This post meant to caution people against leaving GPS units, laptop bags, purses etc inside the car while shopping at malls, etc.
2 weeks back i read an article about how thefts of GPS units was on the rise. Thieves are breaking into cars to grab these units. Even though the GPS unit may itself by hidden somewhere, when they see the empty suction cup, they gamble that the GPS unit must be somewhere in the car and break open the glass. Here is the article.
Similar is the story with laptop bags, purses, etc. So better to take precaution and when you are shopping at malls be sure to leave what you can at home. Dont keep any valuable thing in open sight.
One of our KV members cars was broken into and the GPS stolen while shopping at a mall. So I am posting this so that others can learn from this incident and take precautions while shopping at crowded places.
Two weeks back, in my office complex at Sierra Pkwy there were 4 break-ins in the afternoon.
Unluckily my colleague was one of the persons whose GPS system was stolen and her regret was for a GPS $150 she had to fix her glasss that was like $250 🙂
These guys are getting bolder and bolder. There was a breakin in one of cars parked in Kairavi’s school yesterday during morning.
Now consider this. This parent has just parked his car in the school parking lot and gone for a few mins to walk his kid to the classroom. On returning he finds the car window broken.
Please take appropriate caution and keep your car relatively empty.
OK. Add +1 to the list of GPS thefts. A colleague’s car was broken into in the parking lot of Yahoo!. (Great America Campus).
This was also in broad daylight at 1.45pm. And here the Yahoo! security van keeps roaming between campuses. Seeing a blanket on back seat, another person’s car was broken into too in the hope of finding something under the blanket.
The trunk seems to be the only safe place right now to keep anything. I have to start practicing to keep the laptop bag inside the trunk rather than on the side seat.
Now my dilemma is that I bought a GPS but now am too scared to use it. 🙂
careful about leaving laptop in the trunk too. One of our friends had done that and gone for dinner. Theives broke into the car popped the trunk and took off with the laptop. Better to lock the truck such that it cannot be opened from inside if you wish to store your valuables in the trunk.
We invested in a portable GPS which needs to be hooked up to a laptop to be used – it provides the directions when required with the need to hook it up with the laptop before driving. Ya it may not be as convenient as the single device – but with the spate of robberies… Also, I can carry this with me on trips and use it any car – and best of all we paid less than a $100/- 2-3 years ago.
On the topic of locking the trunk so it cannot be opened from the inside – I am not sure all cars have this option – I will be sure to check my car’s manual tonight.