Posted on 01/04/2009 7:43:18 AM PST by NCjim
Tempted to leave that new GPS system in your car? Think you can get away with stashing your laptop behind the seat or your iPod in the glove box?
...
You might as well just leave them on the hood of your car with a "For Free" sign attached. At least you'd save yourself the cost of replacing a shattered car-door window, according to police, insurance agents, glass-repair experts and the legions of folks who've found themselves victims of Seattle's most oft-reported crime — the car prowl.
A two-week snapshot of criminal incidents reported to the Seattle Police Department shows that car prowls, in which windows are smashed and valuables grabbed, are by far the city's most frequently reported crime and that no neighborhood is immune.
In the last two weeks of November, for example, more than 370 car prowls were reported within the city limits, according to SPD statistics.
Experts agree, however, that those numbers represent just the tip of the iceberg, as most people — especially those who have been victimized more than once — don't report the damage and thefts to police or their insurance company.
Why bother, they say.
"There's nothing they can do about it," said David Gill, who lives in the Maple Leaf neighborhood and said his car has been broken into and plundered so many times he's lost count.
...
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.
Nevertheless, he's philosophical about the thefts he can't prevent.
"There are a lot of people around here who need help," he said. "Sometimes, my car is where they find it."
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
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?
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.
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).
What a maroon!
would somebody please give him his sign?
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
Nope—just believe in using common sense. I also lock my house both when I’m away, and when I’m in it!
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
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.
LOL that's the ticket!!
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.
You’re on the wrong thread.
Why?
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.
It's probably going to get much worse as the economy keeps tanking......
people that live in seattle are stupid
I would like to move to your state :o)
Thanks for the input...IF...I ever visit Hawaii again, it won’t be to Oahu.
It's fools like this, believing that ignoring crime is "helping people out", who enable it to flourish.
Crime must be punished, not justified.
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