and a cell phone in a holder with the windows rolled down on a 2008 chevy truck. At least the owner took the keys out. But what was this dude thinking?

whats this conversation even being held for?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out, that if you leave your GPSr in your car, your sooner or later going to lose it. Just take it with you period. This is a smart group of people in this forum you all really know this!

Bob

Before moving to the suburbs I lived on Chicago's north west side. On the Television news, they did a whole story about Chicago's neighborhoods - and how Jefferson Park was one of the nicest neighborhoods with the lowest crime rates. Within a few months (1991 time frame) it was the highest hit area of the city. Gee - I wonder why... (Pssst - criminal's - want some good stuff? Go to that neighborhoord, because they still have all theirs...)

Today - I am amazed at how many cars I see, even at work that have GPS units sitting in the window, windows open on nice days, sunroof's open, one convertible that's open - regularly. Just walk on by, with my GPSr with me, no sign in the car. I second the comment about having bean bags replace the window suction mount.

I have a bean bag mount and I always take the GPS off the dash and put it under the front seat BEFORE I park the car. I also unplug the adapter. You can't be 100% safe, but you can take a few simple steps to help keep your property secure.

In their fellow man, which isn't a bad way to be...

When I used a StreetPilot III I had to use an external antenna that attached to the windshield with a suction cup. I used a beanbag mount that sat on the center consol. (The StreetPilot III was too big to sit on the dash, hence the need for an external antenna). If the car was going to be left for an extended period, I took the StreetPilot with me; otherwise, I put it under the seat. I never worried about the suction cup mark on my windshield and my car was never broken into. My gps use at the time was only used for travel to destinations I didn’t know the locations of.

When I first got the smaller, more compact nuvi, I used the beanbag mount on the dash and removed it when I got to my destination and usually put it under the seat. I then discovered this site and red-light/speed camera pois and my nuvi started traveling with me to known locations for the red-light warnings and because my speedometer quit functioning I now never leave my nuvi in my car, I sometimes leave the beanbag and power cord stored in my locked glove compartment, but generally don’t, even when it’s in my garage. I also have discovered that the nuvi works perfectly sitting on the center consol without an external antenna, so I can stow it after I park without the worry of someone seeing me remove it from my dash.

I live in a fairly affluent section of Los Angeles but I always warn overnight house guests not to leave valuables or anything else in there cars.

More than likely many of the people who leave there gps in their autos are not aware of the theft problem or don’t care because money doesn’t mean anything to them. I was aware of a producer/director who used a loading zone in front of the building he was working at as his own parking space. It was at the front door, the best parking space you could ask for, and each day he got a parking ticket on his shiny new Ferrari… obviously he didn’t care about the price of parking…… I’m sure he just had his assistant pay the ticket and if someone stole something from his car, he probably would have had the assistant purchase a new one.

BTW I guess I’m a slob, my old ’85 MBenz still has suction cup marks on the windshield from the StreetPilot antenna….. I guess I’ll have to get it washed one of these days.

On one thread you chirp about censorship and here you are chastising others for expressing views, opinions and general nonsensical banter for edification of others or light jovial amusement.

Maybe you could chill a bit and try to find your happy place and give the rest of us break?
I for one refuse to let you spoil my mood. Lets joins hands and sing…

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revalation
And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

palestar, you are invited to my next party. You crack me up!!!!

Can I bring my girlfriends? I got a new set of athletic socks yesterday….

STOP THAT!!
(Grabs phone...Calls GF. "Hey honey..remember that Nuvi I got ya? Wanna return the favor? )

Ya know what?
At the end of the day?
This all speaks to... the GARBAGE that walks the earth!
Yes..you should use common sense to secure your possessions, I'll never disagree there.
Yet you have to take a step back and examine WHY one must take an extra effort to do so.
As stated, alot of folks have seen these units out in the open. But you didnt even think twice about grabbing it did you? Certainly not!
Hey..we dont live in a utopia. We never will. Yet when the rates of theft go up..and up..and up, this speaks more to the GARBAGE that is out there.

Every time I hear of somebody's car, house, or anything being robbed, it makes my blood boil, and any solid evidence of who did it tends to make me act. (But thats another story(s).)

Secure your gear.
And dont stand by if you can prevent something being robbed. I have no problem confronting CRIMINALS.
Grrrr...sorry. Stories of average folks being robbed (regardless of neglect), just ticks me off.

at the parking lot in my work place. After that, I carry it in my pocket.

Smart crooks are not breaking into cars for GPS units. I work at a jail full of dumb ones. We don't have many smart ones, believe me.

Most of the articles I have read say that the thieves are selling the stolen units for a quick $20 or so. That's a lot of risk for only a $20 gain.

Hi,

I have a friend who is a captain in the 72nd. pct, we grew up together. When I asked him about GPS thefts in NY, he told me 78% of the units reported stolen were the result of people leaving them in an open unattended vehicle. Just under 20% involved locked vehicle breakins where the units were visible.

Less than 1% of GPS thefts in NY were the result of window break-ins that involved just the window mount being viewd.

Mike

Wonder where he got those statistics? But it really doesn't matter. If you feel safe leaving your window mount up, then leave it up.

FYI - even the NYPD suggests you take your suction mount off the windshield

http://home2.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/crime_preventio...

It is a shame that the NYPD has to suggest to GPS owners that they should take the mount off the windshield. You would think it would be common sense. But the NYPD suggestion does clearly support the fact that visible mounts do attract thieves. The NYPD is not in the business of making suggestions that they do not feel reduce the crime rate.

Gadgetguy...you are onto something. I also found this article:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/06/eveningnews/main39...

Here is an excerpt from the article that specifically addresses GPS mounts and accuracy of theft statistics:

"Elsewhere, the number of thefts in Nassau County, New York, spiked from 130 last year to a projected 2,155 in 2008.

Outside Washington, D.C., police in Montogomery County, Md., saw more than 500 car break-ins in February alone. The main reason, they say: GPS thefts.

"The bad guys are breaking into the cars just 'cause they see this," said Lt. Frank Canella, North Bergen, N.J. Police.

His advice: Don’t leave it exposed. "They don't have to see the whole thing," he said. "You need to remove the cradle unit - don't leave that on the windshield of your car, you need to take this out of your car - don't put this under your seat."

Obviously leaving a GPS on a windshield is asking for trouble. But police say another way to keep thieves from targeting your car is to make sure when you take the GPS out, wipe off the circle the suction cups leave behind.

The FBI says at least 29,000 GPS's were stolen over the past two years, but that's considered a fraction of the total, because it counts them only when the owner can provide police with the item's serial number."

I think that sums it up.

In yesterdays paper here, it was reported this month in Milford, CT there was 30 to 35 thefts of stuff from vehicles and the target item was GPS units fixed to the windshields. In many cases, the cars were unlocked and the items in plain view.

Also mentioned that to make sure the units don't leave circular rings on the windshield to indicate a GPS unit may be in the vehicle.

Your right, there are smart ones. I'm just not in favor of helping the ones who walk past a newspaper vending machine and get the idea by reading the front page story. At least publish it on page two .

I guess it's time to consider one of those heavy mounts that sit on top of the dash.

On the way to the airport the other day I drove by an Escalade in the parking lot with it's drivers side window busted out. The GPS mount was on the windshield. No GPS, but the mount was very visable. DOH!!