Every now and then, Newton police issue a warning about a rash of car break-ins and a discussion emerges with someone saying they don’t lock their car doors because they don’t want their windows broken or door jimmied.
Newton Patch’s latest listing of recent car break-ins (scroll down) pretty much debunks that theory.
Why, did some of those unlocked cars have their windows broken or their doors jimmied?
Did we not hire more police, from the override funding? Has that changed the break-ins or other crime in any way?
This police report reinforces what a bad idea it is to leave valuables in the car overnight, even if it’s parked in a driveway. Otherwise I’m with @Jerry Reilly, how many of the unlocked cars had their doors jimmied or pried or windows smashed? Oh that’s right — none.
Well, if you leave your car door unlocked you risk several other follow-on issues: a) your insurer will not indemnify you for stuff stolen (including the car itself) as you threw caution to the wind. b) If someone steals that car and kills someone with it, there is a chance that you are implicated in the death as you made it easier for an unauthorized driver to hijack the car. This not locking is never a good idea. If the situation is so bad there is no other option but to NEVER park in this area!
If folks TRULY leave cars unlocked deliberately, that’s just defies common sense. A thief will follow the douse of least resistance, going after an unlocked vehicle fits that bill nicely. Then, leaving stuff visible in a car, locked or not, must be a close second.
With today’s cars locking and unlocking is so easy; I lock mine even if leaving it for only a couple of minutes.
I lock my doors nightly. I don’t want any one stumbling into my car, looking for a dry place to sleep. I think people think we live in a safe area, however there are still homeless people wandering around our town (you don’t know who they are). There are drunks wandering around, and as my neighborhood found out this past summer – kids running away from a police busted underage party, looking for a quick escape – an unlocked car. . . . . and I don’t want to find a hung over sleeping teen in my car the next morning.
@Dan Fahey – Common sense has never been my strong suit 😉
Don’t worry folks, I’ll continue write to Village14 after I am jailed for letting thieves steal my car (packed full of homeless people, drunk teenagers and runaway children) to commit vehicular homocide.