Thread: Too many cars being stolen for me.

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Originally Posted by Bruce lee

Right I am going to take my roadster to the car theif capital of the world!!!

I thought Phoenix held that title (?)

I think this problem is something that all of us face and worry about and until the authorities start making the punishment fit the crime it won't get any better. That is why, if I catch some POS vandalizing or taking something that belongs to me then they better be packing because I am.

Footnote: my Grandpa always told me that if he ever caught me lying or stealing, I would regret the day I was born. He said a liar and a thief will do "ANYTHING" !

Guys,it happens everywhere...down here,it pays to catch the thieves in the act if possible,so you can give them what they deserve before the cops get there,if they arent too busy..
But,in saying that,the cops are as frustrated as everyone else,cos they do the arrest,and the paper work[that is if the thieving **** is caught] and then the court system lets everyone down by giving the scrote a slap with a wet bus ticket,and a few hours community service...

A few years ago, two punks stole my S10 Blazer from my apartment parking lot. They were caught when they got stuck in a snowbank. I testified in court that the vehicle was stolen, the cops testified that these were the two guys they apprehended at the scene. The judge let the passenger go because he wasn't convinced that he was anything but a passenger. The driver got probation, even though he had a record. Both were hard-core gangbangers, and the cop told me they stole the car as a gang initiation.

If you have ever watched that show Bait Car you realize there is a certain segment of our population who think totally different than the rest of us. They somehow think it is ok to jump into any car and simply drive away with it. Most are males, but even women and young girls do it too.

I think the people who are stealing these collector type cars are not the run of the mill minority who are just out for a ride, though. These cars are probably targeted and professionally stolen, and either stripped for parts or retitled/shipped to some foreign country. Just like that 37 Ford Delivery that was stolen in Arizona recently (and thankfully recovered quickly), the thieves had it on a trailer, already reregistered, and were about one hour from crossing the border into Mexico.

My Son Dan had his Cal Look VW broken into and the stereo system stripped years ago. It was right under our bedroom window, they took their time and unscrewed every wire rather than ripping stuff out. They even had his Recarro seats out and laying there, ready to take those too. Luckily, my then Wife was leaving for work at 5:30 and scared them off, but they still got $ 5,000 worth of stereo stuff.

But to show how law enforcement works, I tracked down the guys who did it through some detective work. I got their names and went to their house, but they had just moved from Ft Myers to Cooksville Tenn. So I called the Sheriff in Cooksville and he said "get me a warrant and I'll go get them." When I turned over the entire file and evidence to our local police they refused to get a warrant because "it would cost more to extridite them than it is worth and this wasn't like murder or anything." This is why people keep doing this stuff over and over......nothing happens to them if they do get caught.

Don

Don it sounds like a great idea to protect your cars. I remember having a feeling that someone was breaking into my Jeep in Louisianna while at a hotel. I had driven 14 hours and was exhausted, but just had a bad feeling. I looked out the window and saw a guy breaking into the car next to my jeep. I ran out yelling at him, then decided to get inside and call security.The guys got away. I then asked if there was a safer place nearby, to which the nice guy refered me to with a full refund. I ended up emptying everything out of the jeep, before I went to sleep. But it was worth it. It's ashame there are no reprocussions for people stealing other than a pat on the wrist. That being said if I got caught I'm sure I'd go to jail for life!

Originally Posted by stovens

Don it sounds like a great idea to protect your cars. I remember having a feeling that someone was breaking into my Jeep in Louisianna while at a hotel. I had driven 14 hours and was exhausted, but just had a bad feeling. I looked out the window and saw a guy breaking into the car next to my jeep. I ran out yelling at him, then decided to get inside and call security.The guys got away. I then asked if there was a safer place nearby, to which the nice guy refered me to with a full refund. I ended up emptying everything out of the jeep, before I went to sleep. But it was worth it. It's ashame there are no reprocussions for people stealing other than a pat on the wrist. That being said if I got caught I'm sure I'd go to jail for life!

Yes thats pretty much 50% of the places to stay on the road. Good rates equals crack heads , thieves and prostitutes.

Ok guys....lemme throw my two cents in on the carry thing being that I am a Deputy Sheriff....I would ABSOLUTELY draw down on some P.O.S. that was trying to steal my car.... Granted I work in Victorville, the Watts of the high desert but most of the car thieves I have caught have been armed with some sort of weapon. My history tells me they are armed and I am not going to go to a knife or gun fight unarmed....If you are to the point where you have come out and startled them, who knows how they are going to react. I would draw down with every intention of dropping them if they came towards me. If they turn and run, so be it and I would get as good a description as I could...Im not gonna get in a foot pursuit off duty and lured into an ambush. If you dropped the guy because he came at you, what the court looks at is your mind set. Did you feel like your life was in danger? If I startle a thief and draw down on him and he comes at me while looking down the barrell of a gun instead of following commands or running, then yea, I'm afraid for my safety, because either he is armed or crazy....and neither is good to go up against. And if you come across them and they draw first, do ya think you will get yours out in time? I guarantee you, you won't....like I said, just my two cents.....cheers.

Thanks Deputy, good info !

No problem Mello....always glad to help. 15 years in with 15 to go, but got a good position right now working as a motor officer in the Traffic division, so I can't complain....I get paid to ride a motorcycle all day...lol. I also do major accident investigation and am a certified accident reconstructionist, so if anyone ever has any questions, shoot me a message and I will help if I can.

One of the worst things about living in California is that it is practically impossible to get a concealed weapon's permit. Thus having a gun to defend yourself on the road becomes more difficult to follow the laws here. Also the fact that we have so many gun laws that it is hard to keep up with them all.
I agree I'd rather be armed when confronting a thief, but we don't have castle laws here to protect the owner and their property like other states do. Now if the thief has a gun and is threatening you that changes everything, but up to that point, it might be the car owner who gets arrested for brandishing a weapon. Just my 2 cents worth.

Shoebox,
I don't disagree with what you have said, the important part being that if you do choose to draw down be prepared to drop the guy (or gal), and don't count on them turning tail - may happen, and good if it does. The part unsaid, is that if you do draw down and they run it is important to call 911 and report the action, tell them where you are, what you're wearing, and that you are a licensed gun owner. If you don't, chances are that someone may have been watching out the window, called 911 reporting someone drawing a weapon on some guy in the parking lot, and now you're on the wrong side of the suspect process. Bottom line, drawing the weapon is a serious action not to be taken lightly, just as you have said.

i have a carry permit but unless you catch them in the act it does not do you much good.
locks are for keeping honest people honest and will not really stop a pro car thief. your opts are limited.i use a homemade device which locks the brakes and prevents the clutch from being disengaged.plus i always get a ground floor room where i can park my cars outside the room i;m staying at. good luck guys

RS....maybe I wasn't clear enough or didn't read your post right at the end....make no mistake, I don't take guns or their use lightly....after 15 years as a cop, with 8 on SWAT and half of that as a sniper, I don't want anyone thinking I do....my point is just that if you are gonna carry it, don't be afraid to use it if the need arises. You are absolutely right...get on 911 and give them the description of yourself and suspect....and practice practice practice....I once had someone ask me if I kept my guns loaded....the answer was what good are they unloaded.

Originally Posted by hotrodstude

i have a carry permit but unless you catch them in the act it does not do you much good.
locks are for keeping honest people honest and will not really stop a pro car thief. your opts are limited.i use a homemade device which locks the brakes and prevents the clutch from being disengaged.plus i always get a ground floor room where i can park my cars outside the room i;m staying at. good luck guys

Guns are great, if you plan to sleep in your car... Think I'd prefer some good theft deterrents to at least slow down the ametuers! IMO, the problem is with the judicial system, seems auto theft is little more then a misdemeanor!

Wherever there is a huge get together of Hot Rods I would imagine the theives are there too. Dang shame it's got to the point that going to one of the big shows requires sleeping in shifts and having someone awake to gaurd the cars...