don't keep valuables in the car

Going way back to when cb radios were the craze I had a very good radio in my car. I changed the door lock knobs to a headless type to prevent theft. Shortly after the radio was stolen and on the way to report it to the police I saw a gang in another car lot breaking into more cars. I told the police and their reply was " yeah they probably are". Needless to say I was furious but the lesson was learned. Forget locking the valuables up. Don't leave anything behind you are not willing to loose.

From the article: "About 99 percent of the vehicles burglarized had not been locked or the windows had been left open, with valuables left in plain sight."

This was also true in a similar situation in the Philly suburbs a few years ago. Crooks go for the easy pickings. Smashing glass attracts attention. They would rather open the door or reach in, grab, and go.

I live in NYC and car radio theft was very high in the 80's. I keep some valuables in the car but hidden from view when parked in the street. Haven't had a problem. Not to say someone still won't break in but if you advertise by leaving a windshield mount on the window, you're just asking for it (and that goes for anywhere these days). Out of sight = out of mind!

I agree with Preroll Out of sight = Out of mind , for over three years my Nuvi260 has been living in the center console of my Altima http://bit.ly/pqecuF I make sure to close the lid before parking and that there is nothing in plain sight inside the car worth stealing.

The police started issuing "safety tickets" around here when they spot what they think is valuable enough in plain sight in your vehicle. There is no fine or anything, but it gets your attention when you get to your vehicle.

Most people think that no one will steal from them in a good neighborhood. They are wrong

to my daughter. "Do not leave valuables in the car". Just two days ago her laptop was stolen out of her vehicle. Thankfully 1k worth of camera/equipment was deeper back in the suv and wasn't noticed. She forgot to lock it up.

We've had similar problems in the past. Sometimes a Neighborhood Watch will work if arrangements are made with the police beforehand. It certainly helps round up the thugs.

As for leaving stuff in plain sight in your vehicles - it's always been a no-no. I never leave anything of value in the car at all.

Fred

It's easy to remove and doesn't leave a ring from the suction cup on the wind shield.

A co-worker lived in bad part of town. He left his little truck unlocked with absolutely nothing in the cab. Prior to that, he had found a broken window on two previous occasions.

63% of all statistics are made up...

But still a good point. Why make it easy. Hide the items and lock the doors and it is unlikely you will be singled out.

While at a hotel overnight, someone didn't have any problem busting out my driver side window and removing the built in radio. 7 cars were hit that night (this was in 2001) and it was later found out that the night crew at the hotel was doing this. Did I get may radio back, NO. Were the thieves sent to jail, NO. Did my insurance pay for anything, NO. That's life !

We had an auto insurance agent in the family who never locked his car when it was parked in a public place or left anything of much value in the car. His reasoning was, as spokybob indicated above, a thief could interpret the locked vehicle as having something of value inside and break a window to gain entrance. The agent's reasoning was that its better to leave the car unlocked and let a thief have free access to something worth only a couple of dollars than to pay to replace a broken window.

Although someone went through his glove compartment and the center console a couple of times, a thief never took anything from his car.

The only thing I have ever had taken from my unlocked vehicle was a small metal box containing some screws. If you shook it, it sounded like it had some change in it. Guess that thief was disappointed when he opened the box.

I keep my car locked and all valuables either removed from the car or out of sight.

I also use the bean bag because the suction cup leaves marks on the windown, that you have to remember to remove, otherwise, it is a big signal to thieves you have something they would like to take from you.

Well, if you must lock it then at least wind down the windows so that they are safely protected inside the door and can't easily be smashed.

The suction cup marks are a dead giveaway, and if they see them how are they to know your GPS is in your pocket and not in the glove box? If you have a GPS that can be locked, at least do that so if anyone does steal it they won't be able to sell it to feed their crack habit. You can swipe my GPS, but there are 10,000 possible PIN numbers you'll have to cycle through.

After having my new Garmin for about a month -- mine was stolen from car. These days, I don't even leave it in the car if I can avoid it.