16 Replies to "Crime Watch reader report: Gone in a smash"

• Brandon September 29, 2008 (10:01 pm)

  So far since spring, I’ve pulled 7 screws and nails from five of my tires on two cars. Think that is a coincidence?

• Tish September 29, 2008 (10:34 pm)

  I had my portable GPS taken and my car window smashed as well recently. You have my sympathies! It sucks–it truly does.

• charles September 29, 2008 (11:06 pm)

  the more goodies u install on your cars. the more of a target it makes.

• littlebrowndog September 30, 2008 (4:15 am)

  I’ve heard that thieves are looking for GPS’s left in cars and even just the window GPS holders despite you having removed and hidden the GPS as they assume it’s somewhere in the car (even it’s it not; they’ll break in anyhow because it might be). I read that it’s best to unstick the holder from the window when parking your car as well as hiding the GPS, making it less likely that they will think your vehicle contains one. Kind of like making sure you don’t leave a visible laptop.

• RobertSeattle September 30, 2008 (5:31 am)

  What a shame – probably $500 worth of damnage for a $200 device (new) – and maybe $50 a pawn shop?

• Ken September 30, 2008 (7:18 am)

  Locked doors = broken windows. The police’s advice is pretty silly. Dont lock the car and at most your stuff gets shuffled through, assuming youve left nothing valuable in the car, which was your mistake in the first place.

• WSratsinacage September 30, 2008 (7:48 am)

  It’s George Bushs fault.

  Seriously though, sorry to hear about this and thanks for letting us know.

• Scott September 30, 2008 (8:38 am)

  On the whole, I would say that locking your doors is more productive than not… it does prevent certain casual theft when the thieves do not wish to draw undue attention to themselves. Conversely, I have seen vehicles with their doors locked still have their windows smashed in for entry. Smash-and-grab thieves, perhaps by definition, aren’t the brightest boys in the bunch… apparently if their in the window-breaking mood, it doesn’t occur to them to check the doors first.

  YMMV but I took a lot of theft reports as a rent-a-cop during college, and the refrain “But why did they break the window? My doors were unlocked!” was not uncommon. Best thing you can do is leave neither anything valuable nor the suggestion of anything valuable in sight, and drive an unwashed old beater that makes it look like you couldn’t afford anything valuable inside it in the first place.

• toddinwestwood September 30, 2008 (11:41 am)

  I have been leaving my glovebox open as well as the center console to show them I have NOTHING in the car. This after getting hit 3 times in the last year.

• OP September 30, 2008 (3:47 pm)

  Lesson #1: Leave nothing in your car. Lesson #2: Even when following Lesson #1, there are worthless people that will cross your path and there’s really not much you can do about—except scream a few swear words.

• tigger September 30, 2008 (6:33 pm)

  I have had problems with screws in tires as well this summer. My car was hit 4 seperate times with mysterious screws. I was able to have the tires patched each time except for the last time, which resulted in a new tire purchase due to the location of the screw. I ended up buying insurance for all my tires so I don’t have to pay if this happens again.

  I’m not far from 35th and Fauntleroy. Brandon are you near that area? Has anyone else in that area also experienced the same thing?

• OP September 30, 2008 (11:39 pm)

  Um, tigger, it takes a helluva lot to screw a screw into a tire. Obviously I don’t know what kind of vehicle you drive, but my guess is that you’ve got tires that have a tendency to attract screws/bolts/nuts. Just a thought….

• Brandon October 1, 2008 (9:41 am)

  OP, it may not be “screwed” into the tire. But if left carefully embedded against the tire, when you drive away, you can impale it into the tire by itself. It seems more likely than just picking it up via casual driving. Yes, we live in Fairmount and there is constuction going on. Funny that none of our neighbors seem to be getting them, and I wouldn’t be surprised if its also from 35th with all the construction going on from High Point and such (if not vandalism). Going back a few years, we used to get hit (like 6-10 cars at a time) up and down our street with the gleeful baseball bat side mirror and rear car window attacks. Thankfully those have subsided (must have graduated a bad class or two).

• tj October 3, 2008 (8:35 pm)

  Ken…. police advise to leave your car unlocked with nothing in it? Seriously…. you must be joking?

  Please show me proof of any police officer advising such a thing?

• WSB October 3, 2008 (9:16 pm)

  I believe Ken is saying he believes the police’s advice to lock the doors is pretty silly.
  Here’s the official police advice (also linked from Crime Watch page “resources” section)
  http://www.seattle.gov/police/prevention/auto/carprowl.htm

• M October 10, 2008 (1:56 pm)

  10/10/08 between 11p to 520a

  my SUV was broken into with no broken windows and no dent of using jack to open on 42nd ave sw (arbor heights). my portable navigation, & two different cell phone chargers were stolen. i am trying to figure it out how a person could get into my SUV even though its locked. as i was told that 20 cars broke in within a week in Arbor Heights!! what is going on in this neighborhood. we need a police watch for this location!!!

  why can’t police bother or take the fingerprints to find who the person is… whats wrong with this police system… “to serve or protect” i dont take this quote.

Sorry, comment time is over.