[rant] car broken into

[mrdave543]

So had a work event at dave/busters at 4 and didnt want to go home first and didnt feel like leaving my laptop at work, so i reluctantly brought it with me....

event ends, go to my car, start driving and double check to see if my laptop is there....dont see it, start to freak out, notice no windows are broken. Pull into random parking lot to see if can find my laptop, start to freak out cause its nowhere to be found. drive back to dave/busters to look again make sure im not just losing my mind. cant find it anywhere, go inside ask if they have security cameras, of course they dont....claim to have gotten sued for invasion of privacy a year ago.

ask coworker to come to car to see if can find the computer. i noticed my handle on my door was jimmied and knew i was SOL......manager of D&B didnt even give a crap, had to beg for someone to help me call cops to file report. knew was stupid to wait for cops, but since was work computer wanted to make sure filed a report.

cops arrive, almost didnt even get out of their cop car. finally did, wrote down couple things, said parking lot next door had a hummer broken into as well.

hopefully get a new computer tmrw from work, but all my client emails that i archived are gonna be lost. Probably lost several other files i needed but just gonna be a huge hassle later in year when i look for stuff. Cant imagine whoever stole it gets more than 300-400 bucks for a laptop they cant get into (hopefully passwords arent hacked)

im sure its happened to others and just felt like ranting!

[The Bird]

wow sucks man this has happened to me recently and it blows :mad: the guy stole 2 of my cameras and a lot of my clothes in my backpack I'm not too sure how much he is gonna get with that. But it amazes me how many places dont have cameras or manger just dont give a crap :mad:

[HAYJON02]

^Not only that but so many security camera systems are just useless and outdated. On top of that the managers don't care, but maybe only because they know the camera footage isn't worth anything towards an arrest. I got closeups and plenty of parking lot/in store footage from Walmart after the thugs robbed my place and went on a shopping spree. The detective never even called me back after I did his job for him. It's like, "here are the guys who did it. go fight crime."

[kikimama]

Hmm, can't they just reformat your computer if you have it pw protected?

[mrdave543]

Hmm, can't they just reformat your computer if you have it pw protected?

ya if they reformat it all the data will be gone though....either way it just sucks!

[FrancisFan]

Cant imagine whoever stole it gets more than 300-400 bucks for a laptop they cant get into (hopefully passwords arent hacked)

Hopefully your company uses some type of encryption (file level or whole disk). If they don't it's highly possible to recover data from the laptop. I'm guessing that it contains information worth a whole lot more than the hardware.

[kaleidosky]

don't wanna be an ass... but something everyone should take out of this is to keep anything that anyone would want to even consider taking.. out of sight. Trunk, glove comparment, arm console thing..something. If it's in plain sight...too easy of a target

[v3.0]

Matt Jackson decided to take initiative and stop being the victim...

If your vehicle is a GM, it's got a big "Break Into Me, I'm Easy" sign written all over it

[mrdave543]

don't wanna be an ass... but something everyone should take out of this is to keep anything that anyone would want to even consider taking.. out of sight. Trunk, glove comparment, arm console thing..something. If it's in plain sight...too easy of a target

Ya as sad as it is... i blame myself partly actually....knew i shouldnt have left a computer briefcase in my car but did anyways...

[mrdave543]

Matt Jackson decided to take initiative and stop being the victim...

If your vehicle is a GM, it's got a big "Break Into Me, I'm Easy" sign written all over it


GM 07 tahoe....

[AGBee]

Sounds like Vince Young broke into your car to reclaim his sports memorabilia...

[ClutchCityReturns]

Everybody can call me an ass, just like other auto theft threads on here, but you shouldn't have had the laptop in your car. The reason I am saying it again is so that maybe someone reading this thread will take it to heart. I've been a victim too many times myself to even consider leaving something of $20 value in my car, much less hundreds.

I'm sorry for your loss because again, I know how you feel. Just make sure you learn something from this is all I'm saying.

[IROC it]

Thieves are teh suck.

[chow_yun_fat]

Should have hid your laptop in your trunk or under the seat.

Hopefully you learned your lesson.

[Nice Rollin]

I agree don't even leave pennies/change in your car. my car got broken into for about 3 dollars in change that I used to keep in my cup holder

[kikimama]

ya if they reformat it all the data will be gone though....either way it just sucks!
actually, my gf had her laptop formatted by my roommate a few weeks ago because it stopped loading the OS. He saved all the data she needed from her documents and she never told him her pw.

Anyways, my brother had his laptop stolen from his car too. He had just bought it too. I can't believe someone would do that. Obviously they've never had a laptop before. How can some houstonian not access clutchfans on a daily basis? :eek:

[Mr. Brightside]

I'm so paranoid about thieves breaking into my car, I even sometimes remove my sunglasses out of sight. I just naturally assume someone will break into my car.

[droxford]

Look up the pawn shops near Dave and Busters and go to them. The thieves probably sold the computer as quickly as possible and there's a good chance the thieves live in the area.

[droxford]

EDIT: or you could just call all the pawn shops in the area and ask if they recently bought any laptops (give them the make and model of your laptop),

[hjg877]

I had my passenger window smashed last year after I parked directly under a well-lit street lamp in a busy parking lot. No one bothered to give a ****.

Took a backpack that had my wallet and other important files/books (it was the ONLY time I've EVER not had my wallet on my person, as I was headed to the gym and didn't have pockets).

I ALMOST left my laptop in that backpack, which would have been beyond devastating. Thankfully I left it in my apartment before I left.

They ended up spending nearly $400 at a nearby gas station and Walgreen's. Had high-res pictures of these tatted thugs, but they were never caught.

What was worse: I had to wait about 5 days for a new passenger window...it rained for a couple of days in between. Then I parked it in the same commercial lot I had for months. It got towed that night.

But ever since then, I've made it a habit to always have my wallet with me, or place it in the glove box, or put anything of value in the trunk and use the valet lock. I've lost a lot of trust in society.

PS: Sucks that your stuff was stolen, but it could be worse: my roommate, at the time, had his laptop, laptop bag, and some money stolen from his car...at a police station.

[CriscoKidd]

Everybody can call me an ass, just like other auto theft threads on here, but you shouldn't have had the laptop in your car. The reason I am saying it again is so that maybe someone reading this thread will take it to heart. I've been a victim too many times myself to even consider leaving something of $20 value in my car, much less hundreds.

I'm sorry for your loss because again, I know how you feel. Just make sure you learn something from this is all I'm saying.

This was exactly what I was thinking when I was reading the op, shaking my head.

Like others have stated in this thread, I never, ever leave anything of value in my car. Just too tempting and too easy to get to if someone is determined.

I've witnessed derelicts wandering around aimlessly with pretty much nothing on them other than a slim jim, so yeah.

[TexasFight]

Here's a question for the group:

I have a radar detector in my car - and whenever I park anywhere, I always take it down and hide it.

My friends tell me I'm TOO PARANOID and should just leave it up.

I feel like leaving it up is just a sign saying "ROB ME"

thoughts? has anyone had their car broken into b/c of a radar detector displayed on the windshield?

I'm so paranoid that I carry solution and a small cloth towel to erase the "marks" on the window from the suction cups of the radar detector fixture so that there is NO EVIDENCE that a radar detector exists inside my car.

Maybe that's why I'm considered to be paranoid?

I just don't want a break-in - fixing my car for any kind of minor problems is VERY EXPENSIVE.

[MoBalls]

I hate to leave anything visible in my car when I'm parked. I've been hit too many times..years ago. I'd rather be paranoid than getting robbed again.

[CriscoKidd]

Here's a question for the group:

I have a radar detector in my car - and whenever I park anywhere, I always take it down and hide it.

My friends tell me I'm TOO PARANOID and should just leave it up.

I feel like leaving it up is just a sign saying "ROB ME"

thoughts? has anyone had their car broken into b/c of a radar detector displayed on the windshield?

I'm so paranoid that I carry solution and a small cloth towel to erase the "marks" on the window from the suction cups of the radar detector fixture so that there is NO EVIDENCE that a radar detector exists inside my car.

Maybe that's why I'm considered to be paranoid?

I just don't want a break-in - fixing my car for any kind of minor problems is VERY EXPENSIVE.

I think the cleaning is a bit much. If they can't see it they don't know it's there as far as I'm concerned.

But if it makes you feel more secure then I don't think there is anything wrong with it.

And I would definitely hide the detector.

[droxford]

Is it me, or are the police completely useless when it comes to burglaries?

[meggoleggo]

Is it me, or are the police completely useless when it comes to burglaries?

Gemerally, yes. Though APD came through my work's parking lot yesterday and gave everyone "tickets". But they weren't actually tickets, they were just notices saying "don't be a victim!" we (APD) walked by your car and could see the following items: and then it would list out if you had clothes, cds, mp3 players, backpacks, whatever. So that these people would think twice about leaving x,y, and z sitting out in their car.

[Smokey]

D&B on Richmond? Damn I don't even want to go there anymore. The parking lot and game area is freaking crowded at night.

[Lady_Di]

Geez, sorry for your loss.

I leave my work laptop in the trunk when I get off work and I have the GPS in my glove box.

I have a several pairs of high heels in my car...will they break in and steal them??

[Nice Rollin]

Is it me, or are the police completely useless when it comes to burglaries?
what can the police do besides give you a police report?

[dskillz]

what can the police do besides give you a police report?

Pretty much. They aren't going to assign your case to Columbo or anything.

There is a cop on my street I talked to about this and he said honestly there isn't much you can do but minimize the loss if someone breaks into your car. Mainly keep all valuables out of the car or atleast out of sight.

But I am amazed at how many people leave valuables visible in their cars. I see breifcases, laptop bags, etc. sitting in a backseat with no tint on the windows all the time. Better to be safe than sorry.

[CriscoKidd]

what can the police do besides give you a police report?


Yeah, I'm pretty sure anyone who's seen Pee Wee's big adventure would realize this.

Your **** is obviously in the basement of the Alamo OP.

[Azadre]

My roommate had his car's locks drilled out, and then they proceeded to steal his sound system. The other three cars made it out just fine. Retards.

Theft is a pretty easy crime to commit. This is why I don't want to own anything.

[kaleidosky]

I have a several pairs of high heels in my car...will they break in and steal them??

They might steal one of each pair..

[BALLhog 247 365]

Here's a question for the group:

thoughts? has anyone had their car broken into b/c of a radar detector displayed on the windshield?



I have. I subleased a place last summer off of Oltorf in Austin for summer school, and the first night I had my car parked there I left my radar detector displayed on the windshield..next morning I go to my car to find my passenger side window busted and the radar is gone. Since then I've learned never to keep anything valuable in the car, not even in the glovebox.

[SwoLy-D]

I'm with the "hope you learned your lesson to not leave your laptop in your car anymore" camp. :( I have and carry a laptop and don't wish that ever on anyone else or me, either.

But it amazes me how many places dont have cameras or manger just dont give a crap :mad:♫ a-way in-a manger, ♫ no crib for his bed ♪... the lit-tle Lord Je-sus laid-down His sweet head... ♪ :o

Look up the pawn shops near Dave and Busters and go to them. The thieves probably sold the computer as quickly as possible and there's a good chance the thieves live in the area.Phackin' a-hole pawn shops are in on the scheme, aren't they... those a-holes... :mad:

[meggoleggo]

They might steal one of each pair..

Only if his name is CriscoKidd... Bastard... :D

[mrdave543]

I agree completely I shouldn't have left it in my car, and again tried "hiding it". Either way i blame myself partly for the mess, but since it was a work event I really didn't have much choice unless I went home first. I definitely learned my lesson and won't leave the new one in there ever!

I do need to get my door fixed, someone mentioned getting a regular door handle on my drivers side since I dont use the key anyways...doubt it would make much of a difference and with my luck I would end up being locked out!

also, i was stuck on westpark tollway for over an hour because the post oak exit was flooded!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[mrdave543]

bump-----4 months later.....

What a great start to my monday morning!
:mad: :mad:

So instead of starting a new thread, figured I would find out last time my car was broken into.

This time they broke into it at my apt complex (westpark/edloe), broke my passenger side window. They broke into at least 3 other cars. They went through glove compartment, middle console, and a work bag i had but I couldn't tell if anything was missing. I am assuming they were looking for another computer because they didn't touch the radar, or sunglasses, or loose change.

Didn't even bother waiting for the cops to show up, just took it to glass shop to get replaced. Gonna cost me another 250-300 bucks, but still cheaper than replacing the door like last time.

/end rant.

[droxford]

I have a several pairs of high heels in my car...will they break in and steal them??

Elaborate, please. Are you talking 4" stilettos?

[peleincubus]

So had a work event at dave/busters at 4 and didnt want to go home first and didnt feel like leaving my laptop at work, so i reluctantly brought it with me....

event ends, go to my car, start driving and double check to see if my laptop is there....dont see it, start to freak out, notice no windows are broken. Pull into random parking lot to see if can find my laptop, start to freak out cause its nowhere to be found. drive back to dave/busters to look again make sure im not just losing my mind. cant find it anywhere, go inside ask if they have security cameras, of course they dont....claim to have gotten sued for invasion of privacy a year ago.

ask coworker to come to car to see if can find the computer. i noticed my handle on my door was jimmied and knew i was SOL......manager of D&B didnt even give a crap, had to beg for someone to help me call cops to file report. knew was stupid to wait for cops, but since was work computer wanted to make sure filed a report.

cops arrive, almost didnt even get out of their cop car. finally did, wrote down couple things, said parking lot next door had a hummer broken into as well.

hopefully get a new computer tmrw from work, but all my client emails that i archived are gonna be lost. Probably lost several other files i needed but just gonna be a huge hassle later in year when i look for stuff. Cant imagine whoever stole it gets more than 300-400 bucks for a laptop they cant get into (hopefully passwords arent hacked)

im sure its happened to others and just felt like ranting!

what dave and busters was this?

[mrdave543]

what dave and busters was this?

Was the one on richmond, happened in October though.

[Blake]

That sucks. Sorry

[FFz]

set a bios password on that sucker and at least make them work to reset it. If they're robbing cars for money they'll prob be too retarded to do it.