Car Break-ins

[phl666]

Some people foolishly leave their laptops in their cars overnight.

How is it possible for those people, and only those people, to get their cars broken into and the laptops stolen?

These circumstances describe exactly what has been happening in my neighbourhood recently, and I have first-hand experiance of this.

I can't believe that the victims are under such close observation such that they are targeted so specifically. Therefore, is there some kind of laptop detector that the criminals are using?

[WoWo]

You can spot a laptop bag a miles off. Why break into a car which hasn't got a laptop in.

[phl666]

I know you can, but in a closed and locked boot?

[hartley]

Apparently it is possible to find some 'bluetooth' enabled laptops using a bluetooth phone, even when they are in car boots etc. There was an article about this in a local paper recently;

http://tinyurl.com/b6xjg

[acw]

It sounds like your neighbourhood is rich pickings, maybe the thieves ARE watching.  It would be interesting to know if your neighbours arrive at home with the laptops in the boot, or if they move them there for "safe keeping" once parked on the drive. 

Thieves watch houses for days or weeks on end to learn patterns to find the best time to break in... perhaps it's the same with cars and laptop thefts. 

[MargeB]

Put a bluetooth enabled alsatian in your boot. Put trackers in your phone and laptop.

[Flurfl]

Maybe the crims use idiot detectors. That's how I'd describe people who leave expensive equipment in their car!

[mattie]

I agree with Flurfl, I remove all my tools from my van and take them into the house every night. It is a pain in the a***, but not as bad as having my van broken into and having to explain it to my boss.

[jimtom]

Two point here.
1. The people who are getting their laptops nicked are stupid beyond belief for leaving something so nickable in a car overnight and their stupidity is putting all our insurance premiums up.............which brings me to point number ............................
2. I bet they all had their laptops insured. So, you've got, say, a 18 month old laptop and it's old tech now, you've got a new for old insurance policy and the bloke down the pub'll give you �75 for your old one??????
Perhaps I'm getting cynical but it's not an unknown scenario.

Jim

[phl666]

Jimtom

I agree with you about the stupidity thing, the insurance however is a different matter. Most, if not all insurance policies specifically exclude the theft of laptops from unattended vehicles. Mine certainly does.

[jimtom]

Thanks phl666, I knew I was getting paranoid!
Jim