Safety measures

[linderlizzie]

Just wanted to give a heads up for not leaving anything in your car when you leave it parked somewhere. My car was locked and they used a screwdriver or something to break in the driver's side.

Then it was easy to pop open my trunk and get my purse. Not gonna make that mistake again, but I thought I might just remind people. I had no idea it was so easy to get into a locked car. 

[gizmo42]

Its easy to get into anything now a days

[paynesponies]

I work security at a Big name company in florida. Let me tell you how the fire department and others can get into your car,. they stick a plastic a wedge between car and frame. then they brought out a a pump and and another wedge and inflated the wedge to pry open the doors..  leaves no trace..

get a car alarm that makes lots of noise, and calls the police, or put a camera in the car.. those are good deterents..

[camellia0]

Sorry about your car, but it's good that you remind us, especially now near the holidays. I'm famous for locking my purse in my trunk and now I will take it with me.

[makeblessed]

Sorry about your break in, nothing is safe these days so we all just have to be as careful as we can, I have car alarm but in reality if someone wants to break in they still will! I do not leave things visible and even when I get out to pumps gas I place my purse on the driver side floor and lock the door, which automatically puts the alarm on, someone told me to do that because there had been breaks in while ladies were pumping gas and left their purse on the passenger side and the bold robber ran up open the car door and just took the purse !!! it happened so fast, the person could not even react, so that's another safety measure I have tried to take.

Thanks for reminding us all to take whatever safety measures we can.

[patriciaeclevenger]

Thank you for the reminder about safety and I'm sorry your card was broken into. That's horrible.

It's especially important as we are approaching the holiday season and shops/grocery stores/everywhere is getting busier.

Please also remember to not leave your ID's or garage openers in your car. If your car is broken into its an easy way to then identify your home. I just saw a news story where this lady went to the gym, came out to find her card stolen. By the time she had reported everything to the police she went home and her home had been broken into as well. They had used her garage opener. Luckily, her home alarm went off when they entered the home but what a horrible ordeal.

[sak4kat]

I don't think alarms work well anymore.  It seems people tune them out from having hearing false alarms.  I like the idea of having a security camera but honestly I couldn't afford that.  I mean I don't even have a smart phone.

[king4cash]

The secret, don't leave anything in the car, even if you know its not valuable. ... Don't let one bad apple give you a poor sense of the city. . . it's all totally random. ...

[paynesponies]

There is this wedge thing with a pump attached. The door is pried to open a crack, the wedge place in between car door and frame. Then inflated until door opens. Hardly leaves a marks..pet got locked in car, fire dept used this method to open door. Yes, the car was running and the ac on.. no harm to the pet. Saw it at the gas station in florida.

The criminals I am sure have this too.

[linderlizzie]

The secret, don't leave anything in the car, even if you know its not valuable. ... Don't let one bad apple give you a poor sense of the city. . . it's all totally random. ...

In my particular case, it was not totally random. When I reported it to the police, they stated that there had been numerous cases of car theft in that particular area. Thugs come over from a nearby city and just loot the cars that are parked there at a state facility. They just drive by to check it out and then do their dastardly deeds. I was told there aren't enough officers to keep a patrol there all the time. What?!!??!!!

What's really interesting is the feeling of dread I had while I was there. I had just stopped by for a quick walk on the path. But my fearful feeling was something I don't normally have at all. It was absolutely creepy.

There had been a black truck parked in the lot where my car was. We were the only two vehicles parked there. Turns out that the truck belonged to the guy whose body they were dragging out of the river at the same time I was walking near the levee. I didn't know it at the time, but found out from my neighbors, and the mailman, when I got back home and telling them about it. Yoiks!

[gsdoss]

Sorry about your break in hope everyone is ok