Do you lock the doors to your POV?

[HeavyRescueTech]

I know, sounds like a stupid question, but after getting my car broken into almost a year and a half ago, I have been forced to rethink whether or not to lock the doors to my car.

anyways, I left my laptop computer on the front seat of my car while I attended graduation. and (surprise surprise) some crook shattered the window (the most expensive one, of course), stole my laptop, and my Alias Season 2 DVDs.

but the car was locked. a great feeling, but the reality is that if someone wants to get into your car, all they need is a centerpunch. or a flashlight. or a fist. they break one of those windows, and now only can they steal what they want, but they have shattered your window.

door locks are a great "warm and fuzzy" device, be in my opinion, they really aren't going to stop anyone from getting into your car.

[50FFEMT]

Umm...rather than NOT locking your doors, how about just stowing your valuables out of sight? (In trunk, under seat, etc...) I lock mine, and have never had a problem, but then, I don't leave the digital camera, PDA, cell phone or laptop sitting visibly.

[kentbwj]

I always lock my SUV and never leave anything enticing on the seats or in plain view. I have a hatchback rather than a trunk, so I hide anything important under the cover that rolls over the back. I'm also very careful to hide all my stuff before I reach the destination where I'm going to be parking. I learned this whenever I worked as an early intervention specialist and had to make visits to housing projects where there were always thugs standing around watching everything that went on. I'd unlock the car, open the door, and relock the door all within about 2 seconds and reverse the order when I came out. The inhabitants of the projects were famous for flanking the sidewalks and doorways to intimidate anyone coming or going. (It used to really **** me off to be working my buns off and have to walk past these creeps who spent their days slacking, but now I'm getting off the topic.)

Our suburb has many, many auto break-ins every week. People around here are so trusting and will leave their laptops, cameras, purses, wallets, cellphones, CD's, and everything else on the seat. I've never quite figured out why they're so clueless. Easy come, easy go, I guess.

[dmleblanc]

I never have locked my vehicle doors at home, and I have never had anything stolen...until about 2 weeks ago, when someone stole the outboard motor off of my boat. Granted, that has nothing to do with my truck, but now I'm more aware that they ARE around and they ARE waiting for an opportunity.

I'm thinking of getting another dog...this kind of stuff never happened when I had a dog...

Nothing of any great value is kept in my truck anyway...and the truck itself is no great prize

Now, away from the house, I always lock it...I have a tool box in the back and I usually never lock that, unless I'm in Baton Rouge or New Orleans and will be leaving it unattended for a while...Only my bunker gear and some valueless junk in there anyway (little do they suspect that the tool box is not bolted down....they could have the box and all the goods if they wanted it.... )

[RLFD14]

(1) Lock the car. A casual bad guy may not want to take time to break the glass or may not want to do something to draw attention to themselves. I can take stuff out of an unlocked car in broad daylight with witnesses everywhere at any time by simply acting inconspicuous and normal as if it were my own car. Think about it: you stop by your spouse's parked car in the mall parking lot to grab something out, does anyone look at you funny? How do they know you belong in there?

(2) Stow the valuables out of sight. A casual bad guy or even a serious prowler may not want to take time to break the glass or may not want to do something to draw attention to themselves if they do not have a guarantee of getting something worth their trouble. By breaking this rule the bad guys knew what they could gain by breaking your window out.

If someone REALLY wants to break in or take the whole car, they obviously will, but you should take these no-brainer steps to remove the signs from your car that scream "rape and pillage here" to greatly reduce the probability of being targeted. How many times have you heard on the radio about a "suspicious person trying car doors"? Hide it and lock it up for your best chances.

[reeveo]

That sucks!
All that's ever in my car is my son's car seat, maybe a couple of toys, a blankie and some gum. Oh, and my son has a blankie and toys too sometimes. Everything else, my tools, med equip, FD stuff is out of site. If it ain't seen, it don't exist!

[TCFire]

Always when I'm downtown at work, although that's no guarantee. I've lost two car stereo's over the years in downtown Buffalo. 'Thankfully' both were done by a 'pro' who used a screwdriver through the door lock instead of smashing windows. They were also pretty nice to the dash instead of destroying it.

Locked in the driveway at night and anytime I'm in a mall or store. I also subscribe to the 'leave nothing in plain sight' theory. Not a sure thing, but at least nothing jumps out to get someone's attention.

[pengman]

It always amazes me everytime i go to wal-mart people get out of their cars, leaving the engine running, doors unlocked then go grocery shopping. I was filling my car with gas only 2 weeks ago when a girl left her car running while she paid for her gas. her car was gone as soon as she turned her back. I always lock my doors it makes life a little harder for any low life idiot that wants to take what i worked so hard for.

[medicchick]

I ALWAYS lock my car, no matter where I am at. If I have anything valuable in there I always stow it out of sight, either underneath the seat or in the trunk.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

I lock it up. I also take my radar detector out of the vehicle whenever I park it!

[Firefighter1219]

I always lock the doors on my Jeep. It's more of a deterrent than anything. Of course someone can get your stuff if they really want it. It would really suck if my Fire/EMS gear decided to grow legs.

[Weruj1]

I live in a small town and park in a garage at home. When I head out to any commercial place or go to work or anywhere else I dont feel comfortable I lock it up. If I am running errands in town then I just leave it unlocked, also .......I dont leave anything out in plain view either.

[ROOKIELZ]

I lock everything including my house at all times. Had a car stolen and burnt and it had been locked also but around here, insurance won't cover it if it wasn't locked. As for the house, call me paranoid but I use to live in an area that had 7 penitentiaries. Never kicked the habit and I'm OK with that.

[stm4710]

I dont lock my doors generally unless I goto Boston, even then by train if possible. But if someone did steal my car, keep it. Its insured for more than its worth, the last thing I want is a car back some skell went out and trashed.

[hwoods]

I only lock my vehicle when things seem really strange out there. But then, My Lawyers will be out to get anyone who messes with my Truck. Guaranteed. (I'm represented by Colt, Remington, Ruger, and Beretta.) Best lawyers in town.

[64FFMJK]

I stoped locking the doors to my POV when I got a Jeep Wrangler with a soft top and half doors. My friend had his top cut and had to pay 699.00 to replace the top above the loss of his property. I have a $50 walmart radio and leave nothing in the jeep when I park it. I would rather they rumage through the jeep then destroy the top.

[Bones42]

Locks keep honest people honest. If someone wants your car or what's in it, locks will not even slow them down. What's worse now, since it become such a common sound, car alarms don't even really alert anyone anymore.

[sbfdco1]

Locked! (about 98% of the time) I try and keep things out of sight as well. I just got my windows tinted which makes a person just walking by have to stop to pier in.

[tk1918]

We were told to leave our keys somewhere in the station so if vehicles needed to be moved while we were on an emergency they could do so. It's not like we were parked in front of the bays or blocking anything, so I told them when they started making the payments they could have the keys. Never asked anyone again.
I love the guys that I run with, but you can't have my car!!!

[fireguy919]

Depends on where I am. At home I live on a dead end dirt road. That tells most people who want to take something, there is a few guns in this neighborhood. We have never had a break in or anything. 95% of the time I leave the keys in my truck at home. I know someday they will take everything and I gave them the truck to haul it away with. It doesn’t matter if you lock it or not. If they see something they want they will get it anyway. The only things of valve I leave in the truck are in the tool box in back. And if they want the truck as the saying goes “it’s worth more gone that here”. So my doors are unlocked. I was taking cd cases to a friend of mine for his computer business. I left the covers in them I don’t need covers the cd says how it is. Instead of trying the door the stupid @$&#er broke the window to get the empty cd cases. I just wish I could of seen his/her face when started to open the cd cases and found out all they got was the cases. Just like car fires house fires I always tell the guys check the door before you break in it lol.