Sad when you are almost punished for owning something nice or useful....whatever happened to people working a real job instead of skimming off others like it is some sort of alternate career choice?

So true. I once left one of those portable DVD player cases strapped between the seats of my minivan with the charger in place. I had taken the DVD player inside my apartment for the night. I came out the next morning to a smashed side window and a stolen case and charger. Let me tell you that in addition to the cost of replacing the window, those chargers are spendy little items.

People who have rolling offices have it coming. Leave the electronics at home or office. Isn't one car stereo enough? We did fine 10 years ago with all this stuff. If you cannot write down and follow simple directions. Oh well.

After reading this my bigger fear is that Bob is a gadgetholic and we need to do an intervention. Than again--that may be what happened with the GPS.

Man those are 2bit theives....who don't have enough sense to jack the whole car.....or it could be crackheads

Bob - this is a timely coincidence. I had my Jeep broken into at the commuter train parking lot 3 weeks ago and had all my cables stolen along with the hidden satellite radio (about $315 total). Yeah, it is under my homeowner's deductible.

These types of crimes are useless in that satellite radios are like cell phones. Once they are reported stolen, the service is shut off. They now have a paperweight, plenty of cables to electronics they may or may not have and it was pretty much an expensive inconvenience for me.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

What timing! Last Monday 17th at 2PM while parked at Deerbrook Mall in Humble Texas, my side window was shattered - my briefcase and the laptop inside it was stolen. Called the police - filled out the report but really don't expect to ever locate any of the items. My cost - $475 to replace the window - and at least a $1000 out of pocket due to my homeowners deductable.

Oh well.

I guess we could all walk around wearing a Batman like utility belt so we can keep all the toys with us but then we would have to worry about getting mugged. It would still look better than carrying a man purse.
GPS and stereos are items that are worthless outside of your car. I don't understand why a cell phone or PDA would be left in the vehicle, even an IPOD is small enough to put in your pocket.
What I don't understand is this, manufacturers started putting antitheft features in car stereos years ago. Why wouldn't a company like Garmin be pro active and do the same for a device that is even easier to take from your vehicle? They are priced high enough that the software they finally added now wouldn't have broken the bank.

I would also wipe the rings the suction cup leaves on you windshield. Seeing those the theif may go exploring even though no mount is visible.

Its a GPS unit, you would think they would be able to track the stolen product. DUH.

Your message has so much truth...Some time back, my car was broken into while parked on the street outside my home (none of the homes had driveways or garages). It was clear the thief got in, took a look around, grabbed a few nik-naks, and left. This all took minutes, but he didn't take much. At the time, I had a stereo & CD-changer where the faceplate was removeable. I took the faceplate inside with me, but left the changer in the car. Fortunately, he didn't check under the seats because my 10-disc CD-changer was there unattached to anything. I had recently pulled the changer device from my trunk because the mounts had broken. I was lucky. And the lose could have been much worse...and expensive.

Your article certainly highlights the sad state of affairs regarding common decency and respect for another’s property, however; we haven’t lived in the “good old days” for some time. Should we really be surprised that our gadgets might disappear? Some might consider me jaded, and I’m not condoning it by any means, but it seems a dose of common sense might be in order here…or at least a little C.Y.A.

Ah, there's nothing like the freshly violated feeling of walking out to your car in the morning to be greeted by a broken window and a bunch of your stuff missing. I've had 3 of my cars broken into and had a *ton* of stuff stolen (mostly stereo gear). One of the punks even stole the $1.75 in change I had in the ashtray!! I live in Montana and if it can happen here, it can happen anywhere. And hiding the stereo face/GPS/XM radio/etc. under the seat doesn't work. Car alarms are only marginally effective (does anyone even pay attention when one goes off anymore?). The best theft deterent I've seen is a big dog in the back seat, although it's not very practical. Only thing you can do to be sure your stuff doesn't get ripped off is take it out of the car.

You are absolutly correct, I've had my car broken into twice in 4 months. The radio I purchased originally had a lock similar to the Garmin device you mention, if the power is remove a special CD that I create has to be used to turn it back on, or the company has a manual code that authorized installers had to clear the security. However, I have has that same manufacter radio stolen twice so that tells me that security is only as good as the vender is for keeping those codes for honest use. And to top this, In Arlington, Texas the police will not even come out to investigate, they have a contractor call you and take the report over the phone. See in Texas, burgulary of a motor vehicle is a class b misdemeanor, a slap on the hand and see you tomorrow law. So we suffer, we pay higher insurance rates and can't even leave items in the trunk.

This article performs a worthwhile public service.. Good point about the car mounts.. i have a gps/pda that i don't leave in the care and that would be useless if stolen (someone needs to enter my PIN # to use it)... but by the time the thief figures that out, my window will have been broken..

A few years ago my Cherokee was stolen from a parking garage in Savannah.. in broad daylight... the punk drove it to a crummy neighborhood and cleaned it out... it was locked but I had a radar detector -- a gift I didn't ask for -- on the dashboard.

HAHA That funny. Only several Years ago I spent a night at a friends house because I was obviously inebriated, I forgot to remove my vehicles Radio Head unit. The next day it was gone along with a CD case fully of music. The theif however, never took the $50 sitting in plain view on the center console, and did bother with the expensive amplifier and speakers that were unsecured in my trunk. Ah Ces't la vie.

This article performs a worthwhile public service.. Good point about the car mounts.. i have a gps/pda that i don't leave in the care and that would be useless if stolen (someone needs to enter my PIN # to use it)... but by the time the thief figures that out, my window will have been broken..

A few years ago my Cherokee was stolen from a parking garage in Savannah.. in broad daylight... the punk drove it to a crummy neighborhood and cleaned it out... it was locked but I had a radar detector -- a gift I didn't ask for -- on the dashboard.

Tint your windows and use a black sheet to cover anything conspicuous like the wires, gadgets, the mount, etc.

Theives will steal anything they perceive as having potential value. A friend had her car window smashed as it was parked behind her church on Easter morning. The target of the theft--a zippered bank deposit envelope where her preschool daughter kept crayons.

My suggestion is to think before you leave home. As an avid backpacker I am constantly leaving my car overnight at trailheads, often in very remote locations with no overhead lighting, park rangers are often hours away. Any would-be thief knows that my car is an ideal vehicle for a burglary. I own several GPS systems and a large pile of electronic equipment. However, if I am not going to take my valuables with me up the mountain, I leave them at home. I print paper maps and use them to locate the trailheads. I move the car chargers, the inverters, the satellite radio equipment and the dashboard mounts out of sight when I leave my car. As much as I would love to take my laptop, my PDA and telephone, I leave them at home as well. The replacement costs for this stuff would devastate me so I take no chances. There is a brisk business out there for stolen electronics so lets not encourage the thieves.

What does this have to do with "Red Tape" There is no red tape to cut through... You need to get a new job. That or change the title of you column.

War,with no Draft- USA is turning into the land of the brave and the home of the freeloaders. What makes your son so speecial, is his blood so much more American than mine. Truth, Combat solders fight for there freedom to live and for there buddies freedom to live and will not fight for freeloader citizens of the usa. They never have and they never will. Opern your eyes its not about democarcy or your freedom to shelter your sons from there responsibility to there country. no one fights for your right to be a freeloader citizen of the USA..

Yup,
Happened to my co-worker last month in NY.
The thief or thieves also broke into other cars in the same apartment parking lot.
He called the cops and they couldn't do much for him.

Buzz

Yup,
Happened to my co-worker last month in NY.
The thief or thieves also broke into other cars in the same apartment parking lot.
He called the cops and they couldn't do much for him.

Buzz

You just need to (like the article states) hide all traces of electronic goodies. I have had many cars broken into (in my loud stereo days) and the rule of thumb that I use now is "no trace of anything"!!! Period! The car must look like it came straight from the dealer.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This may mean that you will have to actually clean your car!

Gadget theft??? In DC, there were a few cases where criminals steal CD players and GPS devices and then actually reinstall 8 track tape players as a last laugh!! I love the humor in this but unless one wants to listen to endless Bread, Air Supply and Kiss 8 tracks found at yard sales, this is a most evil crime.

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. There are few things lower on the Scumbag-Degenerate scale than a thief. This reinforces my daily practice of removing anything and everything from site in my car. If it takes nothing for a thief to smash a window and swipe a $10 cell phone to turn a quick buck, they will stop at nothing to steal things of real value, such as laptops.

I had a radar detector stolen from my car in the late 80's (smashed the car window after gaining entrance to the car via the unlocked side door to my garage). Interestingly enough, I had a very expensive 35mm camera and dozens of CDs and tapes that were untouched. Just when you think 'it can't happen to me', it always does!

Liz-- theft of gadgets left in thar!!! Read and pass on to your friends

Just about all devices are removable & portable for a reason.
If you are too lazy to store these items in your backpack or briefcase when you exit your vehicle prepare to be pilfered. Especially in Metro DC.
End of Story.

I fear they will start smashing windows to access the car; trip the trunk lock and remove electronic gear, child seats, golf clubs, etc. There is so much value transported in our cars.

Common sense, folks. Throw a piece of clothing over your stuff; take the GPS, Sirius,iPod, and cell phone with you. Put your stuff under your seat. Get a Pelican lock box. Most criminals are too lazy to go digging through your car, because time is of the essence. Out of sight, out of mind!

This is why cargo pants are your friend.

Isn't technology wonderful? It simultaneously controls your life and provides a convenient living for thieves. It boosts our economy by encouraging purchases for replacement, and educates young thieves in the operation of advanced devices. One day, someone will trip over the power plug, and millions of yuppies, techies, and gadget geeks will suffer immeasurably from withdrawal when no power is available for their palm buddy, or their music friend, or whatever gadget the industry has convinced us we can't live with.

I caveat this comment by saying that I am not a fan of insurance companies....

That being said, isn't it interesting that you made the tie between gadget theft and higher insurance rates - when two paragraphs prior, you pointed out that these are not covered under auto insurance....

Of course we take the security of our cars for granted when we lock them up. Thank you for reminding us to be a little more vigilant in protecting our property, and possibly our identities from opportunistic thieves.

you never miss a chance to reference the stolen laptop & soc security numbers. seems that it's pretty common sense to me- in this day and age you risk theft if you have such contraptions in your vehicle. i have satellite and am well aware that makes me more vulnerable to theft. no need to again, sensationalize common sense as you so often do.

Its all about common sense. Do not leave the items visible in your car. This may also be a good point to say we have too many gadgets and should consider elinating some of them.

I recently purchased a GPS for my car. How sad is it that one of my deciding factors of which unit to buy was that it be small enough to take out when leaving the vehicle every time. The Garmin Nuvi won by a longshot and it never stays in the car.
I also have a portable satelite radio mounted but usually leave it in the car because of the feature of a phone call and it doesn't work anymore. False sense of security? Probably. It would be interesting to gather data and find out the ratio of satelite radios stolen versus gps, stereos, ipods, etc. I would think it would be lower on the sat radios but who knows.
Its pretty scary that a theif can steal your gps, fire it up, hit the home button and be at your doorstep to get the rest of your nice stuff. They would have plenty of time if you were sitting in a 2 hour movie and just watched you park 8-(

David read carefully. The gadgets stolen from the car are not covered by auto insurance. However, to repair the smashed window's, which gave thieves access to the gadgets, is.

I mostly solved this problem by having my GPS be my phone. The "MDA" (T-Mobile's version of the HTC Wizard) will run (with some coaxing) Tom-Tom. I have a clip-on mount, but its obviously for a PDA, and guess where the PDA is when I leave the car? Yep - in my pocket, since its also my phone. The actual GPS receiver itself is a tiny little battery-powered device that talks to the PDA/phone over Bluetooth. About the size of a matchbook and easily pocketable (and it DOES get pocketed.)

Break in, you get nothing. Other than that, the car looks bone factory stock..... any other goodies I might have (wink-wink) can't be found without a DILLIGENT search.

If you DO manage to find the phone/PDA there are a few surprises in it too.... including custom firmware. It won't do you much good unless you're me..... :)

I hate thieves.

If you HAVE to carry your iPod, cell phone, Blackberry, laptop, etc., etc, with you at all times, then either carry them in a briefcase or carrying bag of some sort instead of leaving them in your vehicle and then crying when your car is parked in the middle of the mall parking lot with a smashed window because you were stupid enough to leave it all in plain view for another idiot to steal. Nothing like advertising "free stuff...steal me" Masters of the obvious!!

I had an idea reading about this. No one pays attention to car alarms anymore and it's too easy to break glass. What you really need is a way to obscure the inside when the alarm is triggered. The best way would be to quickly fill the vehicle with smoke so the thief cannot see. Also, the smoke coming out will draw alot more attention.

I thought I would patent this, but someone beat me to it. Hyperlink attached.

I had a car stolen about 15yrs ago, no gadgets inside, but it still had some personal items in there, one with some sentimental value. The car was recovered, stripped of every decent part it had, and all my personal items were gone.

I no longer keep anything in my car that I don't want to lose. Anyone who steals my car in the future will only get a car and nothing else. Any gadgets I need to have on me while I drive around town, stay with me when I leave the car.

I know at least three women who had their cars broken into and their purses stolen out of them (along with the contents, which included driver's licenses, credit cards, and one unlucky lady who kept her house keys on a separate key chain from her car keys - just try getting a locksmith to your house at 10pm! - and one especially unlucky lady who was dumb enough to keep her Social Security card in her purse at all times - 10yrs later, and she's still dealing with that mess.)

Not to sound heartless, but I always have to ask, why would anyone leave something that valuable in a car where it's so available to any theif that comes along? I'm all for anything that will protect us and keep intact the things that we've all worked so hard for, but when we're so dumb as to make it so easy for thieves, we need to spread at least some of the blame to ourselves.

I just dont clean my car , I dont think any thief would want to look inside of mine :D. Even tho I have all of the above in gadgets. I have yet to experience a loss. Another plus for having clutter :D.

I had a very top-end (BMW Navigator II) GPS stolen out of my truck several months ago. On the hotel surveillance video (which was too grainy to get the license plate number), we could see someone pull up to the truck, look inside, leave, then come back later and smash the window and grab the gadgets.

Something to note as an addition or correction to the article is that though I'd only recently paid $1800 for the unit to be included with my BMW motorcycle, and that amount far exceeded my deductibles, my car insurance didn't cover it because it wasn't a permanent part of the car, and homeowners didn't cover it because it was "attached" to the car rather than simply contained in it. Might've gotten homeowners to pay if I put up enough of a fight, but they made it plain it'd be one heckuva fight.

My first response is to Lee, are you really saying that you should'nt have anything in your car other than a stereo? When I was a kid, my dad had 5 different 8-track players stolen from his convertable, exactly when should we have stopped being allowed to carry the fruits of our labor with us.
Now a days due to the constant demands of alot of jobs, which we all contribute to in one way or another, force use to have to carry these gadgets. I'm talking about everything from cell phones, PDAs to laptops. Consider this, when that insurance agent is out reviewing tha damage from a storm, he is entering the information and pictures into his laptop, which is being sent to his office preventing any possible lost info. The same goes for CSI units. So Lee, you need to consider these things before making a statement of they bring it on themselves.
Secondly, we need to address the people who do this to us, not by 30 days in jail. Granted we cant cut off their hands like they do in some countries though it would sure make a statement. We are far too lenient on those that take from others and we need to start on the kids, especially the ones who are hired by adults to steal because they know that they will only go to juvy for a day, then back out and steal again. We as law abiding citizens should not have to pay the price for the thefts.
We just need to be tougher on them when caught, thats the only way.

Maybe what is needed here is a little more emphasis to be placed on catching, convicting, and permanently putting away the real criminals in a facility that is so harsh as to cause would be law breakers to think twice about committing the crime in the first place. And less on making sure I’m wearing my seat belt or enforcing mandates from higher officials that has little effect on the community good, and simply serves to fill the community coffers and line the political pockets of persons that have little care or regard for the common man (or woman). I’m sure the fine people that enforce our laws would find greater job satisfaction in catching a murderer or rapist or car thief, and seeing them serve a punishment fitting to the crime. We might even see a better life for everyone if we actually tried to make our own country a safer place to be first, rather then bringing down the wrath of the rest of the world over what has proven to be a collection of lies.

It's the fences that make it worthwhile. They should be required to pay for the damage and the electronics for every stolen item found in their stores.

Don't all of these things have a serial numbers that needs to be identified to the service provider before it can be activated? It seems to me that as soon as a device is reported stolen, the provider ought to be able to detect a thief the next time someone tries to activate the stolen device.

If it's GPS, the service provider should be able to direct police right to the stolen device. Am i missing something here?

MzrJoe
JoeReporter@Hotmail.com

I always take my items with me when I leave my car anywhere. Also, I refuse to be the victim of a smash-and-search, so I leave my doors unlocked. Some people think I'm crazy, but look at it this way; if a thief wants to steal my car, they will...locked doors or not. So, if there is nothing in my car to steal, leaving the doors unlocked saves me from having to replace a broken window. Locks only keep honest people out.

Man that sucks… Really thought what do you do! Personally I blame parents or lack there of witch brings me too, “some people’s kids”… Nothing short of hiding in a bush with a baseball bat would stop this crap. Witch isn’t a great solution, but it sure beats driving a trashcan. And I wouldn’t imagine you would have to worry about gadgets while sitting in jail for maliciously beating some junkie. I had my car stolen last 4th of july, “god bless america”. Lucky for me the cops found my car two weeks later. Glasses, Mini Disk Player, Skateboard, Camera, Guitar all things I had left in my ride. The messed up part was the funk left behind in place of my gear. Some kind of cross between McDonald’s and nasty butt sweat! Worst of all was trying to get the insurance company to cover anything! So now I don’t leave anything in my car, and when I park at night I pull out some fuses and the stick shifter, just so my rig is where I leave it. Sure it’s a real pain in the ass, but it beats walking everywhere. One plus out of my ordeal, I found a kick-ass wood louisville slugger at a garage sale on one of my walks and when I told the lady what it was for she gave it to me…

Thanks for the insight ... I just bought a Garmin iQue M4. While I take the Garmin with me upon exiting the car, whether I am going into my office, store, or home, I do leave the windshield mount intact contrary to my girlfriend's suggestion to remove all temptations. As a guy I accordingly dismissed her suggestion thinking someone would never break-in just for the mount ... but as you pointed out, there is that criminal mind thought that I must have hidden it somewhere in the car. Thanks for saving me the anguish of having a side window broken for no tech gadget ... now I have taken my windshield mount and my iPod FM modualtor out of the car as well. Moreover, I hope she does not see this article so it does not give her the ability to do a "I told you so!"

A week ago I detailed my truck, the next morning I walked outside to see that the tailgate was stolen off of my truck (I guess I shined it too much). After filing a police report and talking to my insurance company, I realized that I wasn't alone. My Insurance Agent and Sheriff's Deputy both stated that this was becoming a very common item to steal. After all it takes only about 15-seconds to remove a tailgate from any full sized truck. The new or replacement tailgate will cost about $1450. including my $500. deductible. Gee, no mystery why my tailgate was stolen...huh?
FYI: If you look on Google you will see that for less than a hundred dollars you can buy an electronic lock for your tailgate that will work with your keyless entry system.

Ok Kiddies. From someone who use to run around at night and go to hotel or corporate parking lots for your gadgets. I would first suggest a strobing or blinking light within your car, also a loud car alarm will do the job. When we hear that its just as good as a police siren. Espeically if its clear as day. Someone above mentioned tinted windows. Thats a good idea, but at night it can give the criminal even more time in your car because its harder to make someone out. But all in all. If someone REALLY wants something out of your car, they will get it.
P.S thanks for the toys.

Yep.. Same exact thing just happened to me last week. I work in a bank and someone broke into my car in broad daylight and took my brand new GPS! Thankfully I think I can recover the $$ I paid for it using my credit card's "purchase assurance" program which pays for an item in the event it would get stolen whitin 90 days of purchase. I am getting a new one, but believe me I am taking it with me next time.

One point worth noting on those devices such as phones and satellite radios that can be disabled if stolen - while that seems like a good feature, and you will get the satisfaction that nobody will get to enjoy your stolen property, the fact remains that it has already been stolen, and you are most likely going to have to pay (again) to replace it. In all likelyhood, the theif will sell it to someone without ever knowing it was disabled in the first place. It sounds like a valuable feature, but in the end it does nothing to protect you.

I work for a top 4 auto insurance company investigating accidents and vandalism/thefts. Everyone should be aware of what their auto policy covers...
1. If it's not **permanantly** attached to the vehicle it is usually not covered. A typical GPS unit that mounts to the dash but can be removed is NOT considered permanant. Do you have any subwoofers in your car? The sub mounted in the box alone is not good enough. The box/amp/etc... must be bolted to the car to be covered.
2. Many auto policies carry a standard 1k in aftermarket add-on coverage. Any more and you need a special rider to your policy. So if you are the loudest guy driving down the street, if you don't have a special rider and all your equipment is stolen, your insurance company will likely only give you the 1k standard max.
3. I highly recommend you buy your policy through a licensed, independant insurance agent (these are different than the ones who only sell insurance for one company). They can help you navigate your way through the insurance business and be your advocate. It usually doesn't cost any more than buying direct over the web or phone.
4. READ your insurance policy. If you are reading your policy for the first time after something happens; good luck, it is a contract that you have already agreed to. It says what your insurance company is responsible for and what they can/cannot do. It is very boring to read them but you need to be aware of what your insurance pays for and when. If you have questions, talk to your insurance agent (if you bought the policy through one, another good reason to!) Do it the day it comes in the mail or you will forget.
5. Save all your reciepts for any add-on to your vehicle be it exterior (aftermarket spoiler, body kit) or interior (aftermarket stereo, amp, woofer, etc...) Oh, and don't store them in your glovebox, it really doesn't help if your whole car is stolen.

Hee hee! Here's a tip - try "hiding" all your gizmo wires and stuff in a box originally intended to hold feminine products. Just toss it in the floor on the passenger side - at least you're safe from MALE thieves!

It seems to me that everyone is crying about the problem, but doing almost nothing to find a solution. If you own all these 'toys', and someone comes along and steals them, well they shouldn't have been in there in the first place. Take some responibility for your laziness. What bothers me about this is the lack of law enforcement that should be dealing with this situation on a grand scale. Would be thieves take the risk of breaking into your car, because most of the time, the law doesn't even bother to investigate the crime. So, the risk is lowered for the thieves, and we, the consumer, have to pay even more for other devices to either replace the ones taken, or to add some 'sense' of security after the fact. Interestingly enough, there are several companies that produce shatterproof windows, (window glass sandwiched between layers of plastic), that might not keep a thief from trying to break-in, but would be a bigger deterrant if the window broke, but remained in place. I wouldn't want to try and pry thru layers of shattered glass and plastic just for a few of these toys. So, don't cry when a thief breaks in, do something about it before the situation comes up.

thanks dude!
you reminded me of the cargo cover that came with my sports/wagon car, that i never use.
now it's out and about.
looks brand new at 3 years old.

I know several people who have had things stolen from both locked and unlocked cars -- the most foolish was a group of women going to a children's concert at church that didn't want to be bothered with taking their purses inside. They thought the church parking lot would be safe!

Someone else I know left her laptop on the seat of her car in an airport parking lot -- surprise! It was stolen when she got back.

The only thing I leave in the car is my cell-phone charger and that's shut up in the ash tray. It's too bad personal property isn't safe inside a locked vehicle, but it isn't. Take responsibility for safe-guarding your own gadgets and toys.

Recently, there was a news bit that entailed exactly this sort of thing. As car thefts are becoming less popular, due do GPS tracking devices and the like, pugilists are turning their attention to the gadgets instead. What's the solution? Expensive gadgets (ipods, cell phones, gps systems etc.) should be equipped with a built in tracking device.

I have a small lock box made of 1/4" steel(commonly sold as gun safes)which is attached with a 1/2" thick hardened lock directly to the rear seat frame (out of sight). It is large enough to keep a handgun, cell phone, gps, camera, wallet, etc. Unless the thief brings power tools, cutting torch or a six foot bolt cutter the safe (and what is inside) is going nowhere. You may need someone to drill a hole or install eye bolts to attach to but the whole setup can be purchased for less than $100, a small amount considering the value of what may be inside.

I only have an iPod and a cell phone, and I never leave those in the car. I stash the phone charger and the iPod FM hookup in the glove box. Other than those two things, there's absolutely nothing of value in my car. I keep it free of clutter, so no one has any reason to think I've got something worth stealing in there.

The person who commented on car alarms being useless now is right. No one pays attention to them, because they're so frequently set off by the lightest touch or for no reason at all. We used to have a neighbor whose alarm was so sensitive that it went off every time the wind blew hard.

This is all common sense in the end of it all. Would you leave your garage open with an expensive snow blower or tool kit out in plain view? Or your dorm room door open with (say) an XBOX 360 sitting out for others to see? Likely no. More people walk by your vehicle every day than either of those two items (on average). Gadget thieves aren't stupid. They thrive of the carelessness of others. They even look at those rings in the windshield left over from suction cups. It is no one's fault except the car owner for the carelessness. If you broadcast it for the world to see, accept the consequences.

I work from my car all the time with pretty much my entire office in the car which includes, laptop, digital camera, gps device, broadband wireless card and also a printer and pretty much all the wires required to run all these things. I still remember my collegue when I started like this told me its okay to have valuable in your car but don't drive valuable car...so, now I drive 1991 toyota camary for my work fully loaded and 2005 scion tc for personal use...and i guess so far I am lucky and it seems like thieves don't want to look at old ugly cars...for gadgets ofcourse !!!:)

One solution is to super-glue razor blades onto the back of the stereo as a surprise for a would be crook. You'll end up with blood on the carpet and all your windows smashed but it'll be worth it.

Being a resident of New Jersey for the past 23 years, one would think that by now I would have had something stolen. So far I have been lucky. It helps that I lived in a very rich neighborhood. We didn't even lock our front door during the day. Why, you may ask? Well, being a middle-class family surrounded by mansions, everyone around us had much better stuff to steal. And thieves knew this. So they left us alone.
Now, in my new apartment, it's fairly easy to keep safe. I don't leave anything expensive in my car. It's that simple. My car, being an older model with a sunroof, woud be fairly easy to break into. But if someone does manage to get inside, all they're going to find is some food wrappers and a plastic bottle or two. Also, my stereo is equipped with a very high-quality anti-theft device. Always a good idea.
Afterthought: Hmmm... There is also a chance that all of those US military identification stickers on my vehicle may have something to do with theives leaving me alone. Messing with some poor shmuck who works at the local pizza joint is much less costly than trying to steal from a possibly high-ranking army official. Heh.

Quick comment: GPS Recievers are just that, recievers. All the comments that it should be easy to locate a GPS are based on an assumption that the GPS unit sends a signal (like a cell phone). All the GPS unit does is recieve the radio transmission of at least three GPS Satalites and use it's built-in software to triangulate position based on differences in the signals. That computation is, in turn, overlaid on a map to show your current position. At no point in this pocess is a signal sent by your GPS unit, just like no signals are sent by your car stereo.
This post made me realize even more benefits of my 2006 Scion tC: in the center counsle is the inputs and power supply for cell phone charger, mp3 player, etc. All cords hidden from veiw. In addition, my in-dash DVD player is covered by the tC's standard radio cover.
A junker is not always safe. And consider a car alarm that, instead of sounding and flashing for a minute, just send a message, via SMS or key fob remote, that the alarm has been triggered and why. Several systems do this, the extra cost is well worth the piece of mind. Plus you'll probably come out in time to catch the theif still in the act, either with your car or someone else's.

Quick comment: GPS Recievers are just that, recievers. All the comments that it should be easy to locate a GPS are based on an assumption that the GPS unit sends a signal (like a cell phone). All the GPS unit does is recieve the radio transmission of at least three GPS Satalites and use it's built-in software to triangulate position based on differences in the signals. That computation is, in turn, overlaid on a map to show your current position. At no point in this pocess is a signal sent by your GPS unit, just like no signals are sent by your car stereo.
This post made me realize even more benefits of my 2006 Scion tC: in the center counsle is the inputs and power supply for cell phone charger, mp3 player, etc. All cords hidden from veiw. In addition, my in-dash DVD player is covered by the tC's standard radio cover.
A junker is not always safe. And consider a car alarm that, instead of sounding and flashing for a minute, just send a message, via SMS or key fob remote, that the alarm has been triggered and why. Several systems do this, the extra cost is well worth the piece of mind. Plus you'll probably come out in time to catch the theif still in the act, either with your car or someone else's.

"Hee hee! Here's a tip - try "hiding" all your gizmo wires and stuff in a box originally intended to hold feminine products. Just toss it in the floor on the passenger side - at least you're safe from MALE thieves!"

Won't work. I had a box of tampons stolen from my jeep. It was the only thing in it. Hope he got points for getting them or she took care of her problem.

If thieves want it, they will get it. Sometimes they'll even steal things you would never think of. Case in point, quite a few years ago when I was dirt poor, I had an old beater car...really old, really ugly. My transmission went and was able to nurse it into a church parking lot till I could get it towed the next day. The following day, found that thieves had broken in and stolen....get this....my battery! Talk about being kicked when your down.

Common sense is critical and puts off most thieves but unfortunately, it's no guarantee.

How can the insurance company not cover you for items stolen from your car and then raise rates because there's lots of thefts of items out of cars in the area? Something's wrong here.

This type of crime is absolutly on the rise. In the past year my wife's minivan window was shattered and her purse (cell phone and PDA) was stolen. My truck has been searched twice when I inadvertantly left the doors unlocked.

I'll go back to what I used to do. Never leave anything inside my pickup and go ahead always leave the doors unlocked. That way they don't have to break a $150 window to find nothing. Maybe I'll even leave a $5 bill in a cup holder so that they will feel like they got something for their effort and less likely to do damage for spite.

Will everyone please check the spelling and punctuation of their messages before they send them forward. They all seem to have come from very intelligent people who, for the most part, seem to have slept through all their English classes.
Your teachers would be so embarassed!

The trouble with leaving the car doors open is that it's an invitation for a ne'er do well to let himself into your car and foul it when he wets himself. I'll stick with emptying my car, or leaving stuff "not in plain sight" and locking the doors.

My son living in Milwaukee has had his car broken into many times with windows always smashed and it was parked behind the house which opened to an alley. His solution was to leave nothing in the car and leave the doors unlocked. The last time he forgot to unlock the passenger door and came out to see that window smashed while the dirvers door was unlocked. I think that he has now made it a point to check both doors before leaving for the night.

Here's a good one: I have an old Surburban, no fancy electronics, but when I took my car in for service, my control knobs and a vent were stolen out of my backseat. The lesson here is "count your knobs before you drop your car off for service and count them again when you pick up..."

Use common sense. If you smoke, don't leave a pack on the dash...homeless people will smash in just for them. Hide anything worth stealing..better yet, take it with you. Don't leave any telltale signs that there was ever anything worth stealing. Even change in the ashtray is an invitation these days. And if you're one of those guys who leavies your car running when you go into Starbucks...you deserve what you get.

Hmm, guess we are one of the few gadgetless in the world. I work in IT and spend all say with them at work so I dont care about them at home. We have not a single gadget in the car. Even the radio/cd is a single CD one that is manufacturer installed. Then again, we live in Las Vegas which is #2 for stolen cars in the country.

Just wire your battery cable to the frame of the car with a switch to disable/enable the discharge.

The charred corpse the next morning will be a clear deterrent to others.

While it sounds like an evilly-delightful idea, your battery cable is already wired to the frame of your car: the negative one.

The positive one would simply give one big spark, and then start draining your battery so fast it might explode.

I'm looking for one of those "perimeter" alarms that say "Please step away from the car. The owner has been notified!"

Maybe shoots a taser into the front seats... hmmm. With my karma, it'd shoot ME by mistake!

Stupid people leave their stuff in public view. Smart people don't. Survival of the fittest!

My MacBook Pro has an application in the boot sector of the hard drive that sends the IP address the laptop is connected to, to my email address every time it is booted when connected to the 'net. Since it is in the boot sector, reformatting the drive won't remove it. Given the IP address, I could track it to the Internet service provider and take it from there. However, I seldom let the machine out of my sight. My desktop computers have the same thing. The only way around it is to change the hard drive in the computer - then, if the computer was reinstalled in another computer, that computer would send out its IP address, (given the volume of used hard drives at flea markets, I am convinced no hard drive is ever, actually, "thrown away" never to be recovered).

My fantasy is to have the iSight camera in my MacBook Pro take a photo of the person sitting at the keyboard and email it to me, if I don't enter a certain password at regular intervals. The computer would be equipped with a high energy wireless transmitter that would go off after the same interval. With the IP address in hand, I could then cruise past the thief's house, (or the person he fenced it on eBay), until I picked up the signal. Then, armed with the picture, call the cops and have them arrest the person... [Okay, so I am retired and I have a lot of time on my hands and I still believe the cops actually will take a break from writing spurious traffic tickets to do their real job...]

A freind of mine had her car broken into at the Atlanta airport. They went in thru the door with a small metal punch and unlocked the car that way, They wanted the cell phone. The police said they use the batteries to make meth. What a sick world we live in.

Solution is easy. Quit slapping the wrists of the guys that get caught doing this. Make it a felony with hard time for the first offense. It costs $500 plus dollars to replace a windshield and hundreds to replace side windows, in addition to the cost of replacing what they steal. If the perps were treated like the scum that they are instead of coddled then we would see less of this.

Hey guys, I just wanted to say that you're right, we cannot be safe with any kind of security system for our cars, i live in euless Texas, i have neons all over my car, and there is no way for me to take them out, if i do i have to put them back the way they were which would take 2 hours lol, any way i left my gps and my radio in my car... the thief stole that same day, he didn't even broke my window guys, he tilted my window and unlocked the car, next day i found out he took my garmin c320 gps, my pioneer radio, and check this!!! the bastard also popped my trunk from the inside of the car and stole some aftermarket car parts i bought that same day, i hate that about my car!!!!! and the worst thing is cops don't do anything!!! just bother you, garmin told me if he ever installs another map or repairs it we will call you and the odds are high so son't worry, yeah right!!! i have the whole map of texas he isn't going anywhere, he got away with more than 700 dollars from my car, good thing he didn't see my neons on my car, tore my car's faceplate taking off the radio and broke my cigarrete lighter adapter in which i can't use my neons anymore, i stayed weeks trying to find that bastard, if anybody had my radio, my neon on at night, or playing my musics or my gps... i wish i could find them!!! anyways... i'm gonna have to buy another gps and another radio... repair my cigarrete lighter, live on with a broken faceplate... ay.. it really sucks bc i called all the pawn shops from 20 miles from where i live, yes a bunch of gps but not mine, this sucks, i hate living in an apt, see what happens when u don't have a covered garage? and tinted windows? c'mon guys!!! thats more of an attention grabber for the thief!! tinted windows huh? he must have some stuff in there, i just want to point out that i left my radio and gps for the first time ever!!!! i was in a arguement with my mom and i wanted to get the hell out of there and look waht happened!!! i called the cops but they don't do squat... i think even if i put a security system my car will still be vandalized bc of the window you can tilt, not a lot!!! but if u are smart you can chip away the rubber on the side and tilt my window... so i guess the alarm won't do much right guys? well... i'm off right now to buy another radio... tomorrow repair my cigarrete adapter and maybe if enough money buy another garmin c320 gps, and guys!!! if u live in an apartment like me, plz heed my advice, i'm 19 probably just like you, i love to install mods on my car, bumpers, amps, rims, dvds, neons, everything to get the public's attention, but i learned this, if u don't have a house, u're gonna get jacked, so if u have any mods in your car and u live on an apt, u better run over there and take everything out of your car until you buy a house with a covered garage, its the only way, alarms do u no good people!!! he can still jack your car in ways u wouldn't imagine, i came from brazil and these guys are professional, they will steal your car so easy, that u would be amazed rather than pissed, well... i shared my opinions with you guys, also i like the idea of putting a tracking devise on your car but... its not the car i want to track!!! its my radio, my gps, my neons, everything except the car, is there a way for you to put tracking devices on your radio, gps, neons, rims, cupholders, etc...? lol

What we need to do is make the criminals more accountable for their crimes.

Ok, what's the deal with everyone saying we're responsible for protecting our own things from the baddies? What ever happened to not stealing someone's hard-earned toys? Some of us who work with sensitive information can't take our toys into the office, so my ipod must sit in the car, along with my cell phone. I have a car alarm, but if someone's not after the car, it'd only take a second to swipe things. Well there's nothing to do but to pray I'm not a victim- until Apple starts putting trackers in ipods- which should actually be pretty easy. Every iPod would have a user license code attached, and if reported stolen, would automatically file a report online if the thief ever tried to upgrade. I'm sure someone could program a code for it! Same for any device... It's sad that we have to live in fear of things being stolen, or else walk around like Batman... which if I were allowed to do, I probably would- and if someone wanted my ipod then, well, they'd get a taste of some good old fashioned Batman ("POW!") courtesy of some other gadget I'd probably have to carry. :)

Theft is the dark side of human nature. It is fueled by a sense of unfairness on the thief's side. It isn't personal to them. They see a $60k+ vehicle filled with $5k worth of electronics, they figure you're insured and can afford it. I am certainly not condoning it or making excuses, I just want to demonstrate how they think.

Sometimes the best defense is understanding the enemy. I am willing to bet just about anything the crooks start with the newest, most expensive vehicles on the lot. Maybe you shouldn't buy things to draw attention to yourself?

By the way, car alarms don't work as a deterant. The idiot fringe saw to that years ago by setting them and then not responding to them when they are triggered (mostly accidentally). As a result most people have come to ignore them and automatically curse the owner.

After 3 years of service oversea I came back home right before Christmas. Happy to be home got a car,a system sound and a GPS, to find out 2 days later they are gone including the temporary registration, vehicle manual and nut lock. I spend all my money I saved.... now I'm left with nothing. Police gave me a claim number and .." Sorry for you lost" I just wish to find out who stole it Why cops can't investigate take fingerprints, do something? Insurance won't cover so this is the "Welcome Home, Thanks for serving the country"

I live in bklyn, ny, these fucks stole my shit, broke my window at 2 o clock AM. my friend got his GPS stolen to. i hope these asshole get caught this is fucking ridiculous, they probably selling my GPS on ebay right now.

They got me the other day too. Now I am getting an alarm and a DVR with video cameras around the outside of my house!

While most want to "live out of their vehicles", I would strongly suggest keeping anything we would deem of _value_ to us at home. It is unfortunate however, it saves us all this grief. Once our vehicles are left out on streets, parking garages, lots, etc, we offer them and their contents up for grabs. My car was broken into in 1994, i learned immediately that i should not keep my personal belongings in it.
I don't care about the vehicle as much as I care about my belongings....Just my Opinion.