Do you lock your car?

I'm asking because I am a member of a "Neighborhood Watch" group on FB and over the past year or so we have had a rash of car "break ins" in the area at night.

The thing is though, I put "break ins" in quotes because in most cases, they aren't breaking into anything, they are going into UNLOCKED cars and grabbing whatever they can- from spare change, to expensive items left in the UNLOCKED cars like sunglasses, tools, even a PURSE- left in plain view in an unlocked car.

A few times they have broken a window, usually to get something of value left in plain view. But mainly it's a crime of easy opportunity involving unlocked vehicles.

I never realized until I joined this group how many people don't lock their cars. I just don't understand why though because it's a click of a button on the remote. It' takes less than 2 seconds. To be honest it is so much of a habit that I don't even think about it. I've been doing it for all the years I have been driving a car.

And I would think, if you knew of a rash of incidents where thieves target unlocked cars, you would be hyper aware no? But yet, it is still happening all the time. Unlocked cars. Many with valuable items in full view.


So my question is- am I in the minority here? Do you lock your cars?

Message edited 8/24/2017 10:30:38 AM.

Re: Do you lock your car?

Even if I forget something in my house and go back in to get it quickly, I will lock the door. I always lock it.

Message edited 8/24/2017 10:58:48 AM.

Re: Do you lock your car?

I live in Queens, so, yeah.

Do you lock your car?

Always!

Re: Do you lock your car?

Always...& I never leave anything of value in there either.

Re: Do you lock your car?

I always lock it. Doesn't matter where or when. I even lock it if I am pumping gas.

House too, that is always locked.

ETA: I never leave anything in my car anyway. They want to steal my blanket or jumper cables, have fun.

Message edited 8/24/2017 10:49:21 AM.

Do you lock your car?

Always! I keep a few hundred dollars worth of strollers in my car. I hear about too many break ins although like you said most were unlocked.

My neighbor scared someone off and called the cops a few months back bc his dog woke him up when a car was stopped and someone was looking into my van. I guess there's one benefit to having small properties on our street. Would have been a jackpot for anyone looking for strollers or granola bar wrappers lol.

Re: Do you lock your car?

I love in the city so yes I do.

I also lock it when I get out to pump gas. I've seen too many news stories of purses being grabbed when not paying attention.
I'm a little paranoid

Re: Do you lock your car?

Re: Do you lock your car?

Posted by MsSissy

I love in the city so yes I do.

I also lock it when I get out to pump gas. I've seen too many news stories of purses being grabbed when not paying attention.
I'm a little paranoid

Re: Do you lock your car?

yes. i lock it.

i lock it when it's in my driveway, i lock it when getting gas, i lock it when parked in public places... i lock it.

also, if i want to roll down all the windows, i never leave my purse on the passenger seat where someone can reach in and grab it. i put my purse on the floor... it's also a reason why i always have a black purse, easier to camouflage.

Re: Do you lock your car?

Re: Do you lock your car?

My truck locks automatically after about 5 minutes. My car used to, until I started having electrical problems.
The van we always manually lock.

Re: Do you lock your car?

Do you lock your car?

Yes I always lock it. I never used to but one morning I got into my car and my mirrors were all moved in different directions. I had nothing they would want to take but I still didn't like the idea of someone being in my car.

Re: Do you lock your car?

Always lock my car, always lock my house.

Do you lock your car?

I usually do lock my car. I forgot 1 time and bam there was a rash of "break ins'. I don't leave anything in my car and they stole my expensive phone holder. I do understand ahwt you mean by they were unlocked and open, but it's still private property and a violation of privacy. Now, It was my fault for forgetting but then came down my very steep, very pitch black driveway. And very close to my house. Unlocked or not, still not ok

I am OOS, and my town is consistently rated #1 safest int he state. So many people have a flse sense of security. That rash, they got hundreds of dollars worth of lap tops, camaers, ipads etc. I' from LI, I lock and don't leave anything in my car lol. but even my husband was like, your doors weren't locked as he's one to leave them unlocked. I know many of people that leave the keys in the car. That I don't get. They got 2 cars that way. This was just a few months ago

Message edited 8/24/2017 11:20:23 AM.

Re: Do you lock your car?

Message edited 8/24/2017 11:31:43 AM.

Do you lock your car?

I always lock my car and I'm obsessed with checking it like 5 times to make sure it's locked too!

Do you lock your car?

I'm the same - always locked (driveway, getting gas, etc). I even lock it all and close the trunk when I have to make multiple trips after the grocery store.

When I moved to LI, I had a realtor that previously was a cop for 20 years in the city. We got out to look at a house and he left his car unlocked with the keys in the ignition! I asked him about it and he says nothing bad has ever happened and to not be so scared of everything. A small part of me hoped his car got stolen so it'd show him how crazy he is!

Re: Do you lock your car?

I do, DH doesn't. Yes, he's THAT lazy.

Do you lock your car?

Of Course! This just happened to my boss this week, she said her car and a bunch of others were broken into. But then she followed up with she doesn't lock her car nor do the other people. Can't break into a car if it wasn't locked! Sorry, wasn't broken into. Granted, nobody should be going into property that isn't theirs, but if you don't take simple precautions, can't really complain about it!

Do you lock your car?

Absolutely, always. I don't really keep anything of value in my car, but our garage door can be opened with the remotes/Homelink system - and that's usually how we go in and out of the house. If you can get in my car, you can get in my house. DH used to be more lax about it, but I would always check his car too and then mention it to him, so I guess he got tired of hearing me bring it up, so he's much better about it now.

Re: Do you lock your car?

Posted by MrsT809

Posted by LuckyStar

Posted by SusiBee

I live in Queens, so, yeah.

I lock my car regardless of where I live but if I were going to leave my car unlocked I'd feel much safer doing it in my neighborhood in Queens then where I live now on LI.

In Queens the neighbors would catch them and chase them down with a bat.

On LI they'd shrug and say not my problem.

See my post above. I didn't mention it but there was definitely a bat involved. This is LI btw.

Re: Do you lock your car?

Only started really doing that at home since there has been lots of rummaging through cars in the neighborhood