Car prowls becoming Seattle headache

Seattle Times ^ | January 4, 2009 | Christine Clarridge

[OA5599]

If they are stupid enough to leave valuables in plain view, it looks to me like they don’t have a lot to complain about when their car is vandalized and their stuff is stolen.

Sounds like you have more beef with the property owner than the thief. So you think that people should only respect your property if you hide it?

[Clemenza]

Car break-ins were a major problem when I was living in Seattle. Luckily, I my own controlled access parking space. I seem to recall that the biggest problem was with Seattle’s large population of homeless junkies.

[Koblenz]

A man who lives in a big house on Federal Avenue East near Volunteer Park and has been a car-prowl victim several times said he tries to remember to bring everything he values inside with him at the end of the day.

If my car were repeatedly broken into, I'd be as angry as hell, and I'd retaliate. One thing I'd is start baking bread, and leaving it in my car. However, when I made the dough, I'd use heavy rubber gloves, and add in rat poison. It would make the person who stole and ate it very sick.

(This was an element in the book Fist of God by Frederick Forsyth: it's not my idea).

[Mom MD]

What a maroon!

[Mom MD]

would somebody please give him his sign?

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

"There are a lot of people around here who need help," he said. "Sometimes, my car is where they find it."

Typical Seattle attitude, why doesn't he just leave his car windows down? At least he'd save the repair charge.

I can't picture what a "poor homeless" person is going to use a GPS navigation system for, perhaps find his lost shopping cart full of aluminum cans?

Regards,
GtG

[basil]

Nope—just believe in using common sense. I also lock my house both when I’m away, and when I’m in it!

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

In the part of Maryland where I used to live, on a couple of occasions, I’ve returned to my vehicle after leaving it in a parking lot for several hours, only to find that I had accidentally left it unlocked and everything that I had left in it was still there.

I live in a rural area in SE Wisconsin, it is not unusual to visit our nearest small town to do a bit of shopping and find empty cars sitting in the parking lot with the engines running. This is more typical in the winter but happens most any time of year. The strange thing is that it is a ticketable offense and can get you a citation and fine but nobody seems to worry too much.

Regards,
GtG

[OA5599]

I hear you and do the same. But wouldn’t be nice if we didn’t have to? I swear I am going to end up getting locked up for blowing a thief’s head off one day.

[Nuc1]

Leave an I pod wired to a fully charged high voltage capacitor that discharges when touched.

LOL that's the ticket!!

[basil]

You wouldn’t get locked up for defending yourself or your property in my state. I love our Castle Doctrine law here—can be sued by the surviving members of the perp’s family, either.

[citizen]

You’re on the wrong thread.

[narses]

Why?

[Eva]

Locks don’t mean anything to these people, if they want the change on your dash board, they just cut out the locks. One business trip that my husband took to Seattle, he had his computer case, without the computer, stolen from his hotel room (actually, the Athletic Club), he reported it and they found it the same day, on top of a coke machine. Then, he continued to Tacoma, and had his day planner stolen from his car. They cut out the lock and took that and rifled his gym bag, and tore apart the glove compartment. The idiots evidently thought that they could use his frequent flyer cards , because that was all that was in the planner besides phone numbers.

[basil]

Good grief! Stay safe, stay armed!

It's probably going to get much worse as the economy keeps tanking......

[ezo4]

people that live in seattle are stupid

[ezo4]

I would like to move to your state :o)

[basil]

You're only welcome if you're a conservatist, can get a job , and speak English--LOL! If you fit all the criteria, come on down to the Lone Star State!

[FrankR]

Thanks for the input...IF...I ever visit Hawaii again, it won’t be to Oahu.

[TChris]

"There are a lot of people around here who need help," he said. "Sometimes, my car is where they find it."

It's fools like this, believing that ignoring crime is "helping people out", who enable it to flourish.

Crime must be punished, not justified.