My stolen BRZ

[ZionsWrath]

Are you paying more? You and I are paying the same (more) amount. If they (insurance companies) want to charge more based on very specific stipulations (leaving keys in car, etc) then I will adjust my behavior accordingly.

Until then I don't think anyone complaining about specific motorist behavior has a leg to stand on. We all pay the same (expensive) rates based on elaborate insurance formulas

[jasonojordan]

Originally Posted by ZionsWrath

Are you paying more? You and I are paying the same (more) amount. If they (insurance companies) want to charge more based on very specific stipulations (leaving keys in car, etc) then I will adjust my behavior accordingly.

Until then I don't think anyone complaining about specific motorist behavior has a leg to stand on. We all pay the same (expensive) rates based on elaborate insurance formulas

I think what he is getting at is that while our rates are already quite expensive it could be alot better and can get alot worse if people continue not to use common sense.

[ZionsWrath]

I understand that but at the same time there is a point where too much precaution is absurd.

Leaving a modified sports car running with keys in it. Sure that's a real bad idea

Average person leaving car running to buy a coffee. who cares.

[jasonojordan]

Originally Posted by ZionsWrath

I understand that but at the same time there is a point where too much precaution is absurd.

Leaving a modified sports car running with keys in it. Sure that's a real bad idea

Average person leaving car running to buy a coffee. who cares.

Because the average car is still expensive to replace and there are many more average cars out there then there are sports cars. 10 idiots in average cars leave it running and they are stolen it adds up.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ZionsWrath

I understand that but at the same time there is a point where too much precaution is absurd.

Leaving a modified sports car running with keys in it. Sure that's a real bad idea

Average person leaving car running to buy a coffee. who cares.

The person that loses it and then will not acknowledge that they just gave it away cares.


I still can not grasp the mindset that turning off a key/pushing a button is "too much precaution". This seems like the most basic common sense to me be it a modified sports car or a clapped out Neon.

[KR-S]

For the record, I didn't once think that this was some elaborate plot to steal someone's BRZ. Thievery is thievery, whether planned or unplanned.

Tcoat is right on this one: never leave your car running unattended, even in a place you could seemingly trust, especially late at night. It's just a bad idea, as clearly exemplified here.

I didn't read past the OP in that other thread, but now that it's been mentioned: there is no conspiracy behind it; you made a mistake that could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

Once again, I'm glad you got your car back, but let that experience be a lesson to you OP.

[justatroll]

Originally Posted by ZionsWrath

Yes it was his actions that made someone take it.

I agree leaving a key in it facilitates theft. But saying take accountability for his actions? So leaving your car running in a public place means you are intending it to be stolen and should have no recourse? Okay then...

People who leave their cars running with a child strapped into a car seat have been charged with neglect when the car gets stolen.


I have ZERO sympathy for someone who gets their car stolen when leaving it running.


On another note: In my county it is ILLEGAL to leave your car running in your driveway to warm it up in the winter. They say it "facilitates theft". I argue that is an unconstitutional law and it should be struck down.
Does that mean that they can MAKE me lock my bike up, put my lawnmower away, and FORCE me to lock the door to my house because to do otherwise might "facilitate a crime against me"??.


Using THAT argument, they might as well be able to ban short shorts on women because .... well you know...

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

London police would not even bother to look inside much less run it for prints and do forensics. They would call and say your car is here come pick it up and that will be $120 for towing please".
Some kids took an unlocked and running car for a joyride and they are not going to pump resources into finding them. We are not talking about hunting down a crack team of international car thieves here.

This was my exact experience the one time I had a car stolen (South Florida).

We had a Chevy Astro stolen out of our driveway. It was found two days later because a "Condo Commando" called the cops to report that the van with a busted window had been parked in their marked spot for over a week (yea, some type of time warp thing I guess).

Window was broken, steering column needed repair, and the radio was missing (basic OEM radio, didn't even have a CD or tape player).

Cops said, "yea, we don't know who stole it, although we think it might have been a couple of kids a few blocks over from you. We think they may have used it for a drug run. You have your car back now, so we aren't going to pursue it. There would be too many fingerprints on the car for us to bother" Something like that.

Frankly, unless it is some ultra-rare high priced collector car, if my car is stolen I'd just as soon not get it back anyway.

[mazeroni]

I learned growing up around certain people that it is never their fault if they steal from someone else.

Leave money in the change bin of your car? You were asking me to break out the window and take it. Even if it is a few bucks.

Look away with your backback sitting beside you? If you can't watch your own stuff then you don't deserve to have it to begin with.

You have expensive things? Then you are a rich bitch and can afford to replace it.

People who take from others can easily justify their actions. It doesn't matter if you lock and bar your doors, close the shades, and put cameras everywhere. There is no point trying to point fingers at whose fault it is for what. In my mind, you should be able to leave doors unlocked. Your garage door open with tools visible. Your laptop on a table in a public place while you use the bathroom. But there are so many other people with their own stuff going on, be it paying bills, getting drugs, or looking for a thrill that they will sniff out every opportunity and take advantage.

So, in the case of OP, even if he took the keys with him they could have just waited for him to come back out and jumped him for the keys and took it that way. Should he have known the Keysi fighting style and pulled a batman on them? What if they had a gun? Should he have a bullet proof vest? I agree that nobody should be crying victim in this situation only because nobody got hurt. His stuff got taken. Okay, that sucks. So the only real lesson to take away from this is that material objects are fleeting.

So I just don't see a reason to argue over fault or who could have prevented what when nobody has foresight enough to predict what may or may not happen at a given moment on a planet of 7+ billion people. Sure, there is no reason to make it easy for them and a lot of petty criminals may not be smart or brave enough plan a mugging or breaking and entering, but someone who bought and pays the bills on their car and doesn't go around taking other people's stuff probably didn't see a reason to be concerned.

Hell, when I leave my apartment in the morning I only lock the handle lock and not the bolt - for my own convenience. But even if I did bolt the door, throw your body weight against the door and that thing is flying open and my stuff is gone in less than 30 seconds. IF someone really wants my stuff, they will get it one way or another.

Shit happens.

[Sideways]

Glad the op got his car back. I get pissed if someone touches my car, forget about stealing it.

I used to leave my other car (Mazda 3) running in winter to let it warm up, but never my BRZ. But stopped it, after I saw some lady in minivan taking picture of my house and car early morning and fled as soon as she saw me coming out the door.

[justatroll]

Originally Posted by mazeroni

I learned growing up around certain people that it is never their fault if they steal from someone else.....
...
...

Hell, when I leave my apartment in the morning I only lock the handle lock and not the bolt - for my own convenience. But even if I did bolt the door, throw your body weight against the door and that thing is flying open and my stuff is gone in less than 30 seconds. IF someone really wants my stuff, they will get it one way or another.

Shit happens.

What ever happened to the saying "Locks are only there to keep honest people honest"?
I am fairly certain that the people who stole the OPs car were not out looking for a car to steal.
It was a crime of opportunity. If had not been sitting there running begging for someone to take it, there would be nothing to see here.
I just find it amazing that the person who happened to stumble upon it running was good enough with a MT to get away without stalling it in the process.

[wparsons]

Some insurance companies WILL NOT cover a cent if you leave your car or house unlocked, that's enough for me to make sure I lock up my stuff.

[mdm]

I my neighborhood every now and then someone gets into unlocked cars in the middle of the night, and goes over the glovebox and steals whatever valuable they can find.

Everybody in the neighborhood is pisssed about that, everybody is talking, expressing support, reminding to notify the police... and yet they keep leaving cars unlocked...


Now, I must admit that I once left a car (a rental) with one door wide open (not just unlocked) in a not so good area of one city, and nothing happened...

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by mazeroni

I learned growing up around certain people that it is never their fault if they steal from someone else.

Leave money in the change bin of your car? You were asking me to break out the window and take it. Even if it is a few bucks.

Look away with your backback sitting beside you? If you can't watch your own stuff then you don't deserve to have it to begin with.

You have expensive things? Then you are a rich bitch and can afford to replace it.

People who take from others can easily justify their actions. It doesn't matter if you lock and bar your doors, close the shades, and put cameras everywhere. There is no point trying to point fingers at whose fault it is for what. In my mind, you should be able to leave doors unlocked. Your garage door open with tools visible. Your laptop on a table in a public place while you use the bathroom. But there are so many other people with their own stuff going on, be it paying bills, getting drugs, or looking for a thrill that they will sniff out every opportunity and take advantage.

So, in the case of OP, even if he took the keys with him they could have just waited for him to come back out and jumped him for the keys and took it that way. Should he have known the Keysi fighting style and pulled a batman on them? What if they had a gun? Should he have a bullet proof vest? I agree that nobody should be crying victim in this situation only because nobody got hurt. His stuff got taken. Okay, that sucks. So the only real lesson to take away from this is that material objects are fleeting.

So I just don't see a reason to argue over fault or who could have prevented what when nobody has foresight enough to predict what may or may not happen at a given moment on a planet of 7+ billion people. Sure, there is no reason to make it easy for them and a lot of petty criminals may not be smart or brave enough plan a mugging or breaking and entering, but someone who bought and pays the bills on their car and doesn't go around taking other people's stuff probably didn't see a reason to be concerned.

Hell, when I leave my apartment in the morning I only lock the handle lock and not the bolt - for my own convenience. But even if I did bolt the door, throw your body weight against the door and that thing is flying open and my stuff is gone in less than 30 seconds. IF someone really wants my stuff, they will get it one way or another.

Shit happens.

Yes, if they really want it they will get it. That is not the point of my side of the debate.


I guess a good summary of my view is "I worked for it so if you are going to steal it from me you are bloody well going to have to work at it as well." I refuse to gift wrap my stuff and hand it to thieves.