Do you lock your car?

Author
Discussion

boyse7en

Original Poster:

6,738 posts

166 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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Been talking to a work colleague, who claims he never locks his car.
Must admit, I did suggest a similar thing when my car got broken in to on my drive - the cost of repairs far outweighed the value of the things they stole so I effectively ended up far worse off.

Cars don't seem to get stolen as often as they used to - I don't know anyone who has had a car stolen in recent memory.

So why lock your car on your driveway? If a thief sees something inside they fancy they will just put a brick through the window and grab it, or bend back the door frame to shatter teh glass with a screwdriver leaving you with a hefty bill for repairs.
Better to remove anything of any value and leave it unlocked?

anonymous-user

55 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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I don't lock my van for exactly the reason you state.

People break into vans looking for tools or equipment.

I have a newish Astravan Sport which has a completely black limo-tint rear window and a full height carpeted bulkhead between the front cabin and the rear, so it is physically impossible to see into the back of it, which is completely empty.

I leave it unlocked all the time to stop someone having to break in only to find out there's nothing in there.

I came to it one morning to find the drivers door open, and the tailgate pushed closed but not properly shut, so someone was definitely keen for a look inside.

Come to think of it, why do I lock my car? There's nothing in there to steal!

Riley Blue

20,977 posts

227 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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Wouldn't leaving a vehicle unlocked be a bit of a complication if it were stolen and you made a claim?

CallorFold

832 posts

134 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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Always, else you could find an immigrant snoozing on the back seat....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3182887/Bu...

alock

4,228 posts

212 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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When I lived in Reading in the 90s while at uni I had my car broken into twice. After that I removed the glove-box door and parcel shelf and always left it unlocked. Never had any more problems.

I fitted a custom immobiliser via a reed switch under the middle of the dashboard. It needed a magnet held in the correct location over the dashboard to start the car. If I parked in a really dodgy area I would even remove the rotor arm and take it with me.

skilly1

2,702 posts

196 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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Forgot to lock my car one night and someone nicked the change out of the cup holder - thats £4.62 I'll never get back, so yes I lock my car.

Bennet

2,122 posts

132 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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Assuming you're a normal person with a normal car, just take your gold and jewels in the house with you and leave the glove box open.

Anyone leaving their car unlocked all the time is just trading on the fact that 99% of people's cars are locked and it isn't worth the time for idiot kids and the homeless to go around pulling on door handles waiting to find an unlocked one.

boyse7en

Original Poster:

6,738 posts

166 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
quotequote all
Riley Blue said:
Wouldn't leaving a vehicle unlocked be a bit of a complication if it were stolen and you made a claim?
Probably, but when did you last here of a car being stolen? Joyriding died out years ago when immobilisers came in.

SonicShadow

2,452 posts

155 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
quotequote all
boyse7en said:
Riley Blue said:
Wouldn't leaving a vehicle unlocked be a bit of a complication if it were stolen and you made a claim?
Probably, but when did you last here of a car being stolen? Joyriding died out years ago when immobilisers came in.
Tell that to new Focus RS and newer BMW owners over the past few years. The door being locked wouldn't have made any difference in these cases though.

anonymous-user

55 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
quotequote all
boyse7en said:
Riley Blue said:
Wouldn't leaving a vehicle unlocked be a bit of a complication if it were stolen and you made a claim?
Probably, but when did you last here of a car being stolen? Joyriding died out years ago when immobilisers came in.
+1

You can't steal a car these days without the keys or some fancy OBD kit, and in either of those cases I doubt locking car would stop them.

So yeah, I just leave mine open.

Robert Elise

956 posts

146 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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I lock my keyless entry car even when not necessary as it's my understanding there is less fob battery draining chatter when locked

anonymous-user

55 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
quotequote all
Riley Blue said:
Wouldn't leaving a vehicle unlocked be a bit of a complication if it were stolen and you made a claim?
How would the insurance company know it was left unlocked if it had been stolen?

talksthetorque

10,815 posts

136 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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Check on this thread?
getmecoat

I lock mine. I used to park on a (nice) street between town and the local scroteville estate.
I've witnessed people walking down the street checking all the door handles on more than one occasion.
So the answer must be leave the door unlocked with a Tazer wired to the handles.
At which point the thieves will buy rubber gloves.


Sargeant Orange

2,717 posts

148 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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Yes I lock it, otherwise I have the feeling i'd go through about 30 pairs of sunglasses a year just from scrotes trying their luck & finding them in the centre console


Cfnteabag

1,195 posts

197 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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I never used to lock my van as it was an ex disabled can and being a fiat scudo 9 times out of 10 the barrels would just spin anyway!

turbobloke

103,986 posts

261 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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While there's a risk that somebody would break into an enclosed van to see what's inside, so leaving a van unlocked might (just) be beneficial depending on the van and the area etc, are cars so difficult to see into?

It's not so much the risk of theft that prevents me from leaving a car unlocked overnight (always locked anyway) as the possibility of a random scrote damaging trim in an attempted theft of accessories, taking a sharp edge to leather, taking a leak, or having a dump.

996TT02

3,308 posts

141 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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Never lock my MX5.

Pointless.

Cost of a soft top way higher than anything to be found inside, which is usually nothing.

RacingBlue

1,396 posts

165 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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Yes. It's a press of a button, or a turn of a key in a lock. Stop being so lazy.

SEE YA

3,522 posts

246 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
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Its a good way, for the insurance people not to pay out if you claim.

battered

4,088 posts

148 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
quotequote all
Always lock mine. It deters opportunistic thieves and kids. Years ago when I was growing up in a sleepy town the local tramp walked down the road trying doors one cold night until one opened, he got in and fell asleep. Police found him later and did him for drunk in charge. It was the only offence he'd committed.

So for this reason and the reason that I don't want to have to empty my car of CDs, change and satnavs, yes.