Car Stereo Stolen!!! (Houston, Austin, Spring: insurance, income, work)

[TheDailyCompulsion]

Hi Everyone!!! I just wanted to let people know that my car was broken into last night and my $200 stereo was stolen. I just got it about 2 months ago. I live in North Austin around the 183-McNeil area. Two other peoples' cars on my street were also broken into. The cars were parked right in the driveway! The stereo has a detachable faceplate and being an idiot, I did not detach it and take it inside. I thought we lived in a pretty safe neighborhood, but it goes to show that crime is everywhere. So please be aware and detach your cd player faceplate!

The cop came and took fingerprints, but didn't seem too optimistic about finding the criminal. The insurance company doesn't cover anything less than my deductible. Any ideas about how I may recover the stereo would be appreciated. Also feel free to share your Austin crime stories!

[Moonlady]

There has been a ring of car stereo thieves operating in North Austin for years. My husband pulled into the parking lot at work one day and scared them off after they had hit 3 cars. They have also hit the parking lot where we work now at 183 and Oak Knoll. My stepson had his stolen out of his car in North Austin as well. This has been at least 8 years going on...it's just not a significant enough crime to warrant any attention from the police.

I'm wondering myself where they fence them after they're stolen. Haven't been to the flea market on 290 in quite a few years, but I'd look there. I'm guessing they move them out of town...like to Houston.

Thanks for the reminder, I've gotten lax about taking my faceplate off- sorry it happened to you.

[TheDailyCompulsion]

Originally Posted by Moonlady

Haven't been to the flea market on 290 in quite a few years, but I'd look there. I'm guessing they move them out of town...like to Houston.

So you don't think they would bring them to local pawn shops? I was assuming it was just some crackheads looking to score some fast money for drugs. I mean, how much money can there be in aftermarket used car stereos? Who even buys USED car stereos?

[achtungpv]

People still do that? That's very 80s of them.

[AustinTexan]

I lived in that area for 11 years (McNeil and 183, closer to Parmer though) and never had any problems. I had a very expensive Alpine system in my truck for the last 3 years and left the faceplate on the stereo most of the time. I guess I got lucky? However, I have heard from other people in the area that there is some big crime ring that has become very daring about breaking into cars in public places and in the middle of the day. I think they're being seen a lot of the time, but people are too scared to do anything, like call the cops, get a license plate #, etc. so these criminals keep doing it and are almost daring people to do something about it. My new neighborhood in Cedar Park has been hit several times. They steal everything...GPS, Radios, purses, wallets, CD's, sunglasses, basically anything with any value whatsoever. Don't leave anything of value laying around in your car! These guys know how to break your window in 1 second flat and get to it without hardly making any noise. Also, these crimes are being done as a team. There are some that are the "look outs" and others that actually do the crime, while others are the "spotters" who identify which cars to hit. A lot of time, these crimes are being committed between 3:00 and 5:00 am when most people are still asleep and before even the "early birds" are up.

[woodinvilleguy]

When I first moved here someone broke into my car and I chased them out of it. It was at the Springhill suites at braker and mopac. I ID'ed the idiot and filed a report. Never did hear if they actually did anything to the guy. I did the cops work for them.

[Mike78613]

Get a car alarm, and I am not talking about a 59.99 one you get with Mothers Window tint either

I am kind of SOL if they take mine, I have a Double-DIM cd/tape/mp3 which is not detachable face and they can take mine if they wanted. But they will have to do a lot to rip it out and passing my alarm system.

In all reality - you really cannot have anything nice and leave it alone for long.

This goes for perfect example of bike theft and leaving it somewhere locked for to long, they will still the components right off or just snap your U-lock w/ proper tools.

Another great thing to do is tint your windows dark 35% on driver & passenger windows and then limo on the rear. My car is hard to see in also.


***********Also our economy is not very strong right now, people are doing anything to make a buck.

Look at all the bank robberies that happen in one year. I think it is like 18 robberies or something like that. That's a shame for here in ATX area. Crime is starting to show more here even in Austin

[TheDailyCompulsion]

Originally Posted by Mike78613

Also our economy is not very strong right now, people are doing anything to make a buck.

Yeah, I totally understand that, but really how much money can you get for a used and obviously stolen car stereo???

I have spoken to several people about this and there are all kinds of different speculations as to who would do this kind of thing. Some people say it's young punks doing it more for the thrill than for the money, and other people think it's a highly organized crime ring doing it to finance other crimes. Some people say it's just crazy crackheads who need money for drugs and don't care about the risk. Either way, it's gotta be someone with balls or someone crazy to go up and down the street breaking into cars.

[Mike78613]

Originally Posted by TheDailyCompulsion

Yeah, I totally understand that, but really how much money can you get for a used and obviously stolen car stereo???

Ok, you must of been growing up in wealthy neighborhood or just a good ol boy in your days, let me tell you mine as I grew up.

Growing up in my days, seeing a nice stereo that someone pops out of the trunk and selling you be amazed on the bad / lower income side of town!!

Alpine, Pioneer, Kenwood are all great stereos, even to this day. A basic car stereo (name brands above) starting price is $100.oo or so.
The thief that took it got it for free, so $50.00 even to them is making a killing!!

I remember I put a stereo system in my car back in High School. It got broken into, I went to couple of pawn shops in the area. I found my amp, reported it, but the serial number was rubbed off.

I found out by the pawn shop owner the address of the person who sold it to them (pawn shop). I knew the crook, and actually knew him pretty good (Played in couple of Bball games in the neighborhood). So anyways, I saw him on the courts, after being cool and not letting the guy know anything about it, I offered him a ride.

Guess where the ride stopped at? I pulled him out middle of a quite road. Confronted him about it. He denied it, I pulled the copy of the paperwork, still denied it. I kicked his $$$ anyways and that went around, no one ever messed w/ my car again (I also added more security to it). Again this was over 17 years ago; I was a teenager and so was he. He finally did admit it after a good $$$ beating couple of days later and he did pay me back for what I paid for it not AND NOT what the pawn shop gave him for it. Somewhat a good guy, but still never became cool with that crook.


So yea............. might not be much to you, but it is easy money for a broke teenage kid wanting to BOOM BOOM his car down the road. Hope you get the bigger picture and one of my experience in this type of situation!

Anyways.......... something for free is free, they profit, it is a win , win for that crook!

There are some that do it for a thrill, but to me its dumb to take it for the *heck* of it. Now busting car windows, slashing car tires and ringing your door bell and throwing a bag of dog-poo at your door can be a thrill, but in this OP situation, it was NOT for a THRILL!!

~ Also I really don't feel sorry for what happened, you had a detachable face on your head unit, you could of easily press the button and took the face off. You choose not to, you then opened options for the person to take it. Next time you learn by your mistake, but it could of easily been prevented. No MATTER what kind / type of neighborhood you live at.

Sign off,
Inspector Gadget

[orngkat]

My husband's stereo was stolen in broad daylight while parked in an HEB parking lot. Also happened to another relative while at the movies and he was parked under a bright street light. They obviously have someone who does lookout and lets them know exactly when people are not around. It was a real hassle and expense having the window replaced since it was under the deductible.