Someone broke into my car *** UPDATE in post 28 ***

[DisneyAndRedSox]

Ironically at a local shopping mall they now have big sign up at every door entering the mall that GPS units have been stolen, and that even if you hide it in the car, they look for the "suction cup marks".

There is another outdoor plaza near by that happens to be with in walking distance of a very large public housing project, unfortunately a lot of crime happens in this area. My Mom was in AC Moore and they said there was a group of several theives, they each were positioned by a different car in broad daylight and at the exact same moment smashed the window, took a GPS and jumped into a waiting car. They did a smash and grab of about 5 cars at the same moment.

I have a Garmin Nuvi and love it (I think it is a 265 or 365? We have had it a year now and I know they change the models often). I bought the accessory bean-bag at Staples that sits on your dash board to mount the unit. No more suction cup marks on the windshield or having the unit falling down while driving.

 

[RangerPooh]

More specifically, (from what I saw on Good Morning America) thieves are stealing a person's car, hitting the "home" button on the GPS which directs them right to the person's home and then they press the handy-dandy garage door opener for easy access into a person's home that doesn't alert the neighbors. Scary stuff.

The news out of DC keeps talking about this and how it's on the increase right now. They've also been warning people to lock their house while shoveling the snow outside becuase people have been robbing them while they're busy removing snow. The nerve of some people, but thre will always be theives.

We have a Tom Tom, don't know the model but it's pretty nice. We've actually got two, one lower end one higher end and you can definately see the difference.

 

[dawson5]

was your GPS plugged into your car in any way? Did you let the insurance guy know this?

They probably have changed this but when our car was stolen, I had a cd player in mine that was stolen. They considered it a part of the car because it was "attached." It was the portable kind but we had the package that you plugged it into the cigarette lighter and the headphone switch to the tape player. If it was sitting on the seat unattached, it was home owners but because it was plugged in for use it was considered part of the car. It was odd. This happened in 1994, things probably have changed but you might want to bring this up. They would not cover my library books, car seat, tapes, cd's or jackets.

Good luck.

 

[Robindianne]

was your GPS plugged into your car in any way? Did you let the insurance guy know this?

They probably have changed this but when our car was stolen, I had a cd player in mine that was stolen. They considered it a part of the car because it was "attached." It was the portable kind but we had the package that you plugged it into the cigarette lighter and the headphone switch to the tape player. If it was sitting on the seat unattached, it was home owners but because it was plugged in for use it was considered part of the car. It was odd. This happened in 1994, things probably have changed but you might want to bring this up. They would not cover my library books, car seat, tapes, cd's or jackets.

Good luck.

It WAS plugged in. I'll let them know and see if that changes anything. Thanks!

 

[Robindianne]

OK, note to self: clean the suction cup marks off the windshield, get a bean bag, take gps (when I replace it) with me when I get out of the car.

You all are so great with the ideas and help. Thank you!
Robin

 

[rflorek]

OK, note to self: clean the suction cup marks off the windshield, get a bean bag, take gps (when I replace it) with me when I get out of the car.

You should take ALL electronic gadgets that are removable out of your car when you leave: GPS, cell phone, iPods, pocketbooks/wallets. I can't tell you how many times each day we have local polic reports in our paper where these items were taken from cars.

If you're going to leave valuables in plain sight in your car, you're just giving an invitation to a thief to break in & take them IMHO.

 

[Cruise]

Ah. So since the car is still with me, and the garage opener is still in it, I'm OK? FWIW I have 2 dogs here. Not attack dogs but medium sized and true barkers when they hear or smell anything.

Should we do something to protect us at home?

The danger of the "home" button is really only right after the gps is stolen...because the thieves know you're not home (assuming it was stolen from your car while parked at work, a shopping mall, etc.). They take the gps and go directly to your home before you return. If they haven't been to your house already, then the likelihood that they will is practically nothing. Don't worry too much about it. And good luck with your car repairs.

ETA: Everyone please keep in mind that this is a danger any time your car is broken into, regardless of whether or not you have a gps. Most of us have at least one thing (usually the car registration or a service department receipt) in our glove compartment with our home address on it.

 

[Robindianne]

You should take ALL electronic gadgets that are removable out of your car when you leave: GPS, cell phone, iPods, pocketbooks/wallets. I can't tell you how many times each day we have local polic reports in our paper where these items were taken from cars.

If you're going to leave valuables in plain sight in your car, you're just giving an invitation to a thief to break in & take them IMHO.

This is so true. I just got lazy.

The danger of the "home" button is really only right after the gps is stolen...because the thieves know you're not home (assuming it was stolen from your car while parked at work, a shopping mall, etc.). They take the gps and go directly to your home before you return. If they haven't been to your house already, then the likelihood that they will is practically nothing. Don't worry too much about it. And good luck with your car repairs.

Thank for the hugs and the information.

We took the car to the smart car dealer this morning. It turns out nothing was damaged except a steel metal thing that frames the window. They replaced it for less than our deductable so we cancelled the insurance claim

. . . and then . .

while we waited we test drove a newer smart car called a brabus. They are having a sale where trade in for our year old smart car is sticker price (they don't haggle; sticker is price) we paid minus mileage (under 10 k yay) and the brabus comes with a new type of better suspension (so less golf cartish ride), and as an add on we'll have (tah dah!) a navigation system installed in the dash with voice phone blue tooth thing!

The phone thing is huge because I can't use regular bluetooth things with my hearing aids so I can never use my phone while driving.

Navigation! Wahoooooooooo!

And they don't make our yellow anymore so they will pop off our plastic panels and put them on the new car so it will look like our bumble bee car we have now (fav colors).

And, since we financed at a higher rate, payments will be the same for a new car as for the one we have. We're thinking about it over the weekend. (Translated into - I'm working on my DH).

So, from lemons, lemonaid.

Thank you everyone. I sure am glad to have you all and merry christmas!

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh how adorable, a bumblebee smart car!

My brother has the beanbag thing. Works out really well.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

This is so true. I just got lazy.



Thank for the hugs and the information.

We took the car to the smart car dealer this morning. It turns out nothing was damaged except a steel metal thing that frames the window. They replaced it for less than our deductable so we cancelled the insurance claim

. . . and then . .

while we waited we test drove a newer smart car called a brabus. They are having a sale where trade in for our year old smart car is sticker price (they don't haggle; sticker is price) we paid minus mileage (under 10 k yay) and the brabus comes with a new type of better suspension (so less golf cartish ride), and as an add on we'll have (tah dah!) a navigation system installed in the dash with voice phone blue tooth thing!

The phone thing is huge because I can't use regular bluetooth things with my hearing aids so I can never use my phone while driving.

Navigation! Wahoooooooooo!

And they don't make our yellow anymore so they will pop off our plastic panels and put them on the new car so it will look like our bumble bee car we have now (fav colors).

And, since we financed at a higher rate, payments will be the same for a new car as for the one we have. We're thinking about it over the weekend. (Translated into - I'm working on my DH).

So, from lemons, lemonaid.

Thank you everyone. I sure am glad to have you all and merry christmas!

Now this is the type of update we all love to hear!
I fell in love with the Smart Car while in Rome in 2000, that is so cool you can keep your yellow! Hope your DH decides to go for it!