Must Read. Information about house break ins from a friend in law enforcement

[*MAD DOG*]

From a friend in Law Enforcement:

"Wednesday, I approached my truck from the passenger side to place my computer bag (aka my man purse) 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.

"Yes, 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 it 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. Or check your address from Insurance and Registration in your glove box. 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 said 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 of days or more to use them. (I didn't realize my situation for two full days!)

They even give you the courtesy of re-locking your doors for you. Periodically, walk around your car, especially after you park in a shopping center or other large parking area.

Report thefts immediately....your bank w/missing check numbers, your credit card agencies, police, and insurance companies, etc.

Below is picture of what the hole looks like.



Also, change the "Home" setting in your GPS to the neighbour you don't like's address, or the neighbour who you wouldn't mess with who has a dog address. That way the thieves will go there instead :) (Based on your registration papers being locked in your glove box and your GPS in the cabin). Or if you want to be nice, change your home location to a house where there is always someone home, like a retired couple.

[Klink10]

and let the retired couple shoot them. I like that.

[why?]

that is kind of freaky. of course my defense is best, a little economy car with a ton of trash in the back and no back seat. they will take one look at the car and not bother. still also thinking of putting an alarm hooked up to a large bomb too. that could be fun.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by why?

that is kind of freaky. of course my defense is best, a little economy car with a ton of trash in the back and no back seat. they will take one look at the car and not bother. still also thinking of putting an alarm hooked up to a large bomb too. that could be fun.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by why?

that is kind of freaky. of course my defense is best, a little economy car with a ton of trash in the back and no back seat. they will take one look at the car and not bother. still also thinking of putting an alarm hooked up to a large bomb too. that could be fun.

Yesterday I was in the convenience store closest to my house and a fellow customer recalled the theft that had recently happened to her . They were in San Antonio and the car was parked. Her purse was inside and the window was broken to get to it. She said it was a $300.00 purse and all her Id, cards, even the social security numbers of her children () were in there. I asked her what kind of car it was. She said a brand new Ford F350. Why anyone would leave a purse in plain sight in a parked Ford F350 is beyond me. It might exude power on the road (at least the way many people drive them around here), but that doesn't help when it is parked. People like this lady will continue to be victimized (a conspicuous purchase will invite more scrutiny), while we will likely 'slip under the radar'.

[edmscan]

That is exactly why I keep my car registration documents in my wallet. That way .. they cannot find out anything about me. Just my 2 cents .. a simple way to combat the problem.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

That is exactly why I keep my car registration documents in my wallet. That way .. they cannot find out anything about me. Just my 2 cents .. a simple way to combat the problem.

I cut the address out with scissors on my docs. I've gotten pulled over once since (for a plate light burnout) and told the cop as I was handing him the docs that I did the cut out so that a person breaking into my car wouldn't know where I live, and it wouldn't be denying law enforcement the information as it is on my DL and in their system. He replied in a 'some law enforcement might hassle you about it' vein (he didn't hassle me). I got the impression my 'cutout' isn't illegal, just that law enforcement doesn't appreciate it. This was never an issue while living in California, as California allows you (at least through 2010 they did) to only have your mailing address on your registration and in the main slot on your DL (and your mailing address can be UPS store or equivalent box), with your residence address (sub mission to DMV mandatory, of course) residing in their database. I've been told that there is a law in Texas that requires your DL and vehicle records to show your physical residence address. Although I've never searched for the statute and read it, that stance is consistent with all the hoops I jumped through to get these docs. Re your solution, too cumbersome for me (but definitely great for some people ). I have one of those hard shell anti-RFID wallets, and it is already full.

[edmscan]

I don't know what type of registration documents you have in Texas but here it is just a very small piece of paper so it is not a big deal. Just another thing in my wallet. (I have way more other junk in there so this is really pretty minor in the whole scheme of things) Besides it has been years since I have been pulled over ... so it just works for me as I seldom have to give it to anyone.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

I don't know what type of registration documents you have in Texas but here it is just a very small piece of paper so it is not a big deal. Just another thing in my wallet. (I have way more other junk in there so this is really pretty minor in the whole scheme of things) Besides it has been years since I have been pulled over ... so it just works for me as I seldom have to give it to anyone.

In Texas, we have two stickers that drivers almost invariably (location = required by law?) put on the inside of the lower driver side of the windshield. One is the inspection sticker that is issued by any state approved inspection center. The other is a vehicle registration sticker, and it also identifies the county (at least in my county). LEOs in some other states don't understand (or at least pretend not to understand) the 'sticker as registration' policy in Texas (I was hassled about this in Florida), so I carry the registration receipt (paper) as a back up re such a situation. I also carry the (paper) proof of insurance as required by law. In Texas, both of these documents have your residence address on them (at least in my county and with my insurance company), so I cut out just the address.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

I don't know what type of registration documents you have in Texas but here it is just a very small piece of paper so it is not a big deal. Just another thing in my wallet. (I have way more other junk in there so this is really pretty minor in the whole scheme of things) Besides it has been years since I have been pulled over ... so it just works for me as I seldom have to give it to anyone.

In Texas, we have two stickers that drivers almost invariably (location = required by law?) put on the inside of the lower driver side of the windshield. One is the inspection sticker that is issued by any state approved inspection center. The other is a vehicle registration sticker, and it also identifies the county (at least in my county). LEOs in some other states don't understand (or at least pretend not to understand) the 'sticker as registration' policy in Texas (I was hassled about this in Florida), so I carry the registration receipt (paper) as a back up re such a situation. I also carry the (paper) proof of insurance as required by law. In Texas, both of these documents have your residence address on them (at least in my county and with my insurance company), so I cut out just the address. Each of the two stickers is good for a year (if you are procuring each by the 'due date').

[nookandcrannycar]

^^^^^ Oops. Didn't mean to post twice .

[edmscan]

I keep my insurance "pink slip" in my wallet as well. The only thing we have on our vehicles is a registration sticker on the back license plate for the police to see that your vehicle is properly registered. Thus ... if you don't have the proper stickers you can very much expect to get pulled over. You would have a separate year and month sticker, at least here in Alberta. We have no inspection stickers .. as we have no inspection requirements here.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

I keep my insurance "pink slip" in my wallet as well. The only thing we have on our vehicles is a registration sticker on the back license plate for the police to see that your vehicle is properly registered. Thus ... if you don't have the proper stickers you can very much expect to get pulled over. You would have a separate year and month sticker, at least here in Alberta. We have no inspection stickers .. as we have no inspection requirements here.

Way it is in Alberta = Way it is in California (unless things have changed since 2010). I actually like having the registration sticker inside the car (like Texas)....less likely to be stolen from the plate and put on another plate (yes, this has happened in California)

[why?]

i have a feeling police in other states honestly don't get the Texas law. It is the only state that I know of that does it that way. Every other state I can think of has a sticker on the plate.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by why?

i have a feeling police in other states honestly don't get the Texas law. It is the only state that I know of that does it that way. Every other state I can think of has a sticker on the plate.

Has 'plate sticker stealing' been an issue at all in Massachusetts? I'm wondering if this (in many states) is now less of an issue because of the plate scanning software many LEO now have as part of their equipment....would such a system pick up on a valid sticker that is on the wrong car?

[david_827]

i dont think plate sticker stealing has been in issue in MA, at least not in Boston, if anything they end up trying to take your whole license plate (as my mom caught someone trying to take hers, but her Colt 1991 changed his mind).

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by david_827

i dont think plate sticker stealing has been in issue in MA, at least not in Boston, if anything they end up trying to take your whole license plate (as my mom caught someone trying to take hers, but her Colt 1991 changed his mind).

In California this happens (I've heard) re people who currently can't afford the renewal and are trying to 'buy time' (hoping they can slide under the radar of a cop noticing the plate and sticker number don't match) until they can afford the registration renewal. Wouldn't an entire plate being stolen put a monkey wrench in that (because a car owner is definitely going to notice a plate (vs a sticker) missing and report it)? Or are the plate thefts in Boston pranks performed by kids?

[auxmike]

Leaving a GPS or handbag in plain sight is begging to getting broken into. Being as your in Australia OP, perhaps that's how they do it there. Here in NY people want money, change , cigarettes , cell phones or other neat trinkets. They won't give a crap about going to find your house since they will do it right on your driveway as you sleep! They need your stuff for DRUGS. Money or electronics= your fix of poison. Heroine is the biggie. Those addicts are ruthless..... Neatly breaking in and not touching anything is a waste of time.