Thread: Too many cars being stolen for me.

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Every time we turn around these days we are hearing about more and more rods, customs, and antique cars being stolen while at events........a lot of them right from the well lit parking lot of a hotel while the owner is asleep. Here is the latest:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/24981280/detail.html

http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/24995329/index.html

My Sons and I are so afraid to park our 3 cars at a hotel when we go to Turkey Run this November that we have decided to rent a motor home to tow Dons T, Dan will pull his rpu behind his pickup, and I will drive my 27......then we are going to stay at a campground where we can put the cars right behind the motor home so they are blocked in at night. I have never slept well with our cars down below, away from us, and even if someone doesn't steal one there is the possibility some jerk will vandalize one.

Have any of you had similar concerns when going to out of town events?

Don

I'm with you, Don - I can not sleep when my Harley is outside a motel even though I know starting it will wake the dead - but it's an uneasy feeling knowing that someone could get it on a trailer and cart it off. I have been known to park it in a ground floor room with a thick layer of newspaper under the engine to protect the carpet in the very unlikely event of a drip of oil..

Looks like this story has a semi-happy ending with the trailer and cars being found intact- hope they find this guys truck as well.

Most large city police forces just don't have the manpower to dedicate to a crime like this (especially Detroit) where violent crimes are happening on a daily basis. The answer, of course, is apprehend the punks in swift and very deliberate manner with severe public punishment that removes the reproductive components of their anatomy - but that's not likely to happen.

The other problem Glenn is that you can't depend on Hotel video cameras or security. We try to ask if they have rent a cops walking around at night, and they always say yes, but we seldom see any. Most of the cars that have been stolen from hotels have had video cameras, but for some reason that doesn't seem to result in many recoveries or as a deterrent.

We also considered each one of us taking one night to sleep in one of the cars, but that is dumb too. Best thing we have come up with is the campground thing with a big steel cable or chain through all three frames. What a shame people have to go to these lengths to keep their stuff.

Don

Don,
I'm just getting done and have not yet driven mine but I totally share your feelings. It doesn't help much to know that if someone wants it badly enough and has the resources (tilt trailer, etc) there is little that you can do to keep them from getting it. I'm thinking of having some small stickers made for the side windows, like the "No Firearms Allowed", but more like the 45 engraved around the barrel, "Smile - Wait For Flash", or maybe a normal NRA Member sticker is sufficient...

It's a shame the lengths people have to go to protect their property. I, personally, think we are too lenient on the offenders. I'm in favor of the "Old West" style of justice for car thieves, just like horse and cattle thieves, find the nearest tree with the appropriate limb and hang the sob's. The town square at high noon would suffice. I guess I'm just a bit radical, you think?

The video surveillance systems at motels are usually the "do-it-yourself" models from Uncle Billy's Bong-in-a-Box and just show that someone took your car - Well duh - Good video surveillance is not cheap but it's still forensic in that it shows what happened and rarely prevents someone who's decided to commit a crime.

I'm licensed to carry concealed in 33 states and wouldn't hesitate a second to protect my family or another life - but wouldn't draw down on a thief in a motel parking lot or a camp ground due to the potential for collateral liability and damage and I'd never draw unless the next action was to shoot - that's a mighty big decision and as much as I like my stuff - it's not worth a life or me spending the rest of mine in jail.

Too bad 9-1-1 response is not ever fast enough...

Originally Posted by glennsexton

The video surveillance systems at motels are usually the "do-it-yourself" models from Uncle Billy's Bong-in-a-Box and just show that someone took your car - Well duh - Good video surveillance is not cheap but it's still forensic in that it shows what happened and rarely prevents someone who's decided to commit a crime.

I'm licensed to carry concealed in 33 states and wouldn't hesitate a second to protect my family or another life - but wouldn't draw down on a thief in a motel parking lot or a camp ground due to the potential for collateral liability and damage and I'd never draw unless the next action was to shoot - that's a mighty big decision and as much as I like my stuff - it's not worth a life or me spending the rest of mine in jail.

Too bad 9-1-1 response is not ever fast enough...

Glenn,
You said what I was thinking. I am also licensed in 35 states, and while drawing on a thief attempting to make away with my car would be very tempting it is not something that I would actually do. As you state, any time a weapon is drawn it is to be with the intent to fire the weapon and do bodily harm. It would, however, be very tempting to fire one round in a safe direction to send the message that impending doom is nearby....

You guys never heard of throw down weapons? Just kidding.

Don

Who's kidding!

I "hear" even a knife can work as a throw down............but maybe that is just in the movies.

Don

Too funny guys!

just walk up hand him the throw down gun unloaded he will grab it ... with one hand and with your favorite gun in the other unload the clip in to him, i like the Glock gap 45.when the cops show up just say the sob was taken my car and pulled a gun make sure you do not say any thing about his gun not being loaded

Don, At least you guys are thinking of ways to get around this problem. The motor home deal sounds like a good solution in your case. I know I am always much more comfortable when I can see smell and touch my cars when traveling. It seems you can never park close enough to the room and today and with the layout of the Hotels today there is not much quick access to your car if something did happen. Besides you and your sons are close this will probably be a cool thing to do. As a matter of fact I like this idea so much I may just borrow the idea from time to time.

RS

Yeah, this idea was actually my Son Dons. When he first came up with it I had to use the line from Dumb and Dumber.............."Just when I thought you couldn't get any dumber..................you go and TOTALLY REDEEM yourself!" I love that movie.

It will also give him a way to tow his T since Dan will (hopefully) be towing his rpu this year. But the security thing is the most important aspect.

Don

I just got an e-mail from Hot august nights, They want me to sign up for their Long beach Hot august nights this next year. Right I am going to take my roadster to the car theif capital of the world!!! I AM NOT.