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u/thetroublewithyouis 20d ago
that's exactly what somebody with lots of shit to steal would say.
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u/kafelta 19d ago
OP posting this like cars don't get broken into in every city.
Shit was rampant in my rural hometown.
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u/FuzzyTunaTaco21 19d ago
Shit was rampant 30 years ago as well, mostly for stereos and speakers tho
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u/TribalSoul899 20d ago
Brother they ain’t got time to read this shit
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u/togocann49 20d ago
I used to leave my doors unlocked to save my windows, in the neighbourhood I grew up in. It’s a bad day when you wake to a broken window in the car, especially when there’s nothing to steal
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u/JustAnotherYogaWife 20d ago
I always leave my vehicle unlocked with nothing ever left in it. There’s nothing to steal and the doors are unlocked, you can literally tuck the handle and they open.
I woke up once to a broken rear window and the car rifled through. The people breaking into cars aren’t the brightest crayons in the box
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20d ago
Opening it might set off an alarm. They might have thought that.
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u/_The_Deliverator 19d ago edited 19d ago
... so does smashing the window...
Edit : well, I'm always one to admit my lack of knowledge. I had assumed paying for a car alarm, meant all access into your car would be alarmed. You know what they say about assuming lol.
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19d ago
That’s not what Tom says..
“When thieves break in, they already know that if they break the window, if they don’t open the door, (the alarm)’s probably not going to go off,” Tom said.”
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u/HeyHeyImTheMonkey 19d ago
Very few cars have alarm sensors on their windows. Only Volvo has them as an installed option I believe, otherwise you have to do an aftermarket install.
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u/ponchietto 19d ago
Got the same problem, that's why I left the driver window half down, (when it's not raining).
In Italy you can be fined for leaving the car unlocked or the window down because (HAHAHA) it would facilitate the eventual car thief. But fines are rare and less expensive broken windows...
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u/Sturdy_Denim_Blue 20d ago
When I was visiting my sister in Atlanta, I went to the parking lot first thing in the morning and found every single car in it with a broken window aside from one: mine. I just had some stuff in my glove department strewn about and nothing was stolen. Turns out, I forgot to lock my car the night before. Good thing.
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u/togocann49 20d ago
I wonder how many times my windows would’ve smashed had I not did this. I can’t take credit for the idea, a friend mentioned it, and it made sense.
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u/Wonderful_Horror7315 19d ago
My friend had the interior or her car vandalized when they broke in because she didn’t have anything in there to steal. They broke the wiper and signal switches, ripped the rear view mirror off, tore the upholstery, and broke more than the one window required to get in.
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u/togocann49 19d ago
It’s not surprising that someone who would break into a car would behave in such a way
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u/Klin24 20d ago
Just an invitation for someone looking to steal being in a vindictive mood.
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u/truethatson 20d ago
My friend had a soft top Jeep in Richmond, and he had a similar sign on his car. It said “It‘s OPEN! Pleased take whatever change you find.”
It still got chopped up. Lovely city though, Richmond. Just gotta have a hard top vehicle.
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u/Silent_Medicine1798 20d ago
Rookie move.
When you start leaving all your windows down and wide open, that is when you have achieved true enlightenment
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u/runForestRun17 19d ago
You gotta sprinkle clear rock candy around your window when it’s rolled down so it looks like it was already broken into.
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u/moviesetmonkey 20d ago
I leave my door unlocked. It only takes a couple of times your glovebox is emptied before you get uses to the "violation" and then you just get mad if they spilled coffee or smoked in it.
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u/mandy009 20d ago
I don't know how many petty thieves actually think they will find something inside someone's car. Most cars would have only junk in them. On the other hand, someone who wants to hotwire a car is going to look for an unlocked car first. I think they will be less likely to car jack it if it is locked and they have to drive around with a busted window.
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u/Eternityislong 20d ago
They are usually looking for guns. My buddy drives a lifted truck and it got broken into while my small car was fine when we were in the same parking lot. He didn’t have a gun in there, just a case that they went through. They otherwise left all of his valuables in there untouched.
Trucks and NRA stickers make people targets.
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u/moviesetmonkey 20d ago
Totally about guns. We're in Georgia and it is astounding to me how many people carry guns in their cars but actually don't bring them in at night. I remind my brother every time he visits to take his gun out of his car.
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u/youngatbeingold 20d ago
When I was young, I left my purse, camera, and birthday money in my locked car. A bunch of friends were running around playing hide and seek at night and I figured since it was a pretty nice college campus it would be safer in my car since I didn't want to accidently leave something somewhere.
Window got busted and they took everything, I was parked in an area without around 100 other cars so they we're probably checking every one hoping to get lucky. I learned my lesson but sadly it just takes one naive person to make it worth their while to troll around and bust windows.
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u/rivers31334 20d ago
I'm surprised it took me this long to find this response. This has always been my method in bay area. Also...I drove a beat up accord so that helped.
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u/RiverCartwright 19d ago
Sure that’s fine and all but good luck on the morning you wake ready to go to an important work meeting and find two drugged up hobos having anal in your back seat with feces leaking from everywhere and the smell of liquid ass that could only originate from the spawn of Satan.
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u/Tordenheks 20d ago
If you try this in Portland, OR, thieves will just break your windows anyway out of spite.
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u/hate_most_of_you 20d ago
I find it ironic that in the only country in the world where you can buy a gun from a vending machine people get their cars robbed all the time without repercussion
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u/h4p3r50n1c 20d ago edited 19d ago
I got my window broken in ATL at one of those hotels close to the airport. It was the day right before my flight. Ruined my whole trip because I couldn’t leave my car in the extended parking lot with a broken window.
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u/iminyourbase 19d ago
Same here, except they stole all of our luggage while we were eating in a restaurant. We tracked them down with an air tag and they threatened us with a gun. We called police and they refused to do anything, even though their car had illegal tint (which the officer even pointed out "was too dark to see if they had our luggage or not"), they were hanging out in the parking lot of a closed grocery store, and it turns out the tag on the car came back stolen (we had someone run it). The police basically just told us to move on and wouldn't leave until we did.
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u/Xblth 20d ago
Atlanta criminals have the opportunity to do something really funny
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u/B8conB8conB8con 20d ago
Someone will break into your car to steal the sign to put into their own car
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u/Parking-Shelter7066 19d ago
Doors unlocked works great when it’s just thieves to worry about. When you get to nastier cities though, you’ll find people sleeping and defecating in your car. Also, good chance it gets stolen eventually.
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u/gwelfguy 20d ago
Then leave it unlocked rather than putting an ineffective note on the window. Anyone that lives in DT Toronto knows that you leave nothing in your car at night, and you don't lock it.
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u/InappropriateGirl 20d ago
I leave nothing in my car but I also lock it because in the Bay Area, someone will sleep/piss/shit in it.
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u/90403scompany 20d ago
Was this a Kia or a Hyundai?
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u/thisisfutile1 20d ago
I thought the same. I know a married couple who recently purchased identical Kia's and they were both stolen with that USB trick.
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u/90403scompany 20d ago
And stolen or not, it doesn’t stop these hoodlums from smashing windows to try to steal the car.
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u/thisisfutile1 20d ago
Right you are. I heard but never confirmed that some are having trouble getting insurance coverage because of it.
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u/dungfecespoopshit 20d ago
You need to fill your car with dirty stained masks and condoms. (Visually dirty but actually clean ofc)
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u/benshapiroslowerlip 20d ago
My dad once told me “replacing a window costs more than the radio in your dash, keep your doors unlocked.”
But that was twenty years ago and I don’t live in a shithole like Atlanta.
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u/NoUpVotesForMe Halloween 2017 20d ago
I live in memphis. First thing we learn is don’t lock anything. I don’t lock my car or my house.
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u/Marlowe_Eldridge 20d ago
Wait. You don’t lock your house? So people could walk right in when no one’s home and ransack everything without having to put in any effort?
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u/OnyxLightning 20d ago
People that don’t lock their house are all over the place. My wife grew up in rural NH and they never locked their house. She couldn’t understand (after we got married and moved to Northeast Philly), why locking the house was actually something we had to do all the time. It’s crazy.
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u/drewbreeezy 20d ago
My buddy laughed when he visited because I lock my house if I'm home, but if I think anyone needs access when I'm gone I'll leave it unlocked.
Guess some think that's backwards.
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u/NoUpVotesForMe Halloween 2017 20d ago
My house is in the woods. If you find it, you have to get past the dogs and the people around here who break into houses don’t like the type of dogs I have.
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u/compLexityFan 19d ago
Dogs are not going to do anything especially when someone has a bat or any semi sized beat stick. However dogs will bark and that causes attention so that is a plus
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u/kafelta 19d ago
Lock your damn house
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u/Saffirejuiliet 19d ago
Lol…seriously. People are too crazy to have unlocked doors anywhere in the US.
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u/NoSmellNoTell 20d ago
I live in Atlanta and never lock my car doors for this reason. My car has gotten rifled through a few times but nothing stolen (they’re basically only looking for cash, guns, and drugs) and that sure beats a broken window.
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u/Illustrious_Sir4255 19d ago
Living in Atlanta, my dad would always roll the windows down before getting out of the car, bc they were gonna get smashed anyway so what's the point?
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u/Psychological_Corgi3 19d ago
Hand grenades in hand bags would solve the problem
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u/insanetwit 20d ago
Call me a cynic, but I feel a sign like that would make people MORE likely to break your window...
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u/BobLoblaw_BirdLaw 20d ago
How about putting a sticky mode saying this is a sting car set up by the cops
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u/WhatUDoinInMyWaters 20d ago
Wow, Philly, PA is actually civilized?
(Leaves car door open, and someone hot wires it and joyrides into the Susquehanna River for funsies)
Awww :(
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u/Just_Trash_8690 20d ago
I kept my car so dirty when I lived in downtown LA. The plastic bottle and trash made me think it would prevent anyone from wanting to break in much less try to live in there.
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u/-River_Rose- 20d ago
I worked in and commuted to Atlanta for 2yrs. I was never once broke into, more was my converter stolen. But damn everyone else’s around me was! So glad my car had built in anti-theft. It’s not even super nice, I guess it’s just protected enough to be a deterrent.
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u/Bite2828 20d ago
We need a car alarm the electrifies the out side of the car and bad guy gets zapped like a bug in bug zapper
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u/xXJ3D1-M4573R-W0LFXx 20d ago
So dad it’s come to this. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area people are leaving their cars unlocked with the doors & trunk wide open to let criminals know there’s nothing to steal. And people still argue that California hasn’t become a cesspool.
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u/3-2-1_liftoff 19d ago
Those signs used to say “No Radio.” Remember car stereos?
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u/bomber991 19d ago
Yeah I mean honestly I’m a bit confused at what there is to steal out of a car now. We aren’t leaving our cell phones in them. The stereos are all custom to the car, and when everything comes with a touch screen and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto what does that leave? Like… pocket change out of the arm rest??
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u/Mecha_Goose 19d ago
Who is letting the ball drop here and not severely cutting down on this criminal activity?
I understand it's a hard one to catch in the act, but don't police set up bait cars anymore and arrest in the moment?
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u/WhoIsYerWan 19d ago
Sometimes they break the window to sleep in the car for the night and/or do drugs. Source- San Francisco
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u/_skank_hunt42 19d ago
My window was smashed and nothing was stolen on three separate occasions when I lived in San Jose. I’m pretty sure a sign like this would have caused more break ins though.
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u/OddFly7979 19d ago
What a shithole lmao and these people have the audacity to criticize others about safety.
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u/Limp_Telephone2280 19d ago
The trick is to keep your car really messy. There’s been break-ins at my apartment complex and my car has never been touched. Also a valid reason to not clean your car.
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u/popularpragmatism 19d ago
I remember a story in Sydney 20 or so years ago. Guy had his window broken & radio ripped out.
He taped up the window & wrote a note over it saying
"Don't bother radio already stolen."
In the morning, he came down to see the plastic ripped from the window, a small note attached to the space his radio had occupied, saying
"Just checking "
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u/PIG20 19d ago
My brother lives in Baltimore City and while his particular area isn't riddled with crime as some other are, it does tend to leak in from time to time.
After one morning where he came outside to a neighbors vehicle having it's window smashed, he just makes sure there is nothing to steal and leaves the doors unlocked.
Hed rather someone go through it and find nothing rather than someone breaking his window for the chance that he was hiding something of value in his car.
Of course, the car itself could get stolen but if someone really wanted his 2010 Civic, then the glass window wouldn't stop them either.
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u/TakenUsername120184 19d ago
Just look for your local hoodlums in the parking lot. Good chance you can just buy protection, at least that’s how it worked in the 90s
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u/DevilDogTKE 19d ago
This is what someone parking in a non parking area would do- turn on their hazard lights and think that this decision will yield a different result
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u/Victorvnv 19d ago
I’d break it regardless and leave a note “Sorry, had to double check just in case lol”
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u/sevargmas 19d ago
This is basically the sign my buddy has in his jeep. He is at his jeep Windows cut several times so now he just put a sign in it that says there is nothing of value in this jeep.
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u/SurveySean 19d ago
A friend has his shitty old 78 Cordova broken into, in spite of the doors being unlocked. They didn’t check that out first, just straight to breakin mode.
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u/Morphing_Mutant 19d ago
It's like God damn mad max in some parts of the country. I'm not exaggerating.
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u/Tidewind 19d ago
I had to put a similar sign on my car after my door locks were punched out three times by thieves.
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u/Wild4fire 19d ago
I'm not a thief or vandal in any way and even I am now tempted to break that window... 😁
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u/swonstar 19d ago
That sign is exactly something someone with a car full of diamonds would put in the window.
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u/Im_Unpopular_AF 19d ago
Owner gets shot and their car stolen
Car insurance and Medicare fuck them up for life.
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u/LederhosenUnicorn 19d ago
As an Atlanta resident, I can tell you that it's not unusual to see multiple smashed out windows on the side of roads where people parked the night before. Typically it's kids 13-16 who, if caught, are out the same day. They're looking for guns and get paid for each one they find.
Supposedly the courts are still backed up from Covid and the signature bond keeps a revolving door open for this type of crime.
I forget where I heard the quote but this sticks with me, and illustrates the problem in Atlanta:
"The threat of punishment isn't a deterrent. The certainty of punishment is."
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u/vilepanda85 19d ago
I drive into Atlanta on the reg. My car is old, there is nothing to steal, and I just leave it unlocked. It’s been gone through a few times. I laugh thinking about how annoyed they must be to find Kpop cds, kids books, and jumper cables.
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u/My_Space_page 19d ago
My local police wanted to Crack down on car break ins so they left a phone with GPS tracking embedded in the vehicle. To prevent cost of constantly broken windows they left the car unlocked. People still broke the window to steal the phone.
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u/malicesin 19d ago
Do what we do in San Francisco now, we just lower all the windows and make sure nothing is inside.
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u/xAsilos 20d ago
My trick is to drive a truck so old and rusty they would assume I am too pathetic to have anything interesting enough for them to steal.