**-- Theft WARNING --**

[Kevin K]

Heading should be Theft WARNING


This was sent to me from a friend

What will they think of next!

I approached my truck from the passenger side to place my computer bag in the front passenger seat. As I reached to open the door I noticed there was a hole right under my door handle. My first thought was, "someone has shot my truck !" I began to think about it and inspect it a little closer and the "light" slowly began to come on. I phoned my friend who owns a body shop and asked if he had any vehicles with damage to the doors that looked like a bullet hole. He replied, "I see it all the time." Thieves have a punch and place it right under the door handle, knock a hole through, reach in and unlock it, just as if they have a key. No alarms, broken glass or anything.



I then placed a call to my insurance agent and explained the scenario to him. I was puzzled that they left my GPS and all other belongings. Here is where it gets scary ! "Oh no, he said, they want the break-in to be so subtle that you don't even realize it. They look at your GPS to see where "home" is. Now they know what you drive, go to your home, and if your vehicle isn't there they assume you aren't and break into your home." He went on to say they will even leave a purse or wallet and only take one or two credit cards. By the time you realize there has been a theft, they may have already had a couple days or more to use them.

I didn't realize my situation for two full days! They even gave me the courtesy of re-locking my doors for me.

What Can You Do

Periodically walk around your car, daily if you are in a shopping center or other parking areas.
Report thefts immediately. Your bank w/missing check numbers, your credit card agencies, police, and insurance companies, etc.
Never program your home in your GPS. Use an address close to yours such as a business.

[2yax2go]

This one got me curious, Kevin. Thieves get more and more creative every day.

According to Snopes, this has just enough truth to it that a person should be aware of their vehicle. In a rather famous case, Usher lost a hefty sum from what appears to have been this method. (see attached snopes report.)

We don't have a GPS, but because I'm goofy enuff not to think like a crook, it doubltess would not have occurred to me not to program "home" into the thing. Which also means we should not program 'home' into our cell phones or computers or anything else which can be removed from our ownership without our permission.

I reckon the best advice is not to leave anything loose anywhere that someone can/will pick-up. Wouldn't it be nice if these guys found something useful to do with all that cretative genius than to be dishonest.

snopes.com: Hole Punch Car Robbery

[Kevin K]

So this might not be true?

[Chris Z]

knock a hole through, reach in and unlock it
Don't understand how they can reach thru this little hole.

[Vickie B.]

Thank goodness for Snopes--it's usually the first place I go when I get e-mails like this!!!

[Steve Outlaw]

Originally Posted by Kevin K

So this might not be true?

This is absolutely true, My daughter's Suburban was broken into in exactly this manner over a year ago at the Galleria mall in Birmingham, AL. Theives got her .357, sunglasses, iPod and GPS.

[BigLew]

Originally Posted by Steve Outlaw

This is absolutely true, My daughter's Suburban was broken into in exactly this manner over a year ago at the Galleria mall in Birmingham, AL. Theives got her .357, sunglasses, iPod and GPS.

I certainly believe it. My brother, who lives in a nice development with homes far enough away and just the right amount of landscaping to keep the home nice and private just had his home broken into last week. They busted the basement window and entered the home from the most private side. Went straight to the bedroom and removed his wife's jewelry, money, and exited the upstairs deck, closed the sliding screen and locked the door. These people did this between 1PM - 3PM.
SO I go to work yesterday and one of the guys I work with has a brother that lives a few miles down the road and sure enough, same thing, except besides the jewelry, money....they also took drugs from their medicine cabinet.

We all ought to be looking out for one another in terms of watching each others homes and what not. I always have, but now I find myself looking much more often. I have even hung a "beware of dog" sign at my entrance and gate to my rear yard. I guess it's time to buy stock in some of these home security companies.

[Vickie B.]

Don't get me wrong----I totally believe that crime is going on all around us all the time. My daughter's car was stolen from right in our driveway! And I totally believe we need to look out for each other!

I just have a pet peeve about e-mails that go like wildfire and people pass them on like gospel. It's like the game of "Telephone"---one thing is whispered in the first person's ear, and by the last person---it's altogether different.

If you read the Snopes article, it points to the truthfulness of break-ins, etc, but points out that the covert operations of crooks in this e-mail is most likely over the top. It happens more like Steve's daughter's story---they get in and take the stuff.

OK, I'll get off my soap box now---sorry---I've just had so many normally savvy friends send me some crazy stuff they are sure is true! It makes me sad.

Off to put new wall covering on my camper (which also makes me sad--don't ask.)

Vickie

[BigLew]

Originally Posted by Vickie B.

Don't get me wrong----I totally believe that crime is going on all around us all the time. My daughter's car was stolen from right in our driveway! And I totally believe we need to look out for each other!

I just have a pet peeve about e-mails that go like wildfire and people pass them on like gospel. It's like the game of "Telephone"---one thing is whispered in the first person's ear, and by the last person---it's altogether different.

If you read the Snopes article, it points to the truthfulness of break-ins, etc, but points out that the covert operations of crooks in this e-mail is most likely over the top. It happens more like Steve's daughter's story---they get in and take the stuff.

OK, I'll get off my soap box now---sorry---I've just had so many normally savvy friends send me some crazy stuff they are sure is true! It makes me sad.

Off to put new wall covering on my camper (which also makes me sad--don't ask.)

Vickie

Why's it going to make you sad?

[Vickie B.]

Lew---I told you not to ask! LOL Actually, it's HARD to do new wall covering. And I picked vinyl which shows every bump and freckle underneath. And since I'm just learning, every time I screw up I think "ah, I shoulda done-----".

[Tom Trostel]

Why would a thief need to check the GPS? Everyone in Texas (and I'm sure most other states) has a proof of insurance card in the glove box with their home address printed on it.

[Byron Kinnaman]

That's an interesting technique. However in my case if the alarm is set it will go off. Once set I have to use the key remote to unset. I can't even unlock the door with the key without the alarm going off.
I did have a GPS stolen out of my truck. The drivers side window side was broken out, but the door was still locked.

[Ray N]

Originally Posted by BigLew

Why's it going to make you sad?

I'm another one who is saddened by all the people who pass on things without taking a moment or two to check them out. I'm forever receiving emails with crazy, or even worse, slanderous stories in them.

Even though you said not to ask, I'm another one who just has to - why is putting up the wall covering also making you sad?

[BigLew]

Originally Posted by Vickie B.

Lew---I told you not to ask! LOL Actually, it's HARD to do new wall covering. And I picked vinyl which shows every bump and freckle underneath. And since I'm just learning, every time I screw up I think "ah, I shoulda done-----".

LOL.....
I remember the first time the wife got me to do wallpaper, neither of us had a clue as how to hang it. So, I got the glue, mixed it and started painting it on the wall, then I tried placing the wallpaper on top of that
Boy have I learned a lot since my early 20's! lol

[LSChilders]

Originally Posted by Kevin K

Heading should be Theft WARNING


This was sent to me from a friend

What will they think of next!

I approached my truck from the passenger side to place my computer bag in the front passenger seat. As I reached to open the door I noticed there was a hole right under my door handle. My first thought was, "someone has shot my truck !" I began to think about it and inspect it a little closer and the "light" slowly began to come on. I phoned my friend who owns a body shop and asked if he had any vehicles with damage to the doors that looked like a bullet hole. He replied, "I see it all the time." Thieves have a punch and place it right under the door handle, knock a hole through, reach in and unlock it, just as if they have a key. No alarms, broken glass or anything.

Attachment 37012

I then placed a call to my insurance agent and explained the scenario to him. I was puzzled that they left my GPS and all other belongings. Here is where it gets scary ! "Oh no, he said, they want the break-in to be so subtle that you don't even realize it. They look at your GPS to see where "home" is. Now they know what you drive, go to your home, and if your vehicle isn't there they assume you aren't and break into your home." He went on to say they will even leave a purse or wallet and only take one or two credit cards. By the time you realize there has been a theft, they may have already had a couple days or more to use them.

I didn't realize my situation for two full days! They even gave me the courtesy of re-locking my doors for me.

What Can You Do

Periodically walk around your car, daily if you are in a shopping center or other parking areas.
Report thefts immediately. Your bank w/missing check numbers, your credit card agencies, police, and insurance companies, etc.
Never program your home in your GPS. Use an address close to yours such as a business.

Never Put the GPS "Home" as your house. I always use the Service Station where I usually buy Gas.

If you're out of town and use the GPS to get home, .... it'll get you close enough to find your way the last little bit.

[LanceRinFla]

I always take "Snopes" with the proverbial 'grain of salt', as I have caught them in the wrong too often. They do only what any savvy online user can do - back-check using Google, local newspapers (if the subject gives a location), etc.
This is one case where it's too bad they are correct! Yet another thing to keep in mind in our daily travels.

[AndyGee]

I have had a car broken into using this method. A co-worker mentioned that some models of Mazdas will unlock if you give them a good swift kick in the door right below the door handle on the drivers side apparently his sister no longer bothers to lock her car because the drivers door looks like the car's been in a demo derby.
I leave nothing with personal info in the car, I cary my insurance card and registration in my wallet with my DL.