some people are really clueless about securing their GPS

They rich.. personal property is of no value to them

Hell... after the second or third one, they will learn.

Unfortunately we all pay by way of increased insurance premiums when they file claims for broken windows and stolen units.

What? Don't like rich people?

Actually I view it differently...

Its sad that we live in a world that we have to worry about some low life stealing something every time we walk out the door.

I don't see this view expressed as often as I would hope, but I think it's so true. We tend to "blame the victim" and miss the big picture of finding the low-lifes who commit property crimes, or, even better, preventing them from becoming low-lifes in the first place! Of course, it's much easier to sit back and just accept that there are criminals out there, and we just gotta do all we can to protect our neck.

It's not about it just being easier to accept there are criminals, it's about living in reality from my point of view. Especially in the times we live in with the economy tanking, there are more desperate people out there. It is incumbent upon us all to not make ourselves an attractive target to say the very least. Of course I'd like to have criminals found and prevented from becoming low-lives but if you think that is going to magically happen overnight, then you aren't being realistic. There are very complex issues our society as a whole needs to get a handle on. Oversimplifying the problem and excusing people that don't take common sense steps to secure themselves and their property is folly.

Mostly agree with that......mostly.

Some people are just STUPID. In the local crime reports, you see ALL the time: "Valuable personal items" were stolen from cars; cash, purse, wallet, phone, computer, etc. The cars were unlocked and the items were in plain view. Sometimes the keys are left in the ignition too.

I just can't feel too sorry for folks that are that "dense". If the pickings are TOO easy it actually encourages criminal behavior.

I agree. However that's never changed. Knowing that there will always be someone out there who is willing to steal something, the blame partially falls on the person who leaves his/her GPS in view of that low life.

If thieves are going to break into one car in a given parking lot anyway and the presence of a bait car means they'll leave mine alone, I'm all for it!

Depends on the neighborhood, of course, but as GPS units get cheaper it becomes less attractive to break in for them.

If you can see it from the restaurant window, chances are no one would be foolish enough to try taking it!

I often see them too. We have a very low crime rate here but I do hear of cars being broken into quite frequently.

It's their problem if they leave it on the dash. I always put mine in my pocket wherever I go.

I agree. In a perfect world, I should be able to leave my wallet on the hood of my car when I go in a building and expect to see it there when I come out. But in reality, that is never going to happen. People have to take some responsibility for their personal property and personal safety.

Steve

Why is it that people are so adverse to taking it with them?

Also lock their cars, houses or other possessions. It's only common sense to secure your belongings. The world is not Utopia since Adam & Eve. I had someone tell me they never lock their house in an Iowa city of 200,000. Someone will find the open door and go in someday. This makes no sense!

Always see them on windshield or bean bag, door locked maybe but window open go figure.

In all of this I can't feel the least bit sorry for anyone who has an item stolen from their car. Try living or working in a high crime area and you'll learn really fast how to take care of (secure or hide) your personal items so you aren't the daily target as you drive down the street and park. Yes, those who want to steal these items pay attention. They know which cars have the loud, expensive stereos that will bring them lots of drug money. Just five cars each with a $200 gps?? No big deal, still a better take than the one car with a $700 gps! Locked or not, they'll sell it.

These aren't just "issues" within our society, they are the culture of our society that we have allowed to develop over decades. Some cultures, you get caught stealing you loose your hand, then your other hand. Again?? Your head. He won't steal anymore. Granted, this would NEVER happen in our Country / culture, but it does seem to get the point across.

Unfortunately fewer and fewer people want to take responsibility for their own actions, and it's not just those who leave a gps in plain in thier car and try to put the blame on someone else.

But those are the same cultures where folks walk into crowded markets with explosives strapped to their chest.

I'll take our flawed culture over those other cultures any day.

Probably for the same reason - it's not just ONE thing they're talking about. They also have iPods, cell phone(s), cameras, too.

It's so much easier to just let someone else take the responsibility.

I don't leave anything in sight when I leave the car. If I don't want to carry it, it gets stored away out of sight.

I think people are just lazy..... I remember when those PULL out radios were in. You could see them poorly hidden in the car.

When they took the paddle away from the Teachers (corporal punishment), and discipline away from Mom & Dad control was lost, and almost forced the so called culture.
You should be able to leave your GPSr wherever you want, and not worry about it. To be sure you have it when you come back, always take it with you.

I have to put the blame on someone that steals for a living, not the person that left it in view.

Respect is what is missing, if you don't have it for yourself, you can't possibly have it for anyone else, yet alone their belongings.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=87179

They still sell after market car radios with removable face plates for security. My son took the train to work and his car was broken into (window smashed) and radio stolen. He had removed the face plate which is supposed to render the radio useless but stored it in the glove compartment. The police told him that the thieves know that's what most people do, so it's not a deterrent. Same exact corollary as leaving the GPS mount but putting the GPS away. They know the device is probably in the car, anyway. After that, he started taking the face plate with him. 3 months later, window smashed again, but the useless radio was left behind because he now had the face plate with him. This time he still had his $169 radio, but he had a $200 broken window again. Yeah, that was all over a basic $169 radio.

I too have friends, much smaller community though, that don't lock their doors. Doesn't matter if they are home or not the front door is always unlocked. Smaller community but they live out "in the country" neighbors are further apart. In my mind that just makes it that much easier to rob the house and not be noticed. As well I have relatives that not only leave their cars unlocked at the house but leave the keys in the ignition... yes KEYS including the house keys! Again, smaller town and less populated area but still like you said someday....

People please be smart, I don't think these types of people are victims I'm sorry they ARE asking for it. I don't wish it upon them but still it's gonna happen don't make it easier to be you.

I agree with you on this, it doesn't take much to put it away and lock your car. Every day I see people leave their cars running at 7-11 when they go inside. Just no common sense anymore.

I agree it is a different world then the one I grew up in. When I was young, we would leave the door open on hot summer nights to let the cool night air in. We never locked our cars. Now I would never think of doing that. I have heard of people walking into front doors while the owners were in their backyard. Such a sorry state but that is the way it is.

I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say that discipline has been taken away from Mom and Dad. Although I do agree with the premise that parenting is the foundation from which much of our values are (I mean should) be derived. That really isn't the case, if you just observe many parents these days with their children, you don't see much "parenting" going on. Kids aren't held responsible and taught there is a time and place to act certain ways and there are some things that are never appropriate. Instead, I observe children running rampant under their parents "supervision" and they let the environment raise their children. I've often wondered why this generation of children have become sexualized at such early ages, just look at what they watch on TV and what their parents allow them to wear. Parenting is a difficult challenge and too many are not up to the task.
Parenting and family values are amongst some of the complex "issues" I alluded to in my previous response to this thread.

I leave mine in the car with it on and on bright so that ppl will see it and steal it! I need a new one and need an excuse to get one...lol...j/k

Don't be so quick to judge. When I shut off my car, my 200w gives me a warning that it will shut off in 30 seconds unless I push the "stay on" button. I always just puch the "turn off" button. They could have accidentally hit the wrong button and just hopped out of the car. My dome light stays on for a few seconds after leaving the car so the light from the GPS would not be very noticable.

I had a guy tell me his hard luck tale that some guy got into his car and stole about 300 or so cd's and I said 'that's terrible... what did he do break the window?' No he say's ' my car was unlocked' I said 'well at least you know not to do that again' in my head I was thinking 'what a dumb-ass'

lock your s#!t up people
and don't leave GPS units in plain view.
they also look for suction cup marks on the windshields.

I also told people visiting NYC not to walk down Broadway staring up at the skyscrapers, it just screams 'I am a tourist, please rob me'

We all know how BAD it is and that's not the issue.
The big fish always eats the little fish and always will.
Why did people loot and steal in New Orleans?
Because they could...
end of story.

I see this all the time and I finally figured something out, most of the vehicles with the GPS units still on the dash or in plain sight also were rental cars most likely for people on vacation or business folks traveling for business purposes. In that environment they have most likely purchased the damage waiver and really do not care if the whole car goes bye bye because they are covered for it and can just walk away with no damage to them.

On the OTHER side of things, there are those selective folks that just don’t give a damn whether it be for financial reasons or they just feel that they shouldn’t have to be so protective and want to temp fate while living in a world of denial about the world we live in now.

It could be some of both, but I think it's more the latter than the former. And people doing the former had better read their customer agreement contracts very carefully. The damage waiver probably won't get you off the hook if the rental car company figures out that you didn't secure the vehicle and hide the GPS. Mysterious disappearances aren't generally covered by insurance (which I realize, technically, damage waivers by rental car companies are not, but the point stands), because if they were covered in this scenario, obviously, dishonest car-renting customers would just steal the GPS and take it home for their very own.

OTOH, the latter sounds like my father-in-law. He had his car broken into in NYC, with golf clubs stolen out of the car, but every time he comes to visit us here, I still have to remind him to lock his car because, yes, people do break into cars parked in the street or driveway in our town. He always acts like it's a new concept to him that such a thing could occur. Nice to be so trusting, but, c'mon...

Today is a total different era, kids have this to CALL 1-800-4-A-CHILD. and it don't take much for that call.
There was a time when parents discipline by my way or the Highway. today it's the other way around, even for those parents that want to take part.

Like I said you remove the paddle, and you lose your ability to teach, same in the home

First, if this isn't addressing the OP's topic I apologize nuvic320. I think it is related but let me know and if this isn't what you intended for this thread and I'll take these views elsewhere. I do think it is an important topic related to your post.
That being said, I do get the gist of what you are saying BobDee and I commend you for taking charge in your parenting situation. I too am a parent and I see how important it is to be consistent and fair about discipline and starting early is the key. Unfortunately, it seems that there is a systemic laziness/apathy when it comes to today's parents and by the time they want to make an intervention, it is relatively late in the game to become concerned and to begin teaching children when they haven't done that in their early years.
We do indeed live in a different era where corporal punishment is frowned upon but not completely banned. I believe that teachers have no business touching a child. We live in a time where we have to be wary of everyone caring for our children including teachers, relatives and clergy.
After working in the health care environment and an E.R. setting for many years, it is appalling to see how often domestic violence especially to children occurs. Children are our most precious natural resource, they need to be parented and protected to prevent future criminals and low-lives from entering the system and more importantly for us all to thrive.

FACTS ABOUT CHILD ABUSE:

Child molestation remains a crime most often perpetrated by relatives and acquaintances rather than strangers. (United States Department of Justice)
The actual incidence of abuse and neglect is estimated to be 3 times greater than the number reported to authorities. (United States Department of Justice)
More than half the child victims of rape or sexual assault are age 12 or younger. (United States Department of Justice)
Head trauma is the leading cause of death among babies. This included Shaken Baby Syndrome (the manual shaking of a baby in a whiplashing motion). (United States Department of Justice)
More than 3 children die each day as a result of parental maltreatment. (National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse)
An estimated half of all homes with adult violence also involve child abuse or neglect. (United States Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect)

I'd like to believe people are basically good too. However, I try not to temp fate (or those with a weak sense of community).
Last year (2008) there were kids (presumably) in an "upscale" Chicago suburb throwing lit firecrackers into unlocked cars parked in driveways. There's no financial gain in that. Just the "thrill" of damaging someone's property. All of the cars vandalized were unlocked. It was the middle of July, so it must have been leftover fireworks that they didn't get a chance to use to blow themselves up on the 4th.

Gadgetguy, I too, would choose our "flaws" over those of the other societies.

BobDee- I couldn't agree with you more, but don't you think the legitimate owner also has a responsibility, knowing that there are those who will steal for a living, to secure their posessions? I too don't think one should have to lock things up just because of where they are, but the reality is that you do. If you choose not to you're almost certainly going to have it stolen. Almost as if you're "daring" someone to take your posessions.

Those are the ones I can't feel sorry for.

I grew up in Iowa and my Dad never locked his house. In fact, the keyholes were stuffed with tissue to keep the wind from blowing thru.

He always left the keys in the car too. I asked him why one time and he said if someone wanted to steal his car, he would prefer that they not come in the house to get the keys.

But we lived on a farm with the nearest neighbor over a mile away and it made more sense to not lock then. A friend who locked their house had everything stolen while they were gone. The thieves drove to the back of the house, broke the window and loaded the truck up, out of site from the load.

Since I have moved to town, I always lock the house, remove car keys, and remove my gps. If someone wants to come in to get my car keys, they can face my shotgun and decide if its worth it or not.

Thanks for the good points. I will keep my GPS out of site.

I parked next to an SUV with a Nuvi clearly connected to power in the middle of the windshield. Made it even easier to notice since the unit being in an SUV, made it about directly within eye height. Luckily, I suppose, when I came back out the vehicle was gone--without broken glass on the ground--but that's still playing roulette IMHO.