WTF? Someone trying to steal my Mitsubishi? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 06-23-2013, 10:11 AM

Yesterday we went out for the evening meal and came home. We were inside the house watching tv when for some unremembered reason I decided to go outside. I found my Mitsu Montero with the rs door open, four ways flashing and the headlights on. Getting inside to check further I found the fan on and the transfer shifter monkeyed with so when I tried to back out it was out of gear. Nothing was missing and the glove compartment was not open as it has been in the past if someone rifled an unlocked car.

I debated whether to call the police as it appears to have been the handiwork of a doofus kid. I also now believe I must have caught him in the act and he ran off.

I decided not to call police as I did not want to spend the time answering questions, etc.

Its pretty disturbing. We've been here 22 years and never had anything like this happen before. I usually try to lock most of my car doors because of things like this but have been lax on the mitsu since it seems unlikely someone would bother to steal something so old. I do have probably nearly a thousand dollars worth of parts in it though so losing it would be unpleasant.

Pooka · #2 06-23-2013, 10:22 AM

I knew a guy that came home and found a rear door open on his Montero. The only thing missing was the jack.

Apparently the word is out that these cars have some nice jacks. I don't know because I have never seen one.

Are they really that great? Perhaps the crook was just trying to replace a jack that was swiped out of his car?

elchivito · #3 06-23-2013, 10:23 AM

Times change. I used to park my truck outside the gate as I enjoyed the quarter mile walk to and from the house. Always left the keys in it. I'm no longer comfortable doing that. I still leave the keys in it- I'll lose 'em otherwise- but it's inside the gate where the dogs can watch it. Some neighbors up the road had a break-in and lost a lot of easily pawned electronics. Around here meth-heads and bored kids are responsible for most of the property crime according to the LEOs.

t walgamuth · #4 06-23-2013, 11:08 AM

I'll have to check for the jack.

Brian Carlton · #5 06-23-2013, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Its pretty disturbing. We've been here 22 years and never had anything like this happen before.

Please...........not you too............

t walgamuth · #6 06-23-2013, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Please...........not you too............

Not sure what you mean by this....?

greazzer · #7 06-23-2013, 12:19 PM

Most likely a dumbo kid ... and you're lucky your 6th sense so to speak alerted you. Unfortunately, I feel compelled to lock my car doors every evening.

spdrun · #8 06-23-2013, 12:31 PM

I foolishly left an old Volvo unlocked in NJ (small city, not much crime). When I got back, some crack fiend had taken the dash apart to get to the radio. Funny thing was that the radio wasn't really attached and he could have just pulled it hard. Oh well, at least nothing was missing other than an old VOM which I kept in the glovebox.

t walgamuth · #9 06-23-2013, 12:32 PM

Yeah, I always do with my better cars. YOu know a wino could climb in and sleep and mess in it too. Yech!

Brian Carlton · #10 06-23-2013, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Not sure what you mean by this....?

Anytime that something happens of a criminal nature in a local neighborhood, the press finds some average person and the person promptly says, "This never happened here before.........I thought this was a safe neighborhood".

Said person, doesn't understand the statistics of crime, wouldn't know if the same crime happened on the next street and wouldn't know if their neighborhood is "safe" or "not safe" with the exception of some singular anecdotal tidbit of information that has formed the majority of their opinion.

I was hoping that you didn't fall into the same category.

The Swede · #11 06-23-2013, 12:56 PM

Yeah, prolly kids. No sweat.

t walgamuth · #12 06-23-2013, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Anytime that something happens of a criminal nature in a local neighborhood, the press finds some average person and the person promptly says, "This never happened here before.........I thought this was a safe neighborhood".

Said person, doesn't understand the statistics of crime, wouldn't know if the same crime happened on the next street and wouldn't know if their neighborhood is "safe" or "not safe" with the exception of some singular anecdotal tidbit of information that has formed the majority of their opinion.

I was hoping that you didn't fall into the same category.

I have considered our situation a little charmed and was not really surprised.....actually surprised it didn't happen sooner since we are on the edge of a really nice neighborhood and one blockish away is a pretty poor neighborhood. The poor neighborhood is where I first lived when I came to Lafayette and I can remember sleeping with the window open and hearing shots fired on occasion.

It was where the people from Appalachia settled when they came north and while in my experience people from that culture can be the most loyal friend you can imagine but if you doublecross them they can also be vicious (I hear).

I am perfectly aware that crime can happen in any neighborhood and do see squad cars down the hill from time to time.

jplinville · #13 06-23-2013, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

It was where the people from Appalachia settled when they came north and while in my experience people from that culture can be the most loyal friend you can imagine but if you doublecross them they can also be vicious (I hear).

You heard correct...

My Tahoe was gotten into a few months back. I thought I lost a knife that belonged to my dad, but it was found in a neighbor's car which had the stereo taken. The only thing that was missing that wasn't recovered were some CDs that we ripped.

For the last 1.5 years, I've been looking for the Skagen watch that my wife bought me, and couldn't find it. Two weeks ago, my wife detailed the Tahoe, removing everything in it that didn't belong there...she found my watch in the console. The same console where the CDs were.

Whoever broke in had no idea what they were doing...If they did, they would have kept the knife, taken the watch, as well as a few other semi valuable things that were in there.

Brian Carlton · #14 06-23-2013, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I am perfectly aware that crime can happen in any neighborhood and do see squad cars down the hill from time to time.

..........and does, despite the common belief by most folks that they live in a "safe neighborhood".

It simply didn't occur to them or their immediate neighbor(s).

t walgamuth · #15 06-23-2013, 01:35 PM

Actually come to think of it there were two or three right across the street a couple of years ago. I thought I heard a shot or two that night too. The fellow who owns that house had at that time a fellow living with him but does not now. I seem to remember hearing loud arguing too....so that's pretty close right there.