My car got broken into...

[PhotoJourno]

For the first time the MO did not match the usual stoned punks traveling in packs and getting away with everything they could. This felt as a surgical strike. I was the only vehicle out of 300 in the Complex (not counting street and visitor spots) that got hit.
They opened the door with some sort of FOB or Master Key, and stole the usual items without vandalizing the vehicle: GPS, Police Radio, Fire Scanner, Satellite Radio (Unscrewed and unplugged all contacts, without yanking anything from the dash), methodically looked in the glove compartment, and center console boxes. Trunk was not opened -thank goodness, my studio lights had been forgotten there from last week's private event, plus all my clothes for night shots, rain, and fire fighting photography.

All in all, I must have lost some $800 dollars, plus the very awkward feeling of someone meddling with your things. It is something I really have a problem with. Specially when nobody else reported problems. Triggers the Why me, did this happen accidentally, did this have an ulterior motive?.. They have taken with me -and GPS, etc- enough personal information to know some of my locations and etc. So I am hoping they are in fact a couple of dopers just looking for a quick pickup to get more crack cocaine.

Still though, it really bothered me. Insurance, the deductible is $500, so I am not sure how that works (whether I pay 500, and then get 300 in return for the difference, or if I only recover $300 total). Plus, I have no clue how long something like this could take, and its impact on future costs. I already replaced the GPS and one of the radios.

I just spent all day without being able to vent, driving from Grass fire to Grass Fire, to photo assignments, to more fires, just to try and get my mind off of things. I smell like smoked salmon or something. Beef jerky perhaps.

Anyhow, just needed to put it on paper.

[Discov3ry]

:( Sad day. I hope all will settle well and in the end the damage won't hurt that much. It's one of those inevitable situations - today's was simply your turn to experience it. Good thing you did not lose any photo equipment.

Good luck and don't think too much about it.

[PhotoJourno]

thanks man.

[Contivity]

sorry for what happened, but I don't think that Insurance covers stuffs in the car...

[PhotoJourno]

Bah, a good reminder that my Crown Victoria days are gone, and that I need to start lugging even more stuff in and out of the car. Whatcha gonna do. As it turns out, it could have been worse. No camera equipment was lost, and the 2 month old car was not damaged (vandalism is a classic trait of burglary).

[DDA]

Sorry to hear what happened. I hope you can get as much back as possible from the insurance. It must be a really bad feeling.

[gjl711]

That really sucks. My brother in law just had his laptop stolen from his car at a gas station. He forgot to lock the car as it was filling up and stepped into the mini-mart for just a sec. When he came out, the door back door was open and the laptop gone.

They were able to see it all on the surveillance tape but nothing has come of it so far.

Hope they get your stuff back but I sense that there is little the cops can do.

[LucyRoberts]

Holy crapola Mario! I thought I had a bad day. :( I'm sorry this hapened. Luckily property can be replaced over time. I'm just glad you weren't cra jacked and injured.

[Discov3ry]

That really sucks. My brother in law just had his laptop stolen from his car at a gas station. He forgot to lock the car as it was filling up and stepped into the mini-mart for just a sec. When he came out, the door back door was open and the laptop gone.

They were able to see it all on the surveillance tape but nothing has come of it so far.

Hope they get your stuff back but I sense that there is little the cops can do.

Must burglaries are not planned. The thief sees an opportunity they take it. That's why I always, close windows, take the keys out, and lock the car when I refuel. And most of the time I don't even have anything valuable in the car and all windows are tinted. Someone may snatch something from your car even when you're facing away from the car to punch numbers into the pump.

vandalism is a classic trait of burglary.

Few years back my brother had his Camry broken into. Literally broken into. In the middle of a hospital parking lot the dude used a crow bar to pry open to driver door and then proceeded to use the same technique to remove the stereo head unit. Not a total damage but the car wasn't the same anymore afterwards.

[nicksan]

They should put all these punks on an island and....:evil:

[gjl711]

... I always, close windows, take the keys out, and lock the car when I refuel. ....
I do the same but for an entirely different reason. I had an older GMC truck that had the nasty habit of locking itself at random times. While standing next to the truck filling it up I heard the sickening “K-A-lick” and I was locked out with the keys in the ignition.

[gjl711]

They should put all these punks on an island and....:evil:
Wasn’t there a movie like that? Escape from NY I believe. They walled off the city and let all the punks steal from one another.

[PhotoJourno]

The law is very protective of property theft. Since property changes hands quite often. While the Penal Code -in general- allows for very little action due in regards to protect your own life (justified, reasonable fear of death or serious injury, etc), there are no provisions for protection of property. That's partly what Law Enforcement is there for. Which in my opinion is the way to go (about property, not life -one should have better means to protect himself and his family) but I will not get political.

There are classic cases of the guy who gets broken into three or five times in a row, and on the next time, he happens to catch the burglars. After a short pursuit, he fires killing him/them. He does heavy time in jail, because he did not retreat. He actually pursued these individuals. He could alledge fear, and traumatic stress (sure thing), but still, no excuse for losing one's temper.

In one famous case (the man had been burglarized five times) he got into his car, and crashed against the burglar's, getting out of his own vehicle and firing five or six rounds into him). It was hard to explain to the judge, how he would be exacting revenge or fulfilling justice by doing that.

I just hope this is isolated, and that whatever money these morons got they can at least use it to pay rent, or something useful.

About sending all the bad guys to an island thing, I did read it in a book once. I think the Island's name was Australia. Happy ending though, nowadays those who return from the island say that they're some of the most pleasant folk to be around with. :p

[Permagrin]

sorry to hear this Mario!

[greg20d]

sorry to hear Mario
I hate thieves some days I wish you could shoot them
I have had my share of items stolen from me
and I dont think I live far from you

[PhotoJourno]

sorry to hear Mario
I hate thieves some days I wish you could shoot them
I have had my share of items stolen from me
and I dont think I live far from you

March and I-5, the Italian Apartments. Lots of 'Quail' round these parts.

;)

[SuzyView]

Mario, the last time someone broke into my car, I think we left the doors unlocked. Doesn't happen anymore, we were careless. But they stole my diaper bag. I hope there was a dirty diaper in there. I doubt there was anything of worth. But the intrusion is awful. Let it roll off your back. It's the only way to get over it.

[Eagle]

Escape from NY Great movie and idea just ask Snake.

I think the Island's name was Australia. British penal colony I believe.

Sorry to here about your misfortunes.

[DragonSpeed]

I hate to sound the dissenting opinion... too clean for a crackhead. Sounds like a professional thief.

They knew what you had in your vehicle (checked it out previously probably) and were careful about not damaging the goods (resale value).

1) Keep an eye on craigslist
2) Check your local pawnshop
3) Get a 3rd party alarm and make sure it's visibly identified on your vehicle now.

The thief knows you're likely to replace your stuff. Don't just get him newer items :(

[3Turner]

Sorry to hear about your car being broken into Mario. It's so sad people would do that. A friend of mine had her car broken into a couple weeks ago....all they took were a pair of Coach brand sunglasses...nothing else. Not even the few dollars of cash in the ash tray that was left open or the case of CDs.

[PhotoJourno]

I hate to sound the dissenting opinion... too clean for a crackhead. Sounds like a professional thief.

They knew what you had in your vehicle (checked it out previously probably) and were careful about not damaging the goods (resale value).

1) Keep an eye on craigslist
2) Check your local pawnshop
3) Get a 3rd party alarm and make sure it's visibly identified on your vehicle now.

The thief knows you're likely to replace your stuff. Don't just get him newer items :(

Oh, I agree with you. I did not see it as dissenting, in fact this is what I meant by their MO (Modus Operand um). I had a car break in by a bunch of puncks (aka crackheads), they took a backpack with some GED books (hope they learned something ;) ) and some other crap. I was left replacing an entire window.

In this case, they only targeted my vehicle (meaning either opportunity or chance, I really doubt it was premeditated) and quickly moved in knowing what to take, and what not to bother with.

Take for example, my Sirius Radio. Instead of yanking the mount from the dash (screwed into the plastic, would have ruined my dash) they instead took the time to undo the plastic wheel in the back, and left the mounted piece, taking the half mount and device itself with them. Same with the GPS, very methodical, very clean.

I know what I am talking about. No smells, no prints around the windshield GPS mount, no tampering.

Every day I bring and take at least two bags with me. One with my Camera Gear, and the other one with my Police gear (Vest, high visibility jacket, radio, etc). The fire gear stays in the car, as I cannot bear a third huge bag (it's a step in, where I can just put on the fire suit and be ready to follow the MIY (Men in Yellow) to their scene.

That plus the scanners, radios, GPS, -Hell, fast food if I happen to get any- makes for a few trips to the car, every night and every morning.

I am working on a solution. I have requested for a desk at the Newsroom I spend the most time in, and I will leave at least half the support gear there. Then at home, all I unload is the cameras, GPS and Radios, and that is it.

Anyhow, Thanks SuzieView, I think your point is actually very on the spot as well. Just get over it, and continue life with 'a renewed awareness of my surroundings and property thereof'. :D

I am over it. That night I barely slept (last night). Just kept having nightmares. I needed to get it off my chest, one thing of being by myself is the inability to share some of these things, which makes feelings worse inside.

But I am done. I am good now. Thanks for the support.

[BrinNutz]

Hey Mario,

Sorry to hear. Had this happen to me one time before. When I was in High School, parked not 20 ft. from my window, was my truck. I left it unlocked because it was wet, and below freezing. Plus, it's my driveway!

BTW, like Dragon said...

Keep an eye on Craigslist, I've seen a few times people got busted on there.

Anywho, there was snow, I get up and go to school, and my subs, CD's, were all gone!!!! And, there were tracks in the snow!

Funny thing, I knew who did it, but couldn't prove it. =(

Hope all is well, and btw, I think you pay the deductible and they give you a check for the amount you lost back...I think anyways.

[slimninj4]

Sorry to hear that. I had a car stolen once. ****ty feeling. The lights might of been to heavy to carry. Black market is not great for those. GPS, radio, cameras, are very easy to fence.

[zacker]

do you have a younger brother? do any of his "friends" act suspicious? what about co workers? who knows the car and what you have in it? and why would a thief NOT hurt the car? they dont care about stuff like that /// unless they DIDNT want to attract attention for some reason. I only ask about family and friends because alot of times they will tell the wrong person , in passing, what you or someone else has in the car or house, or one of their friends does..not on purpose but ..you know. Hopefully your Ins co will do you a solid here and at least pay for most of it. good luck!

[LucyRoberts]

do you have a younger brother? do any of his "friends" act suspicious? what about co workers? who knows the car and what you have in it? and why would a thief NOT hurt the car? they dont care about stuff like that /// unless they DIDNT want to attract attention for some reason. I only ask about family and friends because alot of times they will tell the wrong person , in passing, what you or someone else has in the car or house, or one of their friends does..not on purpose but ..you know. Hopefully your Ins co will do you a solid here and at least pay for most of it. good luck!


I had kind of thought maybe the same thing, but I was thinking along the lines of someone who maybe had a key. An ex or something? :confused:

[-MasterChief-]

dude, sorry to hear about that! it sucks when these things happen ... :( glad youre ok though.

[PhotoJourno]

[ahem!] Thanks Roeddie !! Hugs! [you can return the stolen property to me anytime now].

:p

[-MasterChief-]

too late -- besides it was a bitch finding that master key! but ill split the proceeds with ya! ;)

http://cgi.ebay.com/MAGELLAN-MAESTRO-4000-GPS-RECEIVER-GENTLY-USED_W0QQitemZ120262233085QQihZ002QQcategoryZ73332 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[-MasterChief-]

and here are the radios if you still care for them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-USED-MOTOROLA-VHF-UHF-MT1000-PORTABLE-RADIOS_W0QQitemZ350057955050QQihZ022QQcategoryZ465 39QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD4VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp 1638Q2em124

this will help fund the new 5D Mark II!! YEEEAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! :D :D :D

[PhotoJourno]

too late -- besides it was a b1tch finding that master key! but ill split the proceeds with ya! ;)

http://cgi.ebay.com/MAGELLAN-MAESTRO-4000-GPS-RECEIVER-GENTLY-USED_W0QQitemZ120262233085QQihZ002QQcategoryZ73332 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

"Gently Used" ... yeah, when it says that on ebay, it can only mean it was stolen, then it fell in a pond, then eaten by a crock, defecated by the same, cleaned up with motor oil, wiped dry with some sand paper, dropped by the side of the trailer, cleaned up by some hag with a Def Leppard t-shirt with one sleeve left, stowed by a scratched glass eye, stolen again by the thief's cousin, gambled on an underground El Camino race, lost in that race, hidden in Kevin Bacon's trunk (the five degree thing, I just don't want it to die), and then posted on ebay.

Damn you Kevin Bacon !!! I want my GPS Back !! (uhm, sorry :rolleyes: ).

Moral of the story, Roeddel = Kevin Bacon .

There, the secret is out in the open.

[-MasterChief-]

sorry about the GPS. its really not for sale. it came in handy when i got lost in Southeast DC one very wet weeknight (try saying that fast a few times!). i was about to get carjacked by a bunch of gangstas so i grabbed the closest thing i can hurl at them .... your GPS was sitting in the front passenger seat, so out the window it went. :( but thanks Mario (or your GPS to be exact) for saving my life ... and my car! :D

[PhotoJourno]

sorry about the GPS. its really not for sale. it came in handy when i got lost in Southeast DC one very wet weeknight (try saying that fast a few times!). i was about to get carjacked by a bunch of gangstas so i grabbed the closest thing i can hurl at them .... your GPS was sitting in the front passenger seat, so out the window it went. :( but thanks Mario (or your GPS to be exact) for saving my life ... and my car! :D

Oh well then, do you fancy we go have a round at Oprah's and sing some Kumbayas!?? :confused:

[condyk]

Bah, a good reminder that my Crown Victoria days are gone, and that I need to start lugging even more stuff in and out of the car. Whatcha gonna do. As it turns out, it could have been worse. No camera equipment was lost, and the 2 month old car was not damaged (vandalism is a classic trait of burglary).

It could have been worse and that is the only solace in these situations. Over the last 4 years I had a Saab and a Volvo broken into and not like these are easy cars to steal from or not alarmed, etc. Just ******* kids who don't care. And each time nothing of value taken as nothing of value to take. I leave my car empty usually. They just assume nice car = nice stuff to pocket. But the broken window, glass every where, screwdriver marks on the paintwork, getting the repairs done, insurance hassles, loss of no-cliams bonus all suck more that a few 100 quid financial loss I might have suffered. These days I leave my glove box open and empty and nothing else in there to steal and hope they move to the next car. Of course, the statistics say they will be back to steal your next lot of stuff if you start leaving it in there again.

[-MasterChief-]

Oh well then, do you fancy we go have a round at Oprah's and sing some Kumbayas!?? :confused:

sounds like fun! :D :p

[PhotoJourno]

Crap crap crap !!!!!!!!!

This bad luck muse better get of my back.

I had the privilege today of photographing an incredible event. I switched indoors, so I slapped my 580ex on, and started taking photos.

Well, the on and off button was not working very well. It turned on okay, but then I would switch to Off and it would stay on. So realizing it was glitchy, and that I had 10 more mins of event before they kicked the public out, I tried to troubleshoot.

Long story short, one of the things I had forgotten to do, was to fasten the Flash to the Camera. So it slid backwards, and fell 5 ft to the solid ground. About 220 Servicemen and their families stopped for a minute, and since I had just gotten down from some sort of podium (to take a panoramic photo), all their eyes were on me.

The Flash? Well, let's just say that SIX people had to help me get the pieces that fragmented into the ground.

The basic assembly don't even work, I mean it turns on, but the flash unit does not fire every time, and the zoom (you know how the little lamp inside travels forward and backwards according to your own focal length) just goes tzz tzz tzz tzz tzz, as a lens would when its AF feature is broken.

Crappity Crap!!

BELGIUM !

Will figure something out, I got a huge chance to steal three mins and get some photos of Senator McCain, and I will definitely need some good lighting.

DAAAAAANG IIIITT !!...

Someone get a donkey and have it kick me in the bollocks!!

Ok. I am calm now.

Geez, someone retitle this thread to -Hey, life sucks and then you get a Nikon, [and it sucks worse]-.

[NZDoug]

I lived in NYC and learned that its better not to have a car.
If you do park and leave it, remove the radio front and hide it or take it with you.
Leave the glove compartment door open so they can see nothings there.
Have your "NO RADIO" sign on the back window.
Keep it full of food wrappers and garbage so it looks like crap.
I still do that, ever here in NZ.
Cars get broken into so much, the local cops cant keep up with it.
Make it look like some one beat them to it. :p

[breal101]

Another truism, everything is temporary dude. Sorry to hear about your troubles, life does suck sometimes. Take a deep breath or two, be glad to be alive. Find a friend and go get a bite to eat and a few drinks.

[LucyRoberts]

Damn it Mario! BIG HUGE HUG! I know you need it.

I can send you my 430EX if you need it. :D

[PhotoJourno]

Damn it Mario! BIG HUGE HUG! I know you need it.

I can send you my 430EX if you need it. :D

Thanks Luc. I think I can manage, I have all weekend to think about a solution.
I just want to make sure whoever is doing some crazy Voodoo on me, that we're cool now, "even-steven", we can call it quits now. :D

What's that song? "That's just the way it is, somethings will never change".. HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV4PbzCPWHY).

[PhotoJourno]

Let's end in a good note.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=504430

[LucyRoberts]

Thanks Luc. I think I can manage, I have all weekend to think about a solution.
I just want to make sure whoever is doing some crazy Voodoo on me, that we're cool now, "even-steven", we can call it quits now. :D

What's that song? "That's just the way it is, somethings will never change".. HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV4PbzCPWHY).
Dude for real. I seriously thought you would have some good karma in mass reserves! (If anyone should have it it's you!) Ask Matt if he's seen any clothe dolls with straight pins in it.

[-MasterChief-]

dude, look on the bright side. it only gets better from here! sorry about your flash, you can borrow mine if you're ever in the DC area. :)

[DStanic]

Wow that really sucks! Sounds like it's really not your week, and having the flash fall to pieces is just what you needed... :rolleyes:


Last year I moved into my apartment. I also bought my car a few months prior, so I had it in super-mint shape (I'm a car detailer). Anyways it was summer so I forgot to put my passenger side window up all the way, and some kids got into my car and stole some burnt CDs. The stuff in my center console and glovebox was on the floor and seat, but nothing important was taken. I was just happy that they did not damage the car in any way, but I still felt like my privacy was invaded, not a nice feeling at all.

[PhotoJourno]

DStanic, that's not a good feeling at all. I usually compare it to a 'wet willie' (no, do not imagine Willie Nelson in a towel), but it just feels like someone can reach out and mess with your crap.

Goodness knows if I had to give it away, I would have without hesitation. But the sneakiness, uuuuuh, pisses me off.

HAPPY NOTE: I did dissasemble my Flash unit (well not really, it was pretty much apart once it hit the ground), and quickly tasered myself with it. At least that's what I think happened, I just remember feeling the tingling pain up my right arm and then getting back up.

(did you know that when you are sleepy, electricity will wake you right up?.. I mean I'm on an Electron High right now). :D

[LBaldwin]

They should put all these punks on an island and....:evil:

They used to it is called Alcatraz....

[Mom27andblessed]

HAPPY NOTE: I did dissasemble my Flash unit (well not really, it was pretty much apart once it hit the ground), and quickly tasered myself with it. At least that's what I think happened, I just remember feeling the tingling pain up my right arm and then getting back up.

(did you know that when you are sleepy, electricity will wake you right up?.. I mean I'm on an Electron High right now).
__________________

I'm sorry you were robbed...but I'm so happy to see you haven't lost your sense of humor about it.
That is about one of the funniest things I've read here in a long time!

Hope the buggers who stole your stuff get a nasty rash.

[PhotoJourno]

I'm sorry you were robbed...but I'm so happy to see you haven't lost your sense of humor about it.
That is about one of the funniest things I've read here in a long time!

Hope the buggers who stole your stuff get a nasty rash.

:D Thanks. I still get jittery thinking about that. My eye was twitching a day later, and I thought it might have been the electricity. What a dummy, in the end it turned out to be that I was just not sleeping.

[breal101]

Mario, when you got hit by lightning you became a genius and a prolific writer. Now you get shocked a second time and you are down to genius. Please don't get shocked again.

[minimalfear]

My car has a VIPER (remote start) PAGING ALARM and it beeps like a beeper as soon as bad things start to happen. It is my way of keeping the GPS - Sirrus - fav-o-rite GREEN LAZER PEN ( super toy ) .... or as much of it as I can in the time it takes me ( and the German Shepard ) to come running.

I do carry my DSLR in and out every day. Rarely do I forget and leave her in the trunk.