by "Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
Published 08/12/2017 at 11:30
by "Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
Published 08/12/2017 at 11:30
Tags: car theft
; car crime
; detroit
STARS: 1
My neighbor’s Impala was found again after being stolen a week ago in Detroit. The insurance company totaled the car.
I went with him to retrieve personal belongings out of it as it sat at a towing facility. His daughter had been driving it the night that it was taken, and came back out to the parking lot to find the car gone. Apparently she liked to leave the key in the console while carrying the key fob separately to lock/unlock the doors. This meant that all the thief had to do was break in:
The police managed to apprehend a suspect, who claims that the driver had offered him the keys in exchange for drugs. (...and yet felt the need to poke a hole in the door anyway?)
But the door damage isn’t what totaled the car. This is:
Some personal items were missing from inside (CDs, etc.). But there were some new additions in their place. We found a baby bottle on the floor, and even a whole car seat in the trunk. Looks like somebody’s childhood is off to a rough start.
"atfsgeoff" (atfsgeoff)
08/12/2017 at 11:40, STARS: 2
I leave my doors unlocked with nothing of value in the cabin. I’d rather a drug addict rummage through some pens and loose change in the console than break a window or door lock and rummage through some pens and loose change in the console.
If I lived in Detroit, I’d probably also rig a hidden ignition kill switch as extra insurance against theft of the whole car.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
08/12/2017 at 11:50, STARS: 2
2nd one this week on Oppo. Both with keys somewhat available to the thief. Not to victim blame but don’t make it easy for them.
Do you know where it was stolen from?
"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
08/12/2017 at 11:52, STARS: 1
My dad and brother will leave their car/truck unlocked with the key in the ignition at home. It’s so dumb. Im pretty sure in Michigan if someone steals your car and the me keys are in it they don’t have to give you anything. I lock mine every time, even if it’s in the garage.
"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
08/12/2017 at 12:00, STARS: 0
My neighbor didn’t say. I got the sense that it happened at some restaurant, or maybe a theater, something like that.
"wafflesnfalafel" (wafflesnfalafel1)
08/12/2017 at 12:58, STARS: 0
That’s exactly what I do as well. After paying to get windows, door locks, etc fixed I just started leaving everything unlocked and basically nothing in the cars. The only thing I’ve lost in the last several years is an old set of rusty cheap cable snow chains. They are going to get in if they want to - this way there is no break in damage.
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
08/12/2017 at 13:02, STARS: 0
Did the police do a PIT maneuver on it?
"atfsgeoff" (atfsgeoff)
08/12/2017 at 13:18, STARS: 0
Precisely. The big issue I have currently is that I do keep a toolbox with some moderately expensive tools in it in the trunk, and with my current car (2006 Zephyr), there is no way to disable the dashboard trunk release button. I’ve been brainstorming ways of securing my toolbox in a reasonable and convenient fashion, but don’t have a solution yet.
On the plus side, the toolbox is about 40 years old and well worn, so it doesn’t look like anything lucrative to steal. You’d have to be a mechanic to really know that the stuff inside is worth having.
"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
08/12/2017 at 18:22, STARS: 0
I wonder.