utbagpiper
Banned
imported post
Friends,
This note is off topic, but I think worthy of passing along to any who park their cars in an unsecured parking lot during the work day.
We've recently had a car stolen from the parking lot at my place of employment. The parking lot is fairly well monitored via closed-circuit TV cameras and even roving security guards. But it is not controlled access.
What makes this theft notable is that within 30 minutes of stealing the car, the thieves were pulling up at the owner's home. They had obviously used the car registration to learn the address of the owner and drove directly to what they figured was likely to be an unoccupied home. They then used the garage door opener in the car to enter the garage and from there, went through the unlocked interior garage door into the home. My co-worker's wife was actually at home and fortunately her screams scared the thieves off. The car was found fairly well stripped later in the day.
This is the second time in a couple of years that this same scenario has played out: car stolen from work parking lot, registration used to find home address, garage door put up with opener in car, and unlocked interior garage door providing easy access to the home proper. In both cases, wives/mothers were at home and fortunately, the thieves were scared off without harming anyone.
Another associate reports an incident at his former apartment complex in which there was a rash of smash-and-grab thefts from parked cars. Notably, the thieves were not going after stereos or other obvious valuables. Instead they were taking car registrations, check books, and other paper items with personally identifying information on them.
As costly and unpleasant as a car theft can be, or even a smash-and-grab that costs you a new window and ipod player, ID theft or home invasion would be far worse in a host of ways.
Just a few thoughts:
1-Be sure there is nothing visible in your car that might attract a smash-and-grab. This includes empty backpacks and shopping bags that could possibly have something in them.
2-Consider taking garage door remotes into the office with you rather than leaving them in the car. Do not leave house keys in the car.
3-To the extent possible--and it can be difficult with children or other family members at home during the day--keep the door between your garage and home locked.
4-Contact your State legislator about removing your home address and other personal information from the registration that has to be kept in the car. In a day of wireless computer communications there is very little need to have this information printed on a document you have to keep in your car. I should think that vehicle description with VIN number, license plate number, and expiration date is all that is really needed; MAYBE the name of the registered owner.
5-Clean out all other documents from your car that have your name, address, or other personal information on them. This includes letters and bills. Keep the car clean so if it is stolen or broken into, there is less to be taken.
6-If you have a P.O. Box or private mail box somewhere you may consider using that for your vehicle registration rather than a home address.
7-You may give serious thought to investing in a small car safe. I've have one from "Center-of-Mass" <http://www.center-of-mass.com/Store_InCarGunSafe.htm> that is thin enough to slip under the seat in my compact commuter car, but durable enough to at least slow down any thief who isn't carrying power tools around with him. The ~$50 seems a very good trade off to reduce the odds of a thief being able to easily get my personal information. My registration and insurance cards are now kept inside this lock box that is secured to a seat post, rather than inside the plastic, unlocked glove box. There is still plenty of room for a self-defense firearm for those places or occasions where it is not prudent to carry on my person. Larger, heavier, and more expensive units are available from other manufacturers (google "car gun safe" for starters) depending on your budget, the car you drive, and your personal tastes.
Charles
Friends,
This note is off topic, but I think worthy of passing along to any who park their cars in an unsecured parking lot during the work day.
We've recently had a car stolen from the parking lot at my place of employment. The parking lot is fairly well monitored via closed-circuit TV cameras and even roving security guards. But it is not controlled access.
What makes this theft notable is that within 30 minutes of stealing the car, the thieves were pulling up at the owner's home. They had obviously used the car registration to learn the address of the owner and drove directly to what they figured was likely to be an unoccupied home. They then used the garage door opener in the car to enter the garage and from there, went through the unlocked interior garage door into the home. My co-worker's wife was actually at home and fortunately her screams scared the thieves off. The car was found fairly well stripped later in the day.
This is the second time in a couple of years that this same scenario has played out: car stolen from work parking lot, registration used to find home address, garage door put up with opener in car, and unlocked interior garage door providing easy access to the home proper. In both cases, wives/mothers were at home and fortunately, the thieves were scared off without harming anyone.
Another associate reports an incident at his former apartment complex in which there was a rash of smash-and-grab thefts from parked cars. Notably, the thieves were not going after stereos or other obvious valuables. Instead they were taking car registrations, check books, and other paper items with personally identifying information on them.
As costly and unpleasant as a car theft can be, or even a smash-and-grab that costs you a new window and ipod player, ID theft or home invasion would be far worse in a host of ways.
Just a few thoughts:
1-Be sure there is nothing visible in your car that might attract a smash-and-grab. This includes empty backpacks and shopping bags that could possibly have something in them.
2-Consider taking garage door remotes into the office with you rather than leaving them in the car. Do not leave house keys in the car.
3-To the extent possible--and it can be difficult with children or other family members at home during the day--keep the door between your garage and home locked.
4-Contact your State legislator about removing your home address and other personal information from the registration that has to be kept in the car. In a day of wireless computer communications there is very little need to have this information printed on a document you have to keep in your car. I should think that vehicle description with VIN number, license plate number, and expiration date is all that is really needed; MAYBE the name of the registered owner.
5-Clean out all other documents from your car that have your name, address, or other personal information on them. This includes letters and bills. Keep the car clean so if it is stolen or broken into, there is less to be taken.
6-If you have a P.O. Box or private mail box somewhere you may consider using that for your vehicle registration rather than a home address.
7-You may give serious thought to investing in a small car safe. I've have one from "Center-of-Mass" <http://www.center-of-mass.com/Store_InCarGunSafe.htm> that is thin enough to slip under the seat in my compact commuter car, but durable enough to at least slow down any thief who isn't carrying power tools around with him. The ~$50 seems a very good trade off to reduce the odds of a thief being able to easily get my personal information. My registration and insurance cards are now kept inside this lock box that is secured to a seat post, rather than inside the plastic, unlocked glove box. There is still plenty of room for a self-defense firearm for those places or occasions where it is not prudent to carry on my person. Larger, heavier, and more expensive units are available from other manufacturers (google "car gun safe" for starters) depending on your budget, the car you drive, and your personal tastes.
Charles
