My car was broken into today :(

Wow! some people are just sick! They need to leave other peoples stuff alone.

How long after did you find the keys? Would it have been long enough for them to get copies made? (But then I guess they would be found so close to your house) The cops should atleast beable to take finger prints... Keep us updated!

The cops did practically nothing. One actually seemed to blow me off because nothing was missing/destroyed. The keys were next to the dumpster which is near where I park my car (like 60ft). The dumpster is in a fenced in area and it looks like someone just threw them over the fence, missing the actual dumpster. I guess they really can't do too much, but it was still very unsettling. I think whoever did this thought the keys could get you into one of the townhouse homes, they're in a strip...? I don't know.

dang, that sucks.

I remember when my car had a brick thrown in the window - cops did nothing about it, becaue nothing was stolen.....

My dads truck was broken into a few years ago on a jobsite - with a bunch of tools and stuff stolen. I'm not sure how much he ever got back, but they did catch the crook. Cops again, were not too helpful. BUT nothing is like it is on TV. Fingerprints don't always register, and the bad guys not around the corner....

I hope this never happens to you again! Mention it to the people you walk for - and see if they want to get their locks changed, just in case.

I had that happen to me, and it is a freaky feeling.  The person got into my car went through my CDs and didn't steal one (apparently my taste in music does not appeal to criminals), and took the frame off the head unit in my car like they were thinking about pulling it out but decided it was too much work.  Luckily I got lazy thieves....

I'm sorry this happened though---could have been worse--they could have gotten you purse or stolen the whole car. 

Your Mom is right -- they were likely looking for easy money.  You *were* lucky -- often if they don't find what they want they get ticked AND destroy.  It could easily be a neighbor or someone's kid.  Probably someone who knows you and knew you'd be a few minutes because you *have* done it before.

 Not saying that to make you feel bad ... that feeling of violation is horrible.  I'm sorry ... but then again ... USE IT to your benefit.  don't let it make you scared -- let it make you smart.

About 16 years ago, back when downtown Orlando was pretty shoddy and nasty (the area where my lawfirm was had degenerated to drunks sleeping in the doorways and to get TO the door you had to step over them).  I've never been 'agile' -- it used to worry me but my ex and I did a lot of work with the homeless and I really wasn't "afraid".

One day at 5 -- full light, in front of 100's of people -- I got out of my office and was heading for my car and a street person came up and asked me for a "light".  I don't smoke and almost told him so, but for some reason he 'felt wrong' to me ... I can't say why but he truly gave me the creeps so I didn't say a word - I just keep looking straight ahead and kept walking.  There was a group of young associate attorneys just ahead of me and I figured I'd try to catch up with them (fat chance Callie)

This guy just wouldn't leave me alone -- it ticked him because I wasn't talkative and he got nasty immediately and started screaming at me.  No one did a thing and I just kept walking after that group.  I was scared to death because my car was in a big city parking multi-level that is a nasty, dirty awful place and you wait FOREVER for an elevator.  And I wasn't even then capable of hurrying up 8 flights of stairs.

I tried calling out to the group but they couldn't hear me (and this guy was making SUCH a scene, but of course no one would help me).  Either it was luck or an angel but that group had to wait JUST long enough for that elevator for me to get there and I screamed "HOLD IT" just in time.  Phew.

This guy stalked me for weeks.  He was "there" in the morning when I got to the garage (and I had NO choice but to park there), and he was waiting for me at night.  He never approached me but stood across the street and shadowed every move I made.  I had to go to human resources and tell them, and they had to ultimately have him arrested.

This isn't someone 'breaking in' -- but they're similar in that it's about 2 women "alone" at the time and vulnerable.  It's about violation of personal space.  It's scarey as heck.

since that day LONG ago, I still don't *ever* park my car where I can't see the door of the driver's side from the elevator.  Thankfully now I have a handicapped placard which makes it easier, but for many many years I didn't and I used to park on the TOP floor or go to work 90 minutes early JUST so I could get a space I felt safe with.  I *still* do this.  I've turned down jobs JUST because the parking was scarey.

This guy trashed your car once and probably knows you don't habitually keep money in your car (smart) -- however, he may be angry *because* he got nothing.  The keys were worthless (good thing you didn't have them labeled with names or addresses) to HIM and that probably ticked him off.  He knows you walk dogs tho, I bet, and it wouldn't be a far stretch for him to know where some of those people live.

 I would definitely contact them.  Re-assure them that you got the keys back, but that the police were less than helpful and apologize for not having the keys WITH you (not your fault but some folks could have been nasty about it).  But let people know so if THEY feel scared they can change their locks.  He probably didn't have time to make impressions UNLESS he was only after the keys, in which case he probably wouldn't have trashed the car and wouldn't have wanted to telegraph to you that you'd been violated.

But sometimes there is no "telling" -- but from here on, I bet you'll never leave your car open again.  Safe town or not ... nothing's really safe any more.  People are just "people" and some of them are going to disappoint us ...

Re-think what you do.  Just let it make you cautious, not afraid. 

About a year ago, my best friend's dog started to bark one night very late.  She had left her car in the driveway (nasty snowy time of year) and she had lived in that house for 50+ years and had never locked her car.  Windows were up, but door wasn't locked. 

She went to look at what Teddy was so yanked about and there was someone IN her car.  She poked her head out of the house and yelled and the guy ran.  She called the police -- all that was missing was change, altho she WAS lucky because it wasn't unknown for her to leave her purse in the car.

The police said apparently there had been a rash of such things -- the guy WAS looking for change and money and in fact, caught the guy and didn't even arrest him (known drug user but the amounts of money missing were too small to get him any jail time).  That sucks ... but again -- my friend has had to 'change' how she does things.

It's all just plain nasty -- yea people should do the right thing, but most don't. 

Yuck!! The same thing happened to me once, but I couldn't find my keys so we had to tow my car to get a new key made. They stole all of my CD's and a few bucks out of my center console, and my WALLET.

Get one of those carbiner clips, they're cheap at wally-mart or anyplace. I clip my keys to my belt loop or the strap of my purse or the leash. I actually have 2 of them, one with pet sitting keys and one with my keys, clipped together. I'm jingly when I walk, LOL.

That is SO scary! I don't even know what I would've done if I were in your shoes.

I really hope this is the end of it, but unfortunately, you may be right about whoever broke into my car returning. I will never leave my windows down or my car unlocked again- ever. Tough lesson to learn, but I won't do it again. I only left my dog walking keys in my car because I was just running in and out and was going to start walking dogs as soon as I was done changing, but I will never do that again. I told my clients and, thank doG, I have good clients who were very understanding, they will let me know if they decide to change the locks- I feel very bad about that because I should've known better.

Time are very tough on people...some more than others.....and people are getting desperate, especially addicts. There is a liquor store the next block over, so my fiancee was thinking someone walking to the liquor store could've just been frantically looking for money in my car, saw the keys, thought about breaking into a home that didn't look occupied, but said forget it and tossed the keys.

I have always felt safe...I guess I was living in a bubble....but now I have that pit in my stomache, and I will always look at things a little different. It's probably a good thing though, being more cautious.

calliecritturs, you have the BEST advice....thanks! And thanks to everyone else that posted, made me feel 100% better!

 That must have been scary :( I'm glad you're okay and nothing too serious happened.

BlackLabbie, I am sorry that this happened to you.  This kind of violation is hard to deal with - especially the first time it happens.

In my lifetime, my cars have been broken into twice (got my purse once) and my house has been broken into twice (kicked the front door once; jimmied a window once).  Things have been stolen off my front and back porches.  At an apartment (before I got my home) I was once held up at knife point. 

Some of the things that I have learned:

• First and most important - if your gut says that something isn't right, do not ignore it!!!!  Do not tell yourself that you are just being silly and do not worry about being embarrassed.  If I had listened to my gut, I could have eliminated the knife at my throat and one of the times that my car was broken into.
• Let your neighbors know when something happens.  Extra sets of eyes help.  Also if multile neighbors have problems, the police will pay more attention.
• Ask your police department if they have a program where an officer comes to your home and points out problems.  For instance, windows with just one swivel lock in the middle are invitations to thieves, because they can be easily jimmied.  Get track locks (hardware store) for such windows.  Back out one of the screws holding the jam of outside doors to make sure that the screws are long enough to go well into a stud.  Otherwise, the door can be easily kicked.
• Keep home and car doors locked unless going in or out.
• Go through your purse/wallet.  Xerox important stuff and make a list of all the information that you would need to replace critical items and to report them missing.  Minimize the stuff you carry.
• Do not carry your social security number in your purse/wallet.  If it is on your health insurance card, carry a copy (xeroxed and laminated) with the number blanked out. 
• Do not sign credit cards that do not have a picture on them.  Write "Ask for a picture ID", instead.
• At the first sign of identity theft problems start a notebook.  For every related conversation, make notes - the time, who you talked to, important details, actions to take.  You may need to help police in different areas coordinate their efforts.  [My driver's license was used in several locations to rent moving vans and to get drugs at emergency rooms.  What is the point of an ID if no one looks at the picture and signature?]

A caution for everyone:  Now that gas prices are going way up, put a locking gas cap on your car.

 I had my car ransacked once too. It was in our garage but we accidentally left the garage door open one night. I never lock my car in my garage. Like you nothing was taken. We too filed a report. The police actually came over and talked with us. Our main reason for filing a report was in case it happened to anyone else in our neighborhood it would show a pattern.

It is not a fun sensation knowing someone you don't know has gone through your stuff. I never leave anything of "value" in my car with the exception of my cell phone and blue tooth. I didn't own those at the time of my vandalism.

Some very good security ideas were posted here. 

janet_rose

A caution for everyone:  Now that gas prices are going way up, put a locking gas cap on your car.

Thats a good one, never ever thought of it!

I had the same exact thing happen to me a few months ago in my own driveway. They left the drivers' side door cracked open too, so when I went outside to leave for work in the morning, I was terrified that someone was going to be waiting in my backseat or something. Luckily, they had just rifled through everything in the car. Didn't take a thing. It is a terrible feeling, but you had better believe that I make darned sure my car is locked every time I get out of it now. I was lucky!! I'm glad nothing was taken in your case too!!

Callie, your story gave me goosebumps! I can't imagine...I'm so gld you were able to get the creep taken care of!!

janet_rose

A caution for everyone:  Now that gas prices are going way up, put a locking gas cap on your car.

I've got one. It came on my car when I got it - thought it was kinda silly at first.... but now with the gas prices, I'm glad I have one!

Also avoid carrying your checkbook in your purse.  It's much harder to get the bank to resolve money stolen from your checking account than it is getting your money back from a credit card company.

My dad was mugged in his front yard a couple years ago.  I happened to be visiting my parents that week, helping out at a big horse show, and my mom was staying at a hotel near the show site one night because she had to get up really early the next morning to help out.  I was supposed to stay at the hotel with my mom, but decided I wanted to spend some time with my dad instead (who was not working the show, so I didn't get to see him much that weekend), so I stayed at their house that night.  He got up really early the next morning to go meet some friends for breakfast, and he was mugged right in their front yard.  The guy attacked him from behind and stole his wallet.  I'm just glad I was there, because my dad dropped his keys when it happened and couldn't find them in the dark, so he wouldn't have been able to get back in the house.  The guy hit him in the back of the head with a metal pipe and dropped the pipe in the yard.  My dad brought it back in with him, and I showed it to the police when they got there.  The police never even touched it, much less took it to check for fingerprints or anything.  I was really surprised about that.  They did drive around the neighborhood, but the perp was long gone by then.  A neighbor 4 streets over found my dad's wallet in his back yard a couple weeks later.  The cash was gone, but his credit card, surprisingly, was still in it, as well as his drivers license, which is how they were able to return it to my dad.  Since then my parents have installed motion-sensored flood lights on the house and an alarm system installed, and the neighborhood formed a neighborhood watch.  Apparently if you do that, and you register with the local authorities, they will patrol the area frequently.  At least they do where my parents live.  I think that's pretty cool.