F'ing Thieves !!!!

[jussi]

I woke up this morning and found a nice little surprise. My sister's truck, which she stores at my place, was broken into!!!!! It's an older Ford Ranger so it's not exactly a luxury truck I would think thieves would target. I look inside and the stereo and the things I left there the night before all seem to be there. After taking a few pictures of the truck I look up where the police station is to file a report. First time in 20+ years living here I've ever had to go to the police station. I find the address and go to find my gps. I look and and I look and can't find the darn thing. Then it hits me. I left it in the truck last night after helping my aunt move some furniture. I can't believe I made such a stupid mistake as leaving a gps in a car. Attached to the winshield, facing the street no less. And the thing is I know you're never supposed to do that. I've read all the horror stories of people having their gps stolen when they leave it in the car. This is the first time that I recall ever leaving it in the car. Just so happens it's the same time as a scumbag happened to be walking by. The cop who took the report was shaking his head when I told him what happened because he's filed many similar reports. A fellow officer walking by even commented how popular the garmins were, then he added, to thieves. So to anyone who has a gps system, learn from my stupid mistake, take them with you when you leave the car. Or at the very least hide them in the glove compartment.

I wonder if Garmin can some how brick the system. Fortunately I registered it a few days ago when I needed to download some upgrades.

[cabinetman]

It makes you just want to catch them in the act. The same type of theft craze occurs with radar detectors and when CB radios were popular.
.

[LCHIEN]

my TomTom, when you turn it off, shows a graphic picture telling you to take it off and put it in your briefcase and take it with you.

[Uncle Cracker]

Yup, leaving one of those things on the windshield is an invitation for a break-in. You'd think the recent drop in prices for those things would make them less profitable as stolen goods, thus less tempting, but apparently not yet.

[Richard in Smithville]

I think I'll let my kids read this post. I'm forever after them about leaving Ipods and PSP's visible on the back seat.

[dbhost]

Yup, leaving one of those things on the windshield is an invitation for a break-in. You'd think the recent drop in prices for those things would make them less profitable as stolen goods, thus less tempting, but apparently not yet.

There are other reasons for their popularity. I have seen reports where they are being used by smugglers to map out routes with the least chances of an encounter with law enforcement. They simply do the trip and save the route, then go back and start over again...

Theft is one of the BIG reasons I do not have a mountable GPS, but instead subscribe to AT&T Navigator service. GPS on the cell phone basically.

[gerti]

I read somewhere that even the tell-tale suction cup traces on the windshield are enough for some thieves to break in and check the glove box. :-(

[LinuxRandal]

I read somewhere that even the tell-tale suction cup traces on the windshield are enough for some thieves to break in and check the glove box. :-(

+1

Since you registered it, you hopefully gave the police, and Garmin the serial number and notified Garmin it was stolen as well.

[herb fellows]

I'm not sure how foolproof it is, but my TT has a 4 digit security code that has to be entered before it can be used.
While this won't prevent it from being stolen or help to get it back, at least it will give you the satisfaction of knowing the b***tards can't use it!

[jussi]

+1

Since you registered it, you hopefully gave the police, and Garmin the serial number and notified Garmin it was stolen as well.

Yah I gave them the model and serial number. From the comments I've read however there's not really anything they can do about it .

[Al R.]

I woke up this morning and found a nice little surprise. My sister's truck, which she stores at my place, was broken into!!!!! It's an older Ford Ranger so it's not exactly a luxury truck I would think thieves would target. I look inside and the stereo and the things I left there the night before all seem to be there. After taking a few pictures of the truck I look up where the police station is to file a report. First time in 20+ years living here I've ever had to go to the police station. I find the address and go to find my gps. I look and and I look and can't find the darn thing. Then it hits me. I left it in the truck last night after helping my aunt move some furniture. I can't believe I made such a stupid mistake as leaving a gps in a car. Attached to the winshield, facing the street no less. And the thing is I know you're never supposed to do that. I've read all the horror stories of people having their gps stolen when they leave it in the car. This is the first time that I recall ever leaving it in the car. Just so happens it's the same time as a scumbag happened to be walking by. The cop who took the report was shaking his head when I told him what happened because he's filed many similar reports. A fellow officer walking by even commented how popular the garmins were, then he added, to thieves. So to anyone who has a gps system, learn from my stupid mistake, take them with you when you leave the car. Or at the very least hide them in the glove compartment.

I wonder if Garmin can some how brick the system. Fortunately I registered it a few days ago when I needed to download some upgrades.

I read somewhere that last year alone like 35,000 cars were broken into just because of the GPS…and those are the reported ones.

At home I have no problems, but when I park somewhere I remove it from the windshield.

[natausch]

Makes me thankful that I live in a neighborhood where leaving your garage door open all day will, at most, result in a neighbor closing it up for you an leaving a note.

Not that Aurora isn't crime ridden, just that our neighborhood is well out of the way and virtually crime free.