Something that Puzzles Me

[officerripley]

Someone that lives a few streets over had their vehicles (all parked outside and all but one locked) broken into last night, an ashtray (contained a commemorative coin and an irreplaceable family photo) stolen, all the registration cards stolen, and the registration stickers removed from the license plates. Okay, I can see them taking the coin because it is worth a few dollars, and taking the family photo to be a jerk. But taking the registration cards? And removing the reg. stickers from the license plates??

 

[MarciKS]

They probably are driving an unregistered vehicle themselves and taking the stickers and putting them on their vehicle and using the papers in case they get pulled over. People do that here a lot. Or they just drive without licenses and insurance and tags.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

The thieves are likely planning to use the cards and registration stickers on another car (or cars) to carry out more serious crimes, or as post #2 suggests, or to avoid detection on their own plates which have expired.

 

[officerripley]

I just now googled it and apparently this has been successfully used to get the car dealership to mail a new key to the thief who then comes back and easily steals the car itself. Or, once the thieves have that VIN, they can then "sell" that vehicle online and pocket the money. Also, it's been used to commit identity theft.

What a world we live in, huh? Well, I hope this can help convince Huzz to start locking our cars from now on.

 

[CallMeKate]

Sounds kind of like a revenge thing. Not to steal anything, but to cause the vehicle owner trouble. That would explain taking a family picture that can't be replaced, too... inflicting emotional damage. Sounds personal.

 

[MarciKS]

I'm actually more confused about them taking the family photo unless they're planning to use the image for a fake drivers license.

 

[officerripley]

Sounds kind of like a revenge thing. Not to steal anything, but to cause the vehicle owner trouble. That would explain taking a family picture that can't be replaced, too... inflicting emotional damage. Sounds personal.

Oh boy, you never know, could be.

I'm actually more confused about them taking the family photo unless they're planning to use the image for a fake drivers license.

Well, I guess the family photo and the coin were in the ashtray and they took that, so maybe just grabbed the whole thing in a hurry?

 

[Jules]

They’ll steal anything and decide later if it serves any purpose. Sorry, the guy was a fool to leave something irreplaceable or valuable in a car.

 

[Jules]

A few weeks ago we had to park in the driveway. Our camera picked up a guy on a bike testing out door handles. This is common.

 

[officerripley]

They’ll steal anything and decide later if it serves any purpose. Sorry, the guy was a fool to leave something irreplaceable or valuable in a car.

That's true. Even if a vehicle is locked, nothing's safe in there. I've even heard of someone having dirty laundry stolen out of her car. Another person had a frayed, beat-up old towel that he kept over the steering wheel in the summer and they broke in his truck and took that.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

I just now googled it and apparently this has been successfully used to get the car dealership to mail a new key to the thief who then comes back and easily steals the car itself. Or, once the thieves have that VIN, they can then "sell" that vehicle online and pocket the money.

The VIN is located at the lower left corner of the dashboard where it meets the windshield, and anyone can read it by looking through the outside of the window. Then, to get a key made, the VIN must match the name on the car documents, which a dealer can check. This is just added information, not intended to overturn what you found, or what you suspect.

 

[Aunt Bea]

A few weeks ago we had to park in the driveway. Our camera picked up a guy on a bike testing out door handles. This is common.

The kids here walk down the street peeking in windows and rattling door handles some even go down driveways looking for an easy target.

It’s amazing to me that people continue to leave anything in their vehicles.

Some of the bolder thieves snatch purses from cars with open windows while the owner is only a few feet away, returning a grocery cart or some other simple distraction.

Many, many years ago, I left a carton of cigarettes on the car seat, that cost me a broken window but I learned my lesson.

Sadly, we’re pretty much on our own to protect ourselves and our property, there really isn’t much the police can do.

 

[Teacher Terry]

A year ago, someone stole my license plate while I was in Walmart. I had to go in person to the police station to file a stolen plate report and I had to give the other license plate which I had in my trunk since we only have to display one here to the police. Then they gave me a paper to carry around in case I got stopped for having no license plate.

It took me out months to get an appointment with the DMV and I never was stopped once. Police told me it’s a fairly common crime here and they put the stone license plate on their car when they commit crimes.

What was really sad about it was I had bought the car from a friend of mine that died 10 years ago and was a Vietnam vet and he had a special commemorative license plate holder made for his car since he was one of only four people that survived a certain battle. They took the license plate holder along with the license plate.

 

[officerripley]

What was really sad about it was I had bought the car from a friend of mine that died 10 years ago and was a Vietnam vet and he had a special commemorative license plate holder made for his car since he was one of only four people that survived a certain battle. They took the license plate holder along with the license plate.

That is sad. I'm sorry for the loss of your friend.

 

[Oldeagle66]

Anyone should know these days not have ANYTHING visible inside a car. Many people remove items at home at night. That's on them.