Can "break-in"...or was it?

[Sully]

Last night, the cars at my dad's house (in a decent neighborhood where we've never locked the doors or cars) were gone through. They opened every compartment and removed most of the paperwork and things and they were laid out on seat. Didn't take any keys (for misc locks) and didn't take the old gps or iPod or any spare change (which was in the ashtray which I don't think they could find or my stereo stuff. Or anything as far as I can tell. Same story with my dad's car and he had a new gps I his and the keys were in the cup holder.

Talked to my boss who lives down the street and same thing happened to him and all his neighbors and they called the cops and apparently it happened to lots of houses last night. He had keys in one of his trucks and the only thing taken they can tell was a spare change cup from one of the cars.

So is it just kids or a random person looking for change and ignoring everything else that could get them in trouble with the cops. Cops basically told my boss this wasn't worth their time to follow up. Or are they taking something (information maybe) that people just aren't noticing and using at some point in the future? Thoughts?

Btw, same thing happened to my buddies cars that live 30 minutes from my dad in downtown Richmond a couple months ago.

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[JPolen01]

GPS units are a dime a dozen these days. Not worth anything to pawn or trade for drugs. Probably just kids looking for higher value items like laptops, cameras, etc.

Lock your fucking cars no matter where you live. Leaving them open invites this kind of stuff. And don't leave anything of value in plain sight.

[Apoc]

This happens pretty much nightly here, even in 'hoods where the median home price is seven figures. People have been known to walk down a line of cars, trying all the door handles. Whether it's kids or addicts, the intent is the same - easy money. I'm constantly amazed how many people "forget" to lock their car doors, even in a large city. We lock our doors and don't store anything of value in the car. We haven't had a problem.

[rherold9]

People still don't lock their things up these days? Being friendly with your neighbors/area doesn't mean there can't be random people who roll buy and steal your crap. I don't get it.

[JPolen01]

People still don't lock their things up these days? Being friendly with your neighbors/area doesn't mean there can't be random people who roll buy and steal your crap. I don't get it.

Not saying it's the case here, but to me it feels like an elitist mentality. "My area is so nice that I don't need to lock my shit up"

[Jake]

Don't leave anything visible, bring your keys inside, and lock your shit.

I have insurance so that if my locked vehicle is broken into or stolen, they'll make it right again. I have no interest in a more difficult claim due to more or less inviting someone to rifle through everything and/or take the car.

[ScottyB]

sounds like addicts looking for easy money. a GPS unit isn't worth enough to carry it around. they probably wanted phones or laptops/cameras like Jon said.

the only people i know that can get away with the "we just don't lock anything" lifestyle are relatives that live out on the eastern shore surrounded by like 100 acres on some backwater creek and have 4 loud dogs.

[Apoc]

People still don't lock their things up these days? Being friendly with your neighbors/area doesn't mean there can't be random people who roll buy and steal your crap. I don't get it.

Not saying it's the case here, but to me it feels like an elitist mentality. "My area is so nice that I don't need to lock my shit up"

It's possible people grew up in a place where not locking things was the norm, because this type of crime never happened. It's just not part of one's life experience. That said, there's enough access to news these days that I would think most would have realized this crime of opportunity could happen most anywhere.

[Sully]

The issue isn't really that it happened. I understand it's our fault for not locking things. The real reason for the post is the not taking anything wondering if there is some other motive besides easy money. I mean an entire car is pretty easy money since the keys were in it unless of course they were kids or know that they'll grab police attention stealing something that big. Around the corner at my bosses, they rifiled through a car in someone's driveway but not through a car in front of the house that had $5 cash laying in the passenger seat. It's also weird that they leave everything open. Even when rifling through something you don't care about, I feel like I'd close things in the same motion as opening them if nothing else but to get them out of my way. Like my sunglass holder and garage door remote holder (on the roof) were both left open. I feel like that would just get in the way and wouldn't be hard to close even if you were rushing

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[JPolen01]

They look for garage door openers so they can come back when you aren't home and walk right in.

[Sully]

I don't have one in my truck. Not sure if my dad had one. My boss has one in the work truck and it's still there.

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My dad's house closes on Friday so there's not really anything left in the house anyways.

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[Apoc]

The motive for pretty much every break in is easy money. Stealing a car isn't easy money if you don't have a way to unload it. Stop overthinking it.

[WRXtranceformed]

We grew up on 100 acres and locked our doors every night. Safety is about expecting the worst and hoping for the best, it doesn't matter where you live.

This is a big thing around here, about 6 months ago there was a round of "break ins" which consisted of some teenagers checking door handles like Chris said and stealing anything with value out of the cars. You would be surprised how many people leave really expensive stuff in their cars, unlocked, at night. Some guy had his NCAA Championship football ring (App State) stolen out of his cupholder. Wut. Our neighbors three doors up had one of their cars stolen because they also left their keys in it. The car ended up getting crashed into a storefront and totaled in a town about 45 minutes away. I didn't feel bad for them even a little bit. We keep our cars parked in the garage.

So to answer your question, yeah it was probably some crack head looking for loose change / cash or cell phones.

[.RJ]

This happens once or twice a year in my neighborhood. Neighbors are always surprised when it happens.

Bored kids, probably not drug addicts.

[Apoc]

This happens once or twice a year in my neighborhood.  Neighbors are always surprised when it happens.

Bored kids, probably not drug addicts.

lulz @ your cell phone being stolen out of your vehicle while you were moving

[ryangreen1]

Heard of this happening maybe once in my hometown. We never lock our cars but don’t leave anything other than spare change and the junk Mom always has in her car. Hell, my uncle has never locked the doors of their house since they moved there 15 years ago


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[Ryan T]

Those happen here once every month or so. Only car outside is my truck, which I lock every night. I lock my house even when I’m home and I put my garage door down while I mow. I don’t take any chances with all the shit birds around anymore.

[Senor_Taylor]

Those happen here once every month or so. Only car outside is my truck, which I lock every night. I lock my house even when I’m home and I put my garage door down while I mow. I don’t take any chances with all the shit birds around anymore.

Even in Bristol?  I don't think we locked our house except when on vacation for at least 10 years.

[Ryan T]

Those happen here once every month or so. Only car outside is my truck, which I lock every night. I lock my house even when I’m home and I put my garage door down while I mow. I don’t take any chances with all the shit birds around anymore.

Even in Bristol?  I don't think we locked our house except when on vacation for at least 10 years.

Per population Bristol City is in the top 3 for property crime and drug crimes in the state of Virginia.