merry christmas to me...

[dvonk]

here is my "Welcome Home" gift:

7469 7470 7471 7472 7473

all they took was a handful of change. i dont keep valuables in my vehicle. :banghead:

[Mark D]

Wow that sucks man. Good thing they didn't steal the whole car!

[dvonk]

yeah, it couldve been worse. the prying on the steering column makes me wonder if they were trying to but got interrupted... :paranoid:

[SIMid]

Arseholes :bigcry:

[sean]

Sonsabitches!! Bumpuses!!




Seriously though, glad those dumbasses failed.

[Michael]

I hope this makes you feel better, we always want to hear how these %^&^holes get caught and get what they deserve. About 15 years ago, my friends Jeep got broken into, they cut up the soft top to get to some cheap speakers. A few of his buddies saw them, and caught them...they of course called the police but when the police arrived the vandals were bloody, broke noses, busted eyes, pretty bad shape. When asked about their condition, his friends said that when they tackled them they must have hit the railroad tracks which were close by...the police just smiled and said "OK".

[protodelorean]

"Boy, I wish I could've caught him doing it. I'd have given anything to catch that asshole doing it. It'd been worth him doing it just so I could've caught him doing it." - Vincent (Pulp Fiction)

[dvonk]

I hope this makes you feel better...


"Boy, I wish I could've caught him doing it. I'd have given anything to catch that asshole doing it. It'd been worth him doing it just so I could've caught him doing it." - Vincent (Pulp Fiction)

heh, thanks guys. ive never been in a fist fight, but if i caught him doing it, boy would it be ON! :boxface:

i frankly thought my Jeep wouldve been broken into this summer when the soft top was on instead of now with the hard top.

[mluder]

What part of Omaha were you in? Just curious becasue I gre up there.

[dvonk]

i live in south Omaha... aka "Little Mexico."

so, yeah, i wasnt too surprised. but, it still doesnt make it feel any less violating. im just glad it wasnt the house.

[Lenny]

http://www2.tbo.com/news/news/2011/dec/23/1/man-found-shot-dead-in-stolen-car-in-st-pete-ar-339886/

Car theif killed in back of stolen car by his buddy from the front seat.

Gets rid of 2 bad guys

just desserts

[Dangermouse]

That's a kinda pathetic way to go: shot in the back by your friend while driving a 10 year old stolen minivan.

Not very James Dean.

[dvonk]

Car thief killed in back of stolen car by his buddy from the front seat. (http://www2.tbo.com/news/news/2011/dec/23/1/man-found-shot-dead-in-stolen-car-in-st-pete-ar-339886/)

a twist on another Vincent quote: "Aw man, i just shot Martin in the back." :lol:

[Notifier]

Granted, I'm not a "professional" car thief, but isn't there easier ways to break into a car other then jamming a screwdriver into the locks? Find your nearest rock (or piece of loose concrete), smash the side window, grab the GPS, maybe look through the glovebox if you're feeling lucky, and run! It seems like they tried to screw up every lock on the vehicle - especially when all they have to do half the time on those glove box locks in pry open the door itself! It's not like a glove box is built like a safe deposit box.

On a personal note, I hate thief's! You work your ass off 40 hours a week (sometimes more) only to have some lowlife rip you off so he/she can get their fix for the day. Copper thief's especially. You come home one day and find you're air conditioner gone - never thought you would have to lock down something that's electrically wired and plumbed into your own house!

[dvonk]

...isn't there easier ways to break into a car other then jamming a screwdriver into the locks?

i was wondering that myself--why didnt the bastard just smash the window? the only reason i can surmise is that it wouldve made too much noise.

after ruining the console lock surround, they just jammed the screwdriver under the door and broke the latching point off the console itself (why couldnt have been just the door? :angry:). on the plus side, the glove box still works--it mustve just popped free after it got torqued to a certain point. not that have any confidence in storing anything in there anymore...

but yeah, i dont understand petty thieves... causing all this damage for what? $10 to $15 bucks worth of pocket change.

the irony? i wouldve paid twice that to avoid the hassle of the whole situation. i guess i get to pay that much for a new door lock anyway. :lol:

[Kenny_Z]

I think it looks like a stupid kid was the one that did the break-in. They did everything the hard way and the way you see them do it on tv.

I'll admit when I was younger I did break into one car. However, it was a totaled and abandoned car on a lot where the house (trailer) was just repoed and the owner was in jail. I just wanted to see if I could do it and I got into and out of that car without breaking anything more than the windshield wiper I used to pop the lock. I also didn't steal anything from the car, I just looked through everything. A week later it was towed and crushed.

[DMCVegas]

Granted, I'm not a "professional" car thief, but isn't there easier ways to break into a car other then jamming a screwdriver into the locks?

What's not easy about jamming a screwdriver into a lock like a key? At least on older GM cars. Chryslers are pathetic about their locks. Shove a flat head screwdriver between the door handle and the sheet metal, bend it out, and the you can just shove the door lock rod up and unlock the door. Ford Econolines are like this too on their back doors, except all you have to do is remove the left license plate lamp, and can get at the rod (which is why Cable and A/C repair trucks still install those barrel locks on the doors).

Smash a window and open the door from the inside, the car's alarm goes off. Use a screwdriver to pry the handle back or to smash the lock tumbler to unlock the door from the outside, the car thinks that an actual key was used and never sounds an alarm. Plus if you do steal the car, you can keep the window rolled up to avoid suspicion from the police while driving.

[DMCVegas]

here is my "Welcome Home" gift:

7470

all they took was a handful of change. i dont keep valuables in my vehicle. :banghead:

Definitely kids. Jeep center consoles are pretty easy to break into. If you're strong enough, you *can* use your bare hands, or you can go at it with a prybar. But you pull up on the lid and shatter the plastic that the lock latches to. Same thing with the glovebox.

Even if you don't live in a bad area of town, if you go camping or hiking your vehicle is more at risk at the trail-head where thieves know you'll be gone for hours or even days. Best place I've ever seen for Jeep and other truck security products is right here:

http://www.tuffyproducts.com/

[Mike C.]

Man, that sucks. Everyone I know with a Jeep has had someone try to get into it.

[dvonk]

Everyone I know with a Jeep has had someone try to get into it.


Jeep center consoles are pretty easy to break into.

the glove box is a picnic too. luckily i recognized this weak "security" and pretty much anticipated this break-in.

but im also paranoid ever since my last car got broken into in a church parking lot in broad daylight. the "prize" they took? a bag of dirty laundry.

[Notifier]

What's not easy about jamming a screwdriver into a lock like a key? At least on older GM cars. Chryslers are pathetic about their locks. Shove a flat head screwdriver between the door handle and the sheet metal, bend it out, and the you can just shove the door lock rod up and unlock the door. Ford Econolines are like this too on their back doors, except all you have to do is remove the left license plate lamp, and can get at the rod (which is why Cable and A/C repair trucks still install those barrel locks on the doors).

Smash a window and open the door from the inside, the car's alarm goes off. Use a screwdriver to pry the handle back or to smash the lock tumbler to unlock the door from the outside, the car thinks that an actual key was used and never sounds an alarm. Plus if you do steal the car, you can keep the window rolled up to avoid suspicion from the police while driving.

I guess I was always overthinking things! Occasionally for my job I have to "break into" alarm panels when we don't have keys. Given up on trying to force the locks with screwdrivers, never seem to get anywhere and these are just small cabinet type locks, nothing special. Always end up prying the door off. Much easier. Guess I figured automotive manufacturers would put in at least halfway decent locks, guess I was wrong!

One time, someone at work locked their keys in their truck. It was a Ford Ranger. Guy just pulled on the door, opening a gap between the door and jam, just enough room to reach in with a hook and get the keys! Couldn't believe how cheap the door was.

I see your point with the alarms. But when was the last time a car alarm went off and anyone gave a crap. And always wondered why those Econolines always had those weird locks on them. I know now!

[Notifier]

but im also paranoid ever since my last car got broken into in a church parking lot in broad daylight. the "prize" they took? a bag of dirty laundry.

Someone broke into my mothers car one day, only stole a Barry Manilow CD, left her Bluetooth...

[mluder]

Really.

I grew up in South Omaha. Went to Daniel J Gorss Highschool. I know that area well. Went back last summer - things have changed, and yet there are still very much the same there.

Steve

i live in south Omaha... aka "Little Mexico."

so, yeah, i wasnt too surprised. but, it still doesnt make it feel any less violating. im just glad it wasnt the house.

[Dangermouse]

Perhaps the perps planned to steal the car and didn't want a drafty window. You know how sensitive these guys are.

I've had several cars stolen and it's never the car you miss, it's the $10 Cd that you had just bought. Or, back in the day, the C-90 mix-tape that took you 6 hours to make. Man that used to piss me off. (I once had the same car stolen 3 times in the same evening)

[nullset]

(I once had the same car stolen 3 times in the same evening)

STORY TIME!

You can't tease us with that and not follow it up….

[ccurzio]

Smash a window and open the door from the inside, the car's alarm goes off. Use a screwdriver to pry the handle back or to smash the lock tumbler to unlock the door from the outside, the car thinks that an actual key was used and never sounds an alarm.

I'm sorry, but there's no way this is accurate. You're saying that your typical car security system will:

A) Alarm on a breaking window AND
B) NOT alarm on an opened door while the system is still armed.

I have never in my life seen an alarm that ignores an opened door while the system is still armed, regardless of how it was opened - especially one that responds to a glass-break.

[dvonk]

I grew up in South Omaha. Went to Daniel J Gorss Highschool. I know that area well. Went back last summer - things have changed, and yet there are still very much the same there.

south Omaha isnt a Ritzy part of town by any means, but its not like north Omaha either. we found a house we could afford that fit our needs, and it happened to be in south O... being close work is nice as well.

[Dangermouse]

STORY TIME!

You can't tease us with that and not follow it up….

Went to movies with g/f in g/f's dad's new car. When we came out, car was gone.

Walked to police station and reported it. While we were there, a police patrol made a report of the car being abandoned with the engine still running in another area of town. Police wouldn't take us to the car, but offered to call us a taxi to go get it. While we waited, the police patrol reported that it been stolen again. We decided to go home. Got a call when we got home from the police to say that they had found it again, but now it had been set on fire.

Next morning we called the police to get a location so we could go see it and file an insurance claim only to be told that the remains had been stolen by gypsy's to be sold for it's scrap value.

[dvonk]

well that puts my story to shame! :shocked:

when/where was this?

[Dangermouse]

This was Belfast in the late 80s. Hence the police's reluctance to bring us to the car in case it was a trap.

G/f is now my wife, btw.

Her dad had only had this new car about six weeks at the time, and we were due to pick him up from the airport the following day in it. Fun conversation that was!

[DMCVegas]

I'm sorry, but there's no way this is accurate. You're saying that your typical car security system will:

A) Alarm on a breaking window AND
B) NOT alarm on an opened door while the system is still armed.

I have never in my life seen an alarm that ignores an opened door while the system is still armed, regardless of how it was opened - especially one that responds to a glass-break.

That's not quite what I said, no. I said that if you defeat the external tumbler and unlock the door from the outside that you disable the alarm entirely.

With factory alarms/killswitches, they'll auto-arm themselves after a certain amount of time if you don't have the Key Fob. If you lock it with the Fob, it arms right away. Anyhow if you break the window, the alarm does not trigger, no. But if you open/unlock the door from the inside, then yes, the alarm will trigger and the horn will sound.

Now if you unlock the doors with the Fob, or if you insert a key into the external lock and turn it, THAT will disarm the alarm.

The reason for this is that it's assumed most people would not sit in a car with the doors locked for any extended period of time, so as such it is assumed that the only time someone would ever unlock an armed vehicle from the inside is if the window was smashed during a burglary and someone then reached in unlock the door to gain entrance. I owned a 2004 Chevrolet Blazer and this was EXACTLY how the integrated alarm worked.

Here is a nice gallery of door handles that have been broken into using this method. (http://www.jimmijammer.com/JJ%20Gallery.htm)

[eagle-co94]

Honestly, if someone breaks into my car they better just take the whole thing so I never see it again or it's damaged beyond repair so it's totalled...unless it's my Impala SS.

Happy news: When someone broke into my car about 5 years ago, they didn't get far as I was home asleep at the time and came out the door armed. I'm not much of a fighter so I don't even look to even the playing field, I'm in it to win. Needless to say the guy got away because he was a VERY fast runner. I was quick enough that his getaway driver didn't realize what was happening until it was too late for him to jump in. They getaway car didn't get away without a lot of damage either.:yesss:

[Dracula]

The only car I've ever had someone attempt to steal was my DeLorean. The thieves partially unbolted the drive axle and abandoned the car when the jack broke through my storage compartment behind the seat. I didn't notice this until I tried to drive away and the shaft fell off. I reconnected the bolts and drove home afterwards, but I'm now paranoid about parking my car on the street there.

Otherwise, I've never had anything stolen from my car, but I've had people put things IN my car. I returned to my '76 Eldorado one day to find the door ajar and an axe in the back seat. I still don't understand that.

[DMC5180]

Chad,

Where did the attempted theft happen and how long ago?

[Dracula]

Chad,

Where did the attempted theft happen and how long ago?

It was in the summer of 2009 and at my grandparents house in Waukesha. There have been a string of thefts there since.

[eagle-co94]

...to find the door ajar and an axe in the back seat. I still don't understand that.

Maybe the ax murderer got tired of waiting on you to come back?:freddy:

[dvonk]

another lovely holiday gift last night from the local scum...they sure love holidays. apparently my neighborhood is turning into the ghetto?

8448 8447 8449
the kicker is, locks on the interior & exterior of my Jeep have been unlocked since christmas when the locks were originally bashed in and pried off. maybe they came back looking for another handful of change and bashed out the window when there was none. :rolleyes1:

[Nicholas R]

Does this one have signs of forced entry? I only ask because a few weeks ago, a friend of mine with a Jeep Wrangler had his rear window shatter due to the cold. Either way that sucks. Sorry man.

[dvonk]

thanks. no signs of forced entry other than what was already there from last time... but random acts of vandalism arent uncommon in my neighborhood.

thermal shock had crossed my mind, but it wasnt very cold last night compared to the past week. :dunno:

[DMCVegas]

Happend to us a few days ago. In fact just as I described it in the post. They punched the lock to get in. Checked the truck and they didn't take a thing because there wasn't anything of value. If it wasn't me I'd laugh, but the radio was broken from before. It didn't work too well, and when I tried to pull the knob off to see if something was blocking it from properly turning off, it ripped the entire assembly off the circuit board! So since then the radio doesn't work. Whoever the thief was broke in to steal the radio only to find that it wasn't worth it because it was already busted. Out of frustration they hit the thing and left. It could have been worse, as they could have ripped the whole thing out to get to it, but come on! Couldn't you have at least LOOKED inside of my car before you broke into it to see that the one thing you wanted wasn't worth stealing!?

8 more months to go before the lease here is up. Then we're just going to move into a house. I was going to pull the D out of storage and bring her out here so I could finally work on her, but not now. Turns out they also tried to pry open all the garages to steal stuff out of them. No way I'm risking bringing my car out. What kills me most of all was talking to a neighbor when I found out this used to be a REALLY nice area until like most of Houston, Katrina hit. The apartment has only now finished renting to Section 8, while the others around here still do. And the bus line was added after all the NOLA refuges moved in, but just lets everyone from the ghetto come up here at all hours to burglarize cars and apartments. Great. Even better was his reassurance that it was just going to happen again because his Jeep gets broken into about 2-3 times a year. That really made my night.

Yesterday because the remotes stopped working on the key fobs, I had to head back out to the truck to break back into it in order to go to work. It's a large apartment complex so I certainly don't know everyone. But all these cars just drove by, and not a single person even bothered to call the cops on me breaking into a truck, let alone stopped by the office to notify them.

He did have one great piece of advice: Shove an icepick between the seats so when someone sits in your car after they break in, you've at least got a chance of stabbing them in the ass.

[dvonk]

man, that sucks too. the longer i live the more disenchanted i get with our species... :shameful:

[dvonk]

alright. after a somewhat miserable day, :t2: im done feeling sorry for myself. now i am starting to feel more optimistic. here is the silver lining to my 'cloud'...

1) since i have a $500 insurance deductible, i decided to check around for prices. i found a pretty sweet deal on a replacement liftgate window (http://www.jeep4x4center.com/hard-top-back-glass-heated-50-gray-tinted-ppr-3099029702g.html); including tint & heat, for $280. alot less expensive than other sites.

2) with a 10% coupon i found at Retail Me Not (http://www.retailmenot.com/) (highly recommended to check before making online purchases, BTW), the shipping only cost me $5.

3) i dont want to pay labor charges (who does?)... luckily, this seems to be the easiest window in the Jeep to replace: 6 bolts and done! :biggrin:

ill have to update this thread with a photo of the finished product... now, im hoping to get $285 back when i file my taxes--then ill be set! :hihi2:

[sdg3205]

I used to live on the Downtown East Side (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Eastside) here in Vancouver.

I also have a Jeep Wrangler, except I only have a soft top. It got to the point where it would get broken into almost nightly and was very close to waiting at a distance with a baseball bat. They started to steal things off the car that made NO sense, like the 4 bolts that hold the removable doors! WTF?!

[dvonk]

man, thats lame. i put my soft top on when the weather gets warmer, and i actually half expect someone to break in... i dont even lock the doors hoping they will try them before slicing a window. so far the only break in has been with the hard top on.

[dvonk]

update:
last night i ghetto-rigged a rear window out of some broken plexiglas scraps i found in the dumpster at work. it was just wide enough, but it came up a little short at the bottom... no matter, its only purpose is to keep out the elements until my permanent replacement arrives.

look at my beautiful handiwork! :hysterical:

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=8519&d=1329613820

8519

[Ron]

Definately beats a trash can bag :tongue2:

Now you need to try your handywork at hanging a security camera...

[dvonk]

yeah, im definitely thinking about investing in a couple. it would seem they are necessary.

[dvonk]

minor update:
so the window (with shipping) was $286.98. i filed my taxes with the feds & state yesterday, guess how much i got back?

$133 + $153 = $286.00.

now where am i going to come up with 98¢? :wink:

[Dangermouse]

now where am i going to come up with 98¢? :wink:

based on recent experiences, it seems to be OK to break into someone's car and steal it from the console :rofl:

[dvonk]

:hysterical:

[dvonk]

so, the window was on backorder, but i finally got it today. will hopefully get it installed in a couple of days.

[dvonk]

haha, 20 days after delivery, i finally got the liftgate glass installed:

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=9341&d=1333169306

9341

the hardest part of the install was the stupid washer fluid hose; holding the nozzle on one side of the glass and trying to screw the nylon compression nut onto the other. i got it eventually though. :lol:

now, hopefully another douchebag wont bash this one out before i put my soft top on in a few days. its supposed to get up to 90°F here this week. ugh. its not even summer yet...

[Mike C.]

Looks real good! Good job!

[dvonk]

thanks, im just glad it was easy and didnt involve any gluing. :smile: