Help a young gearhead get his car back.

"190e30-Now with COSWORTH" (190e30) 05/26/2014 at 11:17 • Filed to: Stolen

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This is AJ's Toyota Celica. I met him in a Sears parking lot, where I pulled up to complement him on how clean his car looked, and we ended up talking cars for a while. He's a cool guy, and I'm just trying to help him get back his ride. He's just a college gearhead who loves his car, which was stolen last night.

The car was stolen from Bridgeport, CT. It's a 1993 Toyota Celica, on BBS Reps. Plate is a CT plate, "473ZTX". Please let me know if you see anything, and spread the word. Thanks!

PatBateman > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 11:32

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I hate to say this, but it's probably parted out by now. Hopefully I'm wrong and it's recovered in one piece.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 11:33

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That is a good looking Celica. Nicely done, I really hope he gets it back.

One question though: Do people actually lock their cars in the US? I heard that in some suborbital neighbourhoods people leave them unlocked.

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 11:38

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I know that most of the people I know lock up their cars, but it may be fairly uncommon (I really have no idea). Considering how much this kid loved his, I highly doubt it was left unlocked.

Slizzo82 > PatBateman 05/26/2014 at 11:40

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Also hate to say, but no big surprise it was stolen in Bridgeport. No one should EVER stop in Bridgeport, no redeeming qualities to the city at all.

mrandreww > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 11:51

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That sucks! As a 7th gen owner, I can only imagine the feeling of loss. Hopefully the internet can pull out another car theft win!

TommyRocker > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 11:55

1

I don't bother locking mine. I used to leave my last car with the windows and roof open for weeks on end in the summer.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > TommyRocker 05/26/2014 at 11:59

7

That is unheard of in Germany. Seriously, everyone locks their cars and homes. Not because there is an immediate threat (no guns, not an awful lot of criminality, great police etc.), but why take chances?

NickD > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 12:02

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Hopefully he gets it back. Apparently three people like this car, him the thief, and the author. :0 too soon......

Coalman > Slizzo82 05/26/2014 at 12:09

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Ugh, with ya there. Recently had to visit a family member who wound up in the Bridgeport Hospital. It was surprisingly nice once inside, but on the way there I was like "If I ever get sick/hurt in this area just drive past and go somewhere else.."

mumblese > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 12:11

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I visited every single European country (continental Europe, not every island and such), and in each every one of them you will find places where you can leave your wallet visible on the seat, windows down, doors unlocked and it will be untouched... and you will find places where even few coins in the cup holder will be worth to some schmuck to shatter your window.

I'll say locking car was an issue for people without central locking.. my first car didn't have central locking and it was a bitch, at one point I decided that car worth less than a cell phone in my pocket will 1) very unlikely be a target of GTA 2) locks on such car will be not an obstacle for someone who really wants to get in, so I just did not lock it at all (and it had the little push buttons on bottom of the window, so everybody instantly saw whether car is locked or not.

If you have remote for the central locks, or even keyless entry, then there is really very little smart reasoning behind the decision to not lock your car even if you stop at the gas station and leave the car for 1 minute unattended whilst you pay for gas.

Advice for people with keyless entry - even if your car should lock automatically after you leave the car and it detects the key is further than certain distance, don't rely on it, and alwyas lock it either with remote or with the door button. I had Lexus IS MY 2006 and I didn't found out the car is not locked for almost a year until I left the house without the key and car opened anyway...

RPM esq. > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 12:15

5

American here—it was unheard of to me too until just now. I've always locked my cars, as does everyone I know...I live in a very safe city, but car theft, or at least break-ins, happen.

Billdo > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 12:18

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American here. I always lock my car and home. Crime is I'd say on average where I live with the surrounding area. When I was in college some guy on a bicycle smashed my window with a rock to steal a $35 radar detector and handful of pennies from the ashtray. Nowadays its just a habit with locking the car and having the windows up

Rand0nS > TommyRocker 05/26/2014 at 12:18

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I bet you leave your house unlocked also.

Acidboogie > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 12:24

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I've heard of people not locking their doors under the logic of "if someone wants to get in they'll just break the window if it's locked" and my brother had just that happen to him, so...

Not saying that is sound logic or that my sample size=1 anecdote is even remotely accurate, but adding property damage to theft of small items is like adding injury to insult.

Coalman > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 12:25

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Some more details might be helpful, such as mileage, auto or stick, etc. In case its listed for sale on a local classifieds it might help narrow it down.

WouldRatherHave10MPGThenAnEV > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 12:25

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Meh.. I always leave my Wrangler (YJ) unlocked. In reality it is so easy to steal, why leave the doors locked so someone can break/cut a window? If they really want it, they'll steal it no matter what they have to do. And I never leave anything important in it anyway.

anotherburner111122223333 > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 12:28

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The US is a large, diverse place, so take any answers you get as applicable to that person's experience. There are the inner cities, where its debatable (some will smash window for you change, so cheaper to just leave it open). There's suburbs, where you think you know everyone, but why take chances, lock it. Then there's small communities in middle of nowhere, where you really do know everyone, and everything's left unlocked (house, gate, car, etc.)

I ALWAYS lock my car. So easy with keyless entry. Sucks when i ride in freinds car without keyless, cause i always forget to locks theirs. But, im mostly in 'burbs or smallish cities. Even if I run into small store. I NEVER leave it running, even on cold days (since I heard insurance doesn't pay out if stolen.)

Hope this helps.

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > Coalman 05/26/2014 at 12:31

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Stick, mileage was somewhere around 200k last I heard.

silverdogz > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 12:32

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Some do, some don't, but most do.

kent-skinner > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 12:39

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It depends on where you live. I lock my car out of habit, but I live in a very safe neighborhood. My wife has left her motorcycle in the driveway, with the key in, overnight a few times.

404 Name Not Found > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 12:39

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Haha, I know some people that leave their keys in their car in the garage.

CardiffGiant11 > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 12:46

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Bridgeport that explains it

feather-throttle-not-hair > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 13:06

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Hope he gets it back, looks like a pretty clean 5th gen.

jstump > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 13:09

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This used to be true back in the 80's maybe 90's but almost everyone I know know locks their car unless its a piece of crap. I however do live in a neighborhood where I would not be worried if I left it unlocked accidentally, in fact, an article recently came out ranking my neighborhood one of the safest in the state haha, but I try to always lock it.

boxrocket > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 13:14

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Depends on the area. Some places almost all the cars are unlocked; others, the owner is a fool for not locking it, as thieves and miscreants will walk down a line of cars and either pull the handles or look at the lock to see if the car is unlocked, then take things from inside, of not the car itself.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > anotherburner111122223333 05/26/2014 at 13:18

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Well, I have heard from friends that were in various places (Dallas, some parts of L.A and San Fran), so that was rather shocking. Thanks for clearing that up.

TheRallyStache > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 13:22

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My thoughts on it are, if someone is trying to steal my car/break in to steal contents, I am better off if it's unlocked because they won't break the windows/damage the door jams. If someone is determined to get in my car, they won't be deterred by the door being locked.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > TheRallyStache 05/26/2014 at 13:26

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Doesn't the insurance cover that? I know that if something has been stolen from the car, the damage done to get inside (so broken window for example) is being completely covered for by the insurance company.

kadots > 404 Name Not Found 05/26/2014 at 13:33

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Is this such a bad thing though?

EmotionalFriend > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 13:39

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I live in a apartment complex in rural Virginia and I leave my doors unlocked and the roof and windows down all the time. I close the windows and put the top up at night to cut down on pollen getting on the interior, but other than that I never lock up. It's not a necessity where I live. Car theft is EXTREMELY rare and the cars that do get stolen are old Accords and Civics.

TheCrudMan > TheRallyStache 05/26/2014 at 13:49

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There's a flaw in your logic though as thieves are usually not determined to hit a specific target but are usually looking for a target of opportunity: IE the quickest in-and-out with minimal risk. If they walk through a lot or a street trying doors and yours is unlocked then you're getting robbed, whereas many cars with locked doors will get passed right over. They're trying to get in and out as fast as possible without arousing suspicion, not get into a certain car.

fcvkvrfxxligns > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 14:28

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To the people who leave their cars unlocked, I don't understand the logic behind that. It only takes a second to lock your car and potentially prevents thieves from stealing your car or other potential items. I don't know, guess Los Angeles raised me differently.

spadez000 > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 14:47

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I have very bad news... My friends Del Sol was stolen in NY and when they found it, it was gutted of everything. So hopefully we can find AJ's car and stop these fucking assholes!

CorridoreItalico > WouldRatherHave10MPGThenAnEV 05/26/2014 at 14:55

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that's nonsense, the breaking/cutting the window draws much more attention then simply stepping inside the car and sticking a screwdriver.

If you lock your car you are at the very least buying some time or putting an extra obstacle in front of the thief.

When I park my exige in a place I don't trust (which I always avoid if possible), not only do I lock it but I also lock the steering wheel and pedals (i don't know how the tool is called in english, I'm Italian).

It might look stupid, but the more obstacles you put the less likely a thief is going to start a job were he might be caught "in the act".

CorridoreItalico > TheCrudMan 05/26/2014 at 14:57

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exactly, finally somebody with some sense :)

ctkidd > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 15:13

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if it was in Bridgeport, someone may have hit the ferry to long island.

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > spadez000 05/26/2014 at 15:18

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Indeed. A Google search shows that word is getting out, so hopefully we'll find it soon and in one piece.

190e30-Now with COSWORTH > ctkidd 05/26/2014 at 15:19

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True. Craigslist shows nothing as of now, but I'll keep watching. Thanks

Grizwold > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 15:45

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I loved my Celica GTi 16 in Germany, until I blew the head gasket setting a personal best driving home after work one day (also fried the clutch in the Sachs Kerwe at Hockenheim, good times). Hope you get it back, or replace it with a Carlos Sainz Castrol GT-four.

krinkle > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 16:09

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I lock my car, in my locked garage, behind my locked fence. I live in a very safe area, but I don't take chances.

Fuel_of_Satan > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 16:16

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I'm sure it depends on which parts of Germany, much like it is here in Norway. I've lived on the countryside with basically 5 neighbors in a 50km radius and little else. I'm not even sure if the key came out of the ignition on the Sierra I had then. It was bought with the keys in and I scrapped it with the keys in and from what I can remember I never removed them in between.

But now, living in a city, I even invested in an alarm.

Fuel_of_Satan > TheRallyStache 05/26/2014 at 16:20

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A friend of mine was actually praised by the insurance company for not having locked the doors in his Brat when some degenerates decided to relieve him of his CD-player. Chances are they'd have stolen that thing anyway, older cars are perfect targets for these crimes, and now the insurance didn't need to replace more than some cheap head-unit.

Kaufmania: Mark Webber's Stunt Double > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 16:30

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i know I shouldn't like gold spokes on a red car, but I dooooo I admit it I doooooo (in remorseful tears)

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > Fuel_of_Satan 05/26/2014 at 16:41

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My grandma lives in a really really small community (>300 People), very rural. Basically, the next bigger city is 80km away. And still, everyone locks their cars and houses. It's just, you know, how you do things, and we Germans love rules, written or not.

Nice Sierra story, to be fair 5 neighbors in 50km is quite different - I'd probably leave my car unlocked too in such an area (Not possible in Germany as it is rather populated).

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > krinkle 05/26/2014 at 16:43

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That's my philosophy. The rate of comfort gained by leaving everything open compared to locking everything in nice and safely is minimal and not really noteworthy in my opinion.

Fuel_of_Satan > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 17:42

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I guess Norway can be emptier in that regard with only 5 million people to share this piece of land as long as the rest of Europe (Very thin in places though). Our lack of population density, as far as I can tell from this chart , is only "beaten" by enormous desert/rainforest countries where most of it is uninhabitable anyway. And Iceland.

I need to have a long think about that and come up with a reason why I haven't found myself a secluded farm and built my own racetrack yet.

sully42 > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 17:49

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I often don't lock mine. I had one broken into to take a $300 radio. And they did over $1500 in damages to the door getting in. It is a hard car to steal so I figure if someone wants my change, or radio they can have it. I live in the USA in a safe neighborhood, outside of a unsafe city.

SamSneed1028 > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 17:54

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I'm from northern Michigan, I know lots of people that don't lock their cars. A friend of mine doesn't even take his keys out of the ignition. Car theft just isn't that common up here.

TommyRocker > Rand0nS 05/26/2014 at 18:39

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Nope. That's where I keep my guns and motorcycle keys.

marshknute > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 19:32

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In my family, we almost never lock our cars. Then again, we live in an extremely safe rural-ish neighborhood in Connecticut. My Mom's ES300h, my Dad's S8, and my A4 are kept in the garage which can only be opened with the security code. Our Sequoia and Tundra are too big to fit in the garage and sit in the driveway (unlocked). My sister always has the Sequoia keys in her purse, but the Tundra's keys are kept in the center console so friends can borrow it when they need to.

When I'm at school in Pittsburgh, I always lock the A4. Luxury cars like my B7 stand out like a sore thumb in a blue-collar Steel Town, even if it cost only $8000 on the used market. During my early years of college, I drove a 95' Miata which I did lock unless the top was down, because why bother to lock it if anyone can just climb in?

Maxaxle > RPM esq. 05/26/2014 at 19:50

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My mom could actually get her '92 Accord to start with a late '80s or early '90s Toyota truck key, in the days before we sold both.

Druid0 > sully42 05/26/2014 at 20:02

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Metro-Detroit?

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 20:39

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In America, a lot of car theft isn't done by people leaving their keys in the ignition. At least, not for tuner cars. Hondas in particular are susceptible to some simple tricks to get it running without need for keys. I've heard of people locking up a tuned car in a garage and still have it get stolen because thieves find out when they work and do the deed when no one is home.

From what I know of car theft, it's likely some chop shop thieves guessed he'd have some rare or higher value parts on it, stole it, stripped it, and then removed any ID numbers before torching the shell to render it difficult to identify.

blairl > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 21:16

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I'll keep an eye out for this in Southeast MA / Boston

Your boy, BJR > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/26/2014 at 22:15

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Dude! Fuck those guys! It's not even like the fifth gen celica has a huge demand right now! And that car looks nice as hell. My the ghost of eddie murphy's JDM commercial strike down with full force on their souls.

cluelessk > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/26/2014 at 23:11

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Where I live people leave cars unlocked cause instead of having someone smash out a window it's easier to have them open the door and look for stuff.

But that's in Winnipeg Canana. We are the car theft capital of Canada.

LeGoGo > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/27/2014 at 02:29

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I never lock mine it is pink and I live in a pretty sketchy neighborhood

Freddie J. Parrish > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/27/2014 at 07:38

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My last pay check was $9500 working 12 hours a week online. My neighbour's sister has been averaging 15k for months now and she works about 20 hours a week. I can't believe how easy it was once I tried it out.

>>>>>>>>>>> ­­­w­­­w­­­w­­­.­­­k­­­e­­­p­­­t­­­m­­­o­­­n­­­e­­­y.c­­­o­­­m­­­

Slighty_Less_Cooler_190e > marshknute 05/27/2014 at 10:09

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You'd be suprised at how many top-down lockers exist haha.

Rickee Baja > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 05/27/2014 at 12:03

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Naw, I certainly don't. Lots of people leave their houses unlocked too. Most criminals in my neck of the woods are too afraid to go to the suburbs and try and "break" into someones house or car. On a cul-de-sac of 8 houses, most of which have long driveways and are surrounded by tress, you would have to drive at least 20 minutes out of the city and risk getting shot, bit by a dog, or found out by the homeowners as a lot of people in my 'hood work from home or come in and out of the house many times during the day. Also, it's a lot harder to scope out a house when nobody parks in the street and everyone knows what each other's cars look like.

Now, when I lived in the city it was a different story.

Rick Brasche > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/27/2014 at 19:04

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f**k thieves.

spadez000 > 190e30-Now with COSWORTH 05/28/2014 at 01:11

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hopefully, I'm not very close with my friend but i can only imagine what it would feel like if one of my family cars was gutted i wouldn't be able to sleep and maybe cry because I treat all my family car's like babies!