Auto Break Ins in Phoenix? (garage door, design, car)

[vegaspilgrim]

I have a friend in Tempe who's car was stolen right in front of his house last year while he slept at night. He even had a garage, but it was loaded up with bicycles and junk. Folks, put the &^*%$^& car in the garage at night where it belongs. Otherwise don't come complaining to me when it gets stolen-- rambler told ya so!

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by midnight rambler

I have a friend in Tempe who's car was stolen right in front of his house last year while he slept at night. He even had a garage, but it was loaded up with bicycles and junk. Folks, put the &^*%$^& car in the garage at night where it belongs. Otherwise don't come complaining to me when it gets stolen-- rambler told ya so!

Thank you, Midnight Rambler.

Always amazes me when I watch my neighbors storing their garbage and junk in their garages while their expensive vehicles sit outside for the thugs and goons.

[MaxPower123]

I remember seeing a guy park his SUV and go inside a building in Chandler once. Minutes later another guy casually walks up to the SUV, opens the back door, looks inside for a few seconds then closes the door and casually keeps walking. He didn't take anything. The driver of the SUV was alone so I'm pretty sure that the guy that peeked inside was intending to steal some valuables. The suspected thief was well dressed, clean shoes, clean jeans with a tucked in shirt and wearing a blue-tooth headset.

I'm not sure why some people don't bother locking their cars.

[dc1225]

Originally Posted by rickca

I stayed in Goodyear last night in a Super 8 motel near the freeway, I was so tired after an 11 hour drive that I just wanted to go to my room and left my suitcase in the car, of course when I came out this morning the window was broken and the suitcase was gone, luckily my suit was still in the car, kind of funny as that was probably worth more than everything in the suitcases combined. I realize that its my fault for leaving stuff like that in the car overnight but I am wondering if you have to be careful everywhere in the Phoenix area like if you go into a store for an hour is it a good idea to make sure nothing is in the car? (like even emptying out the glove compartment and opening it up) I guess I'm not used to this, anyways any info is appreciated.

tell us about your job interview?

[azjack]

"I stayed in Goodyear last night in a Super 8 motel near the freeway, I was so tired after an 11 hour drive that I just wanted to go to my room and left my suitcase in the car, of course when I came out this morning the window was broken and the suitcase was gone"

There is a hot zone of car thefts and break-ins along the I-10 corridor. A motel parking lot at night in that area would be a prime target. I never leave anything visible in the car in any outdoor parking situation, regardless of whether the object has any value. And when I stay at a motel, I park right next to my room. But a suitcase is just too much of a temptation.

[Master Shake]

It's not only the valuables in your car, but also on your car! There was an interesting article in the local paper stating how people are stealing catalytic converters off of cars because the devices contain platinum and other valuable metals!

As for taking the whole car itself, I always love to watch the police videos of the "bait" cars they set out waiting to catch some criminal trying to steal it. Too bad we can't get more of these "bait" cars out there.

[MotleyCrew]

Sorry this happened to you. Our daughter left about $15 in change in her truck and it was gone the next morning. Right in front of her house.

[amatrine]

We had a car stolen a few years back when we lived next to the 202 . It was stolen two days after we bought it. Did not even have a plate yet to report. The same week someone broke the window in our other car to look for change. We got the car back a month later, and it was parked a mile away, but with 3600 miles on it, and trashed inside. We had to pay a deductible. They would do nothing for the cigarette burns. So much for the new car. They ruined it. We ended up trading it in for another vehicle.
The car also had credit card reciepts, and spilled drugs in it. Cops didnt care, said throw it away.
Would not print it or anything.
No wonder they do it. they can.

[Rick Lee]

I work from home, so I don't worry much about thieves coming here. But when I go away for a few days or a long weekend with the wife, I remove the fuel pump relay from my expensive car and I park my bike in the bigger garage so it blocks our other two cars. Sure, a thief could move it, but it would take some effort. And to get my expensive car, they'd have to really know exactly what they were doing, be prepared to steal exactly that year and model or bring a flatbed. They'd probably just as soon trash it in frustration, since they'd not be able to start it.

[vegaspilgrim]

Those garage doors that have the little square windows in them allowing you to see what's inside-- do you think that's a security risk?