Cars broken into last night

[ccw007]

My wife and I go to school at night at a local college. We just happen to be in the same class for our last class of the day so we ride together. As we left last night the security guard was at the door telling people six or seven cars had been broken into and you need to check before you leave. This campus is not on the main campus and is only used for their adult evening degree program, so there are no kids there and it is also off the beating path. The parking lot is no lighted very well. We got lucky we were not one that got broken into, but the car two or three spaces over did. They had to work fast because there are people coming in and out quite often. To my knowledge this has not happened here before.
Since this is school property you cannot carry a firearm. I have thought about getting folding a knife that is easy to open or I guess pepper spray, which I will get for my wife. Other than that and staying alert is about all I can do. I know someone will say carry anyway but if you get caught the rest of your life will suck because it is a felony. It is also a good reminder not to leave your gun in your car. Oh at least one of the cars was a classmate’s. I hate a thief

 

[Morseth Diamond]

The operative word is "concealed"

If you don't take it out and wave it around, nobody will know. If you need it and don't have it "the rest of your life is gonna suck"

 

[Phoenix_III]

Fox Labs OC Spray should be a must... especially if you have NO escalation between hand to hand vs. firearm. OC is good for when you're not really sure/don't feel like fighting and cannot retreat.

 

[antarti]

I used to leave the car unlocked when I was driving a convertible to college and parking on campus, as there was nothing of value left laying around or in the glove box. Would find that somebody would rifle through the car looking for stuff about once every 2 weeks.

Wouldn't you know some lowlife cut the top up to get in (what I was trying to prevent)... twice.

Regardless, there was a gun in the trunk (wasn't a problem here in Florida). I packed exactly twice to class, which wasn't, err, well, you know "allowed".

Once was the opening day of the Gulf War. There were massive protests by our local muslim school population, with attendant bomb threats. I was clueless until I drove past the protest, then figured things out quick when I saw a cracker get out of his truck and stuff a derringer in the top of his boot in a not too discrete manner in the parking lot. Figured the last thing I needed was to be the only unarmed fool on campus.

The second time was years later, thanks to Saami Al Arion (sp?) who brought in a "PolSci professor" friend to teach. He disappeared for 3-4 days after the Israelis whacked the head of Islamic Jihad. Then he resurfaces, as the new head of Islamic Jihad. There were some investigations/recriminations,etc. going on in the school. Bomb threats got so bad (and school admin was so piss-poor on SD) that my night-class teachers were paying for armed bodyguards themselves, as they were kept from packing. They even had to have the bodyguards at graduation on their own nickel. You better belive I was packing while that mess was going on. License-shmicense, law-be-damned. I wasn't going to get caught in some stupid crossfire unarmed, thanks to the liberal-pinko administration and their "let's educate the worlds thugs for free" policies.

If you need it and don't have it "the rest of your life is gonna suck"

Yeah, but it may not suck for long, as the rest of your life might be very short. Worst case, your wife gets hurt (or worse). I wouldn't want to live with that knowing it might have been prevented. I have the luxury of beating myself up enough over other, more trivial, things.

I say get a trunk gun, something compact and cheap (maybe a Keltec 9mm or 380) that you can hide in the jack compartment or with the spare. If you need to carry it, at least its easily concealable and your risk is minimal. I would rather be thrown out of school than beaten and run over in the parking lot, or have my wife suffer a similar fate.

 

[DSGB610]

Taser Gun?????????????
they can be found as cheap as 50.00 and up to 600000 volts

 

[Blue Line]

I don't understand why anyone would have a gun and leave it in a car at all. As a LEO that is one thing I would never do, leave my heater alone unattended. What if its stolen and used to kill someone else. What if the BG gets it before you and uses it on you or yours. Plus if its never used your out an average of probably 500 bucks for the piece, will insurance cover the whole cost? If you can hide it someone with enough time can find it.

I'm all for packing be it CCW or outward but PACK it don't leave it.

 

[bogie]

Oh, ferchrissake.

Get one of those little safe boxes, bolt it in the trunk or to the floor in the back seat (and cover the top with carpet or, my personal favorite, empty soda cans, and you're there. Of course, someone can steal the whole damn car... That's why people have alarms...

 

[ccw007]

Just an update on this. They have started paying a LEO to sit in the parking lot. I am not sure how long this will last, but for now this is a good solution for me.
I am not one for leaving a gun in the car either, but furthermore it is a serious crime to possess a firearm on school property here even in your car. I cannot carry at work either. Will I get caught? Probably not, but if I did I would loose some rights that I would really like to keep not to mention my job. This is the only crime at this campus in 18 years, so I do not feel the need to carry is that great even though I carry everywhere on the weekend that is legal. I think the pepper spray may be a good idea.

Now some more about how these people operated

All 6 cars broken into belonged to women

All of the women went to their cars between classes to access/drop off pocketbooks and laptops

When they hit they stole just the items they accesses or dropped off. One woman had put her pocketbook under some bags. The bags had items she just bought. They just took the pocket book and left the digital camera. They even when in to the trunks and accessed the tire compartment in one car.

The time they hit looks as if they had been watching class schedules or they could have been a student. The moved quickly and was careful not to set off alarms. Therefore, I would say they have done this before.

 

[Blue Line]

Yes sir, Sounds like this isn't the first time they've broken into cars, they knew where to look for stuff. They probably are aware of when classes change or breaks are time wise.
As for the purse or the camera, I'm surprised they didn't take both. But a hot camera is maybe worth 50-150 bucks, on the other hand they take the credit cards, checks, DL and they have several thousands of dollars if not more in their hands. Not to mention any personal info left on the laptop.
Identity theft is probably the number one crime now and it's the basis for a lot more fraud to come after you have yours stolen.

Best of luck to you and stay safe.

PS: get an "A" for us too

 

[thorn726]

Reasoning

first off it is no suprise the cars broken into were women, especially at a college-
THINK- these girls got all kinds of stuff flung all over the inside of their car, cd cases, they dont hide the stereo, this list goes on.
they make themsleves targets too often.
leave a phone on the front seat.
id hardly worry about a thief, especially one "working" an area trying to get violent.
anyone spots him, he is going to RUN.

he's a car stereo thief. not a carjacker.

not that pepper spray isnt a smart idea on a campus anyway.
losers need to stop harrassing college women, but it is a huge problem everywhere for sure.

 

[thorn726]

But a hot camera is maybe worth 50-150 bucks

uh, no way. try 20. 50 bucks is for really SUPER MEGA good stuff.

these losers sell top of the line stolen laptops for $100.

stolen items sell for whatever the lowest unit of drugs cost more than anything else.

i have seen idiots offer $300 ipods for $25.
the new cell phones with camera and keyboard/ PDA built in- $10.

that was a good one. hte pda/cell, i took it from the guy and smashed it.
the battery was dead, so no way to get ahold of right owner.
at least dude couldnt sell it. he still complains when i see him.
"stop showing me stolen stuff!" i say.

 

[Blue Line]

Thorn your probably right, I just wanted to throw out the point that they would sell it for far less than the actual value of the item taken. The real things of value are the personal identifiers/id, credit cards and checks stolen.

 

[JohnKSa]

I don't understand why anyone would have a gun and leave it in a car at all.

Are you serious?

You've NEVER heard of a place that someone might want to drive to armed but couldn't carry a firearm into?

 

[Coronach]

I can understand storing a gun in a car temporarily, but I think you're foolish to store one there long term without a way of securing it in place. A bolted lockbox, a locking rack, something. Guns are expensive and portable. Would you leave $300 (or whatever it costs) cash just laying in your trunk?

Mike

 

[Ryder]

Would you leave $300 (or whatever it costs) cash just laying in your trunk?

Long term storage is nuts. The environment is too harse. Short term however it makes sense considering the alternative is giving a lawyer multiples of that for being caught carrying in a no gun zone.

There has to have been a huge rise in the number of criminals owning guns since these laws went into effect.

 

[Spreadfire Arms]

If you don't take it out and wave it around, nobody will know. If you need it and don't have it "the rest of your life is gonna suck"

i think that is not very good advice to follow. you are committing a felony in most states carrying a firearm, with or without a CCW, into a school building.

 

[Ryder]

I agree with Spreadfire. Nothing worse than seeing an honest person convicted as a felon. Until the law changes it is better to continue allowing the real felons to arm themselves with our weapons.

 

[losangeles]

Following our laws is the best policy. Makes sense.

 

[mitchshrader]

unless dragged

or required by law, i won't enter any business prevents personal responsibility for safety. Exception is public (highschools, libraries, courthouses) .. and that's because of the laws ONLY. And i avoid those as much as feasible.

that means i can't enter bars. ok. suits me.

vote with your feet. self defense means being prepared. unless they're going to hire me a bodyguard that shoots better than i do, and arm him better than I am, and make the whole experience totally pleasant and hassle free..

I'll continue to take responsibility for my own safety.

the answer to bad law is 'move' .. no, it's NOT your job to fix the law. it IS your job to choose your location.