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moosmom
04-05-2011, 06:10 AM
*rolling eyes, shaking head* WHAT exactly are these people (I think it was kids) looking for??

I don't lock my driver's side door in the winter because I'm afraid they'll freeze. So far my car has been rifled through 3 times!!!! All 3 times, they went through my glove box. I had a couple of boxes of momentos in my back seat that I just retrieved from my cousin's basement. They went through those too! They stole my magnet door sign twice. I now keep it on my fridge and only put it on my car when I'm on assignment. I found my "No More Puppy Mills" protest sign across the street in the gutter. That makes me think it was kids.

I have nothing of value in the car. I'm tempted to put a note on my steering wheel telling them it'll be the 4th time the car has been gone through, and the results will always be the same...GIVE UP ALREADY WILL YA?????:mad::mad:

Medusa
04-05-2011, 06:42 AM
There's something that you can spray on the door locks if they freeze but I don't know the name of it. You might want to look into it, Donna, instead of leaving your door unlocked. Whomever is doing this might do something stupid and you could end up hurt.

moosmom
04-05-2011, 06:44 AM
Since it's Spring, I can now lock my doors. I've tried that lock de-icer and it doesn't work when it's REALLY cold out.

I just don't want to have to place a claim with my insurance company for a broken window.

catnapper
04-05-2011, 08:04 AM
I think its a good thing you didn't lock the car - imagine trying to replace a broken window! I keep my car unlocked now after a couple neighbors had their windows smashed. The only thing they'll get is old CDs that are mostly scratched, a couple pennies, and a stained child's car seat. All theirs for the taking if so inclined :rolleyes:

Karen
04-05-2011, 08:59 AM
I'd be tempted to put an old-fashioned mousetrap in the glovebox!

happylabs
04-05-2011, 09:09 AM
I'd be tempted to put an old-fashioned mousetrap in the glovebox!


Oh yea...love this idea!

Seriously, I lock my doors and I live out in the sticks. My neighbors had some kids go through their vehicles for change and money last summer. The car being locked is a deterrent and they will most likely move on to an easier target. I would rather deal with the frozen door locks. There are products out there to thaw the frozen locks, or, cover them over somehow.

Sorry this happened to you. :(

sasvermont
04-05-2011, 09:23 AM
When I lived in down town Philadelphia, many of us would open our glove compartments showing them empty, then put signs in both side windows, saying no valuables inside. At that time, the creeps were famous for breaking windows to get into the cars. It seemed to help to leave the glove box open. If you have a light in the box, you'll need to take out the bulb, so it doesn't drain the battery.

Donna, I too have problems with frozen locks and nothing works on them except Mother Nature..... I suppose a hair dryer would work too, but think of the extension cord you'd need! :D

Glad you didn't have your window broken.

Freedom
04-05-2011, 09:52 AM
Grr, sorry this happened, Donna.

On the + side, sounds like you had minimum clean up!

Scooter's Mom
04-05-2011, 10:07 AM
I've been told that people are looking for insurance cards. Don't know why, but that's what a police officer friend of mine told us after my brother's car was rifled through as well.

pomtzu
04-05-2011, 10:38 AM
I've been told that people are looking for insurance cards. Don't know why, but that's what a police officer friend of mine told us after my brother's car was rifled through as well.

I wonder why - since the card would have all the info pertinent to that vehicle, and also the plate registration #.

Sas had a good idea - leave the glove box open and put a sign in the window. The mousetrap idea is a good one too.

I live in a rural area, but still lock mine. They are remote locks and don't freeze tho - just the whole door freezes shut after a snow or freezing rain, since the moisture gets in around the door frame and the door.

Donna - just make sure you don't leave any packages, etc, in plain view. The boxes in the back seat probably caught their eye, too.

moosmom
04-05-2011, 06:57 PM
Anything in my car would be of no use to them. That is unless they're desperate for canned cat food and a gazillion cat show ribbons in a rubbermaid bin. They didn't steal my insurance card. And yes, I've heard about that.

Next week it's supposed to be really nice out. I might pull up along side the dumpster and start toss stuff. But then again, I haven't cleaned my car out in 11 year so why start now?

wolfsoul
04-05-2011, 07:24 PM
We don't lock our doors either, because it just makes people more likely to smash the windows if they want in. Have you thought about getting a car alarm? That'd be pretty funny, imagine the shock they'd get, those things are LOUD.

K9karen
04-05-2011, 08:42 PM
When I lived in down town Philadelphia.



Oh yeah? Where? Boy! Has it changed! It's been 8 years since I worked "in the city" and I barely recognize it!

Just curious. Wouldn't it be a riot if I passed you on the street?

Donna, I'm just glad the "damage" wasn't worse. Kids have nothing better to do. Mz Logan's barking scared away someone recently, but not before they stole my brother's broken Sirius radio. Our neighbor said his car was broken into the same night. And it was around 3a!. Wouldn't it be nice if these kids would sit and read a real BOOK or go to a museum instead of taking out their boredom on decent folks? Wishful thinking. I guess your "booty" disappointed them. They probably call you the Crazy Cat Lady!!

moosmom
04-06-2011, 05:37 AM
K9Karen,

I'm SURE it was kids. If it was a pro, they would've already taken the radio or the car.

Wolfsoul,

Believe it or not, I DO have an alarm in the car!! I had to disconnect it after it went off and I couldn't shut it off. THAT was a nightmare!!!

I've talked to a lot of the tenants. Some have alarms, some have just the red light that makes it LOOK like there's an alarm is in it ande it's activated.

Cataholic
04-06-2011, 10:19 AM
I think its a good thing you didn't lock the car - imagine trying to replace a broken window! I keep my car unlocked now after a couple neighbors had their windows smashed. The only thing they'll get is old CDs that are mostly scratched, a couple pennies, and a stained child's car seat. All theirs for the taking if so inclined :rolleyes:

LOL, this is me! Plus a tons of 'trash' from food bags, toys from McDonalds, school papers, coats, mittens, a random cup half filled with something, etc.

moosmom
04-07-2011, 07:50 AM
Boy Johanna, we DO have something in common!!! My car is a rolling trash can. I've got puppy mill protest signs, two bins of momentos, a shovel, alot of STUFF that I have absolutely NO room in my apartment, so they stay in my car till I can organize my closet and cat carriers (I also have 6 carriers crammed in a small closet).

wombat2u2004
04-07-2011, 09:42 AM
Donna, if you have room in your car for a broken lawnmower, I have one I can give you. :p

Cataholic
04-07-2011, 10:24 AM
Cars, to me, serve one purpose- to get us from point A to point B. If they multi-task as a storage unit, its all good.

Marigold2
04-07-2011, 10:48 PM
So sorry to hear this. My husbands car was broken into 5 times at his job. I think the best answer would be a bullet to the head of the jerks but thats just me venting.
Are there camara's by the complex? If you can afford to move I would to a place with a garage.
No one should have to go through this.

ChrisH
04-08-2011, 05:23 AM
Can I use the words 'you're lucky' in comparison. This report is about the village I live in, Ponciau, and is from the middle of March. There was another car set alight last Saturday night.
I don't own a car but I feel desperately sorry for the people who do and have woken up to find their car but a shell.

A TERRIFIED resident has compared his neighbourhood to a war zone after another night of car fires.

Villagers had already suffered more than 15 arson attacks within a couple of months in the Rhos and Ponciau areas and now another two incidents, on Baptist Street, have been reported in one night.

According to one Rhos resident, who did not wish to be named, people are living in fear but are too scared to speak out. Commenting on one of the fires he said: “There was the smell of burning rubber, the bang of an exploding tyre and two more cars burning uncontrollably.

“Beirut, Afghanistan, Libya?

“No, this is the village of Ponciau.

“Yet another hard working family’s life turned upside down.”

He claims the reason the culprits are getting away with it is because there is no deterrent. He said: “Very few ever get caught and when they do magistrates are under orders to show leniency because of overcrowded prisons. We need the help of the police, the magistrates, the lawmakers and the councils to bring back safety and sanity to the outlying villages of Wrexham.”

North Wales Police recorded 17 incidents of vehicles being damaged by fire in the area since the beginning of December until the end of January.

A spokesman said: “The majority of these are so similar that they are being investigated as a series crime. In response to this the local police team put in place an operation to address these offences that includes high visibility patrolling in areas likely to be targeted as well as working closely with partners, especially North Wales Fire and Rescue, to reduce the opportunity for such offences. However, since that time there have been two separate reports of vehicles being damaged by fire, but the method used is so different to the previous incidents that police are confident that these are not linked.”

Cllr Paul Pemberton, who lives in Rhos and represents the Ponciau ward, agrees they are not connected but is now concerned this suggests there is more than one person to blame.

He said: “I’m still very worried. There is no evidence and little forensic information about the culprits so I think we’re going to need to catch them red-handed. I had a meeting with the new community beat manager and he is very keen and has bright new ideas to help tackle the problem.”

http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/100078/villagers-living-in-fear-after-spate-of-car-fires.aspx

wombat2u2004
04-08-2011, 07:47 AM
He claims the reason the culprits are getting away with it is because there is no deterrent. He said: “Very few ever get caught and when they do magistrates are under orders to show leniency because of overcrowded prisons. We need the help of the police, the magistrates, the lawmakers and the councils to bring back safety and sanity to the outlying villages of Wrexham.”

Hang them.

moosmom
04-08-2011, 08:29 AM
Yo Jo!!


Cars, to me, serve one purpose- to get us from point A to point B. If they multi-task as a storage unit, its all good.

Great minds DO think alike!!!!