Half of Houston shoppers leave their cars unlocked or worse

[editor]

Houston police officers were out in force on Tuesday (Dec. 15) handing

out report cards and safety tips to shoppers at the HEB grocery store at

9711 Katy Freeway (Interstate Highway 10 West) near Bunker Hill, in an

effort to make them aware of ways to prevent burglaries of their motor

vehicles.

In just one hour, 300 BMV report cards were handed out. Officers found

that at least 150 of the motorists had left their vehicles unlocked or

had placed valuables such as cell phones, sunglasses, or even money in

plain view. Photos of the operation are attached to this news release.

“We want to remind shoppers that even leaving the spiral cell phone

charger cord in plain view is temptation enough for the criminals,”

said HPD Sergeant Henry Hernandez. “Anything not hidden away just

screams out ‘come and get me’,” he added.

HPD wants to remind all motorists, especially during the busy shopping

season, to hide your valuables and lock your car.

In the “Safe Shopping Starts With YOU” campaign, five area grocery

retailers (H-E-B, Kroger, Randalls, Fiesta and WalMart) partnered with

the HPD to form the Greater Houston Loss Prevention Alliance aimed at

reducing property crimes, keeping shoppers safer and lessening their

chances of becoming victims.

The shopping safety tips can be found on the HPD Web site at

www.houstonpolice.org

[AtticaFlinch]

My wife does this all the time and it drives me nuts.

But, she's from a city with real crime, and the general thought process there is to just leave the door unlocked or otherwise a crackhead will break the window and steal your stuff. Either way, your possessions are gone, but at least leaving the doors unlocked eliminates the need for a costly window replacement.

[LTAWACS]

What gets me is why would anyone leave anything of value in their cars.... ?

[editor]

My wife does this all the time and it drives me nuts.

But, she's from a city with real crime, and the general thought process there is to just leave the door unlocked or otherwise a crackhead will break the window and steal your stuff. Either way, your possessions are gone, but at least leaving the doors unlocked eliminates the need for a costly window replacement.

I got the windows on my car smashed twice when I was in Houston (windshield once, driver's side door the other time) just being parked in front of Dakota Lofts on William Street. Whoever did it didn't bother to steal anything. I guess they were just looking for a thrill since the doors were left locked and nothing was disturbed inside.

[BryanS]

My wife does this all the time and it drives me nuts.

But, she's from a city with real crime, and the general thought process there is to just leave the door unlocked or otherwise a crackhead will break the window and steal your stuff. Either way, your possessions are gone, but at least leaving the doors unlocked eliminates the need for a costly window replacement.

My general thought process is that my vehicle(s) are worth less than my cell phone. And if I have my cell phone with me, they can have the car. It is amazing the freedom from worry that one has when your car is a near-worthless piece of junk. Shopping carts? Ball-peen hammers? GO AHEAD! I don't care.

I also like taking my car... and parking it way, way out in the parking lot... right next to... an expensive Porsche, Lexus, BMW, or other highly-polished, dent-free, shinny almost-new low mileage vehicle. Just my car and their car. Way out in the parking lot. In two weeks, my 25 year old Toyota officially becomes a classic car. I have to take care of my precious gem, just like those other high-dollar car owners, by parking it way, way out in the parking lot.

[ricco67]

I also like taking my car... and parking it way, way out in the parking lot... right next to... an expensive Porsche, Lexus, BMW, or other highly-polished, dent-free, shinny almost-new low mileage vehicle.

You're a very sick man. +1

[august948]

The smart criminals will hang out until HPD leaves and then go around reading the report cards til they find one they like.

[crunchtastic]

Here's an interesting story of the reverse of petty parking lot crime:

A couple of month's ago I had finished shooping at the West Gray Krog's and was driving toward the lot exit. I saw a cart by itself at the end of the row, with a purse sitting in the the little front compartment. Figuring a lost purse really sucks, I stopped and got it. I rifled around in it and decide to check to wallet for the owner anme and address, then used the cell phone to call someone with the same last name and told them I would leave the purse with the store manager. The thing is, the ladies grocery receipt was in there, and her purse had been sitting alone in the parking lot for nearly an hour! And she had an i-phone, a jillion credit cards, and about 200 in cash. I was just amazed that in an hour's time no one took the bag.

[RedScare]

Here's an interesting story of the reverse of petty parking lot crime:

A couple of month's ago I had finished shooping at the West Gray Krog's and was driving toward the lot exit. I saw a cart by itself at the end of the row, with a purse sitting in the the little front compartment. Figuring a lost purse really sucks, I stopped and got it. I rifled around in it and decide to check to wallet for the owner anme and address, then used the cell phone to call someone with the same last name and told them I would leave the purse with the store manager. The thing is, the ladies grocery receipt was in there, and her purse had been sitting alone in the parking lot for nearly an hour! And she had an i-phone, a jillion credit cards, and about 200 in cash. I was just amazed that in an hour's time no one took the bag.

Reading this, I kept waiting for the part where you were suddenly swarmed by police as this was some sort of sting. Would've been a better story.

Commenting on the story, I am amazed at the number of people who leave their cars unlocked. It is such a simple task to hit the button on the key fob or driver's door, yet so few do so. And, with so much stuff in the car. I constantly see cases of people losing phones, GPS, iPods and even laptops in an unlocked car. The problem is even worse in so-called 'safe' neighborhoods. In the suburbs, every kid knows how easy it is to simple pull on door handles as he walks down the street. The advantage is that it is silent. No smashing glass to alert the neighbors. The only time I ever see broken window car burglaries is in the crappy apartment complexes. 80-90% of the break-ins I see are simple unlocked door cases.

It is extremely difficult to feel sorry for a victim who makes it so easy to become a victim. And, the time and money lost by taxpayers while an able bodied police officer must listen to this 'victim' tell his story and demand that the perp be locked up for life, instead of being back on patrol looking for real criminals, is infuriating. But, I suppose I should be thankful for these idiots, as they're making it so easy for the burglars to steal from them means the burglar won't mess with my locked car.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

My wife does this all the time and it drives me nuts.

But, she's from a city with real crime, and the general thought process there is to just leave the door unlocked or otherwise a crackhead will break the window and steal your stuff. Either way, your possessions are gone, but at least leaving the doors unlocked eliminates the need for a costly window replacement.

I haven't locked my car doors for years now. The key is to not leave anything that's worth more than the cost of replacing windows.

I first started doing it when I physically *couldn't* lock the door on my old car. It was going to cost me several hundred dollars to get the lock fixed, so I said screw it, and just stopped leaving anything more than CD's in the car.

After a few months, we had an old laptop crap out, so as an experiment I left the laptop in plain view in the back seat of my car. I left that laptop in the car for over a year, all four doors unlocked, and it was never stolen.

I've since upgraded to a nicer car, but I still don't lock my doors. It goes back to the same experience that the Editor had. I've had three cars broken into over the years, and the most "valuable" loss I had was a $25 car stereo. Of course every one of those was $100-$150 to replace the window. I don't have anything worth $100 in may car...I did the math...if you want the 50 cents in my console, just open the door and take it.

[stjnky]

People break into cars to steal sunglasses?

[Fringe]

Sorry but it makes no sense to me to not lock your doors.  I realize if the thief thinks you have something worth stealing he may do more damage than what's it's worth but doesn't mean there aren't a lot of petty thieves just looking for an easy score which you have just provided.  Plus I had a good friend that used to leave her doors unlocked and a drunk used her car to "ralph" in.  

Nope, I will continue to keep my vehicle locked, plus stay out of high crime areas.  

[sarahiki]

I guess one disadvantage of leaving your car unlocked is that it could get stolen. I had a crappy old Honda Accord at one point in graduate school... I mean it was 15 years old. That thing was broken into so many times, I was tempted to just leave a cardboard sign in place of a window, saying "press here to remove contents of car." This was in Philadelphia. I couldn't figure out why they kept breaking into the car, until I read that Hondas are often stolen for parts. I started leaving it unlocked with a club on it.