What's in your car

[alabamagal]

I am just amazed at the stupidity of some people.  From an article about car breakins at a busy, local restaurant


"Reported missing from the Venza were a purse, checkbook and credit card. The owner of the Camry reported that a purse and birth control medication had been stolen. The owner of the Altima reported that a purse, debit cards, driver’s license and a Social Security card were missing and the owner of the van reported that a purse, debit cards, $600 cash, and medication were missing."

I guess the women (assuming they were women) were not planning on paying for dinner and having some fun afterwards!

And yes I live in a small city where these kind of things are reported in the paper.

I usually don't even lock my truck.  Somebody once entered it while parked at my house and pulled out the between seat cooler, probably looking for a handgun because that would be a great place to store it, but I don't have one.  The cooler was found in my yard.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I have nothing valuable in my car. Any would be robbers are free to take various food stuffs and daycare drawings that end up in my backseat thanks to the kid. I'd also appreciate if they took DH's Redbull cans he leaves on the floor of the front seat.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Crayons.  Lots and lots of crayons.  And Cheerio crumbs.  And empty water bottles.  There's some change (mostly pennies) below the Kleenex box but I snagged most of it the other day to hit the vending machines at work with. 

[NoNamePerson]

Reminds me of the time someone broke into my bossy ladies car. The stole a small tote that contained a banana and a library book  


ETA: I have an umbrella on the floorboard if they want that. It's butt ugly though so not to worried.

[ArchietheDragon]

A handmade banjo
A soprano saxophone
A beat up set of golf clubs
A couple of car seats
Some old papers

[chiver78]

I tend to leave my purse in the car when I run out to Whole Foods for lunch - in and out in 10 minutes. I keep a CC in my badge holder for when I'm stuck on campus, so I don't have to carry cash with me. someone breaking into my car there would find the purse with my wallet, checkbook, a bottle w/a controlled substance Rx, and both US/CA passports (since I can't leave them on the kitchen counter like I usually do while my house is an active listing)

that said, to hear that happened at a restaurant makes me wonder.

[Chocolate Lover]

Someone once stole an empty purse (I'd switched somewhere and forgotten that it was in the car) and a leather jacket. They went through the glove compartment but didn't take any of my tapes (yeah, I'm old). Guess we didn't have the same taste in music!


I do miss that jacket. 

[wvugurl26]

Usually I have CD cases, phone chargers and aux cables and the GPS in my car. I don't use the windshield thing to attach it though. It lives in my glovebox. Normally there's also a flashlight.

2 years ago someone busted my window out and stole my gym bag. I thought I'd go to the gym later that night so I left it in the car when I got home. The neighborhood was hit by a pack of people stealing stuff that night. My brother figures they busted the window to get the bag to carry other stuff in. I was pissed about the running shoes. I hadn't even paid the CC bill they were on yet when they got stolen.

I forgot about the bag so the cops didn't print my car. I am so not a morning person and the cops were pounding on our door at 9am on a Saturday. I was asleep.

[Blonde Granny]

A small package of Kleenex in glove box along with 2 containers of mints & 1 pr. sunglasses....that's in car # 2. Car #1 has the same thing, except it carries the canvas tote bags for groceries.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Jul 15, 2014 14:42:53 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

I do miss that jacket. 

Was it pink?

[Deleted]

I have a LOT Of crap in my van.  Toys, sunscreen, bug spray, non-prescription meds, books, DVD's, baby wipes, kleenex, stroller, chargers, spare glasses, umbrella, spare clothes...the list goes on and on.  But I rarely keep anything valuable in there.  If I did, nobody would ever be able to find it anyhow. 

[Chocolate Lover]

Jul 15, 2014 14:45:56 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Jul 15, 2014 14:42:53 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

I do miss that jacket. 

Was it pink?

  No, it should have been though.  I was even meaner then than I am now.

[wvugurl26]

After my car was wrecked in February I had a hell of a time tracking it down. Someone went through all of my CDs but they didn't take any. I had to wipe their greasy fingerprints off the sleeves. They did steal the cord to my Garmin which I am still pissed about. Either the wreck killed the electrical system or the FD cut the battery cables. The towing place looked super shady so I guess their guys stole it and went through the other contents. Stealing stuff out of the county impound lot under the view of cameras and police seems stupid.

[alabamagal]

Jul 15, 2014 14:42:05 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

I tend to leave my purse in the car when I run out to Whole Foods for lunch - in and out in 10 minutes. I keep a CC in my badge holder for when I'm stuck on campus, so I don't have to carry cash with me. someone breaking into my car there would find the purse with my wallet, checkbook, a bottle w/a controlled substance Rx, and both US/CA passports (since I can't leave them on the kitchen counter like I usually do while my house is an active listing)

that said, to hear that happened at a restaurant makes me wonder.

the problem is that they don't know that your purse is empty, and you end up with a broken window.

[Abby Normal]

I was with a friend at a concert once.  When we came out her car had been broken into.  Called police but didn't look like anything was missing.  It wasn't until we got back to her house that we realized they had taken her garage door opener and her address off the registration.  They helped themselves while were enjoying the music.  They caught the bastards though.

[Deleted]

Some flip flops, a jacket, a small umbrella, sunglasses, a case of homemade CD's, a box of Kleenex, gadget chargers, whatever change I get when I go through a drive-thru......... random stuff. The only visible things are the flip flops on the floor, jacket and Kleenex on the back seat. I don't keep anything valuable in my car and I take my purse with me when I leave the car. The thing I keep in my trunk to put air in my tires is probably the most expensive item I keep in my car. I can't imagine a thief being thrilled about discovering it. 

[muttleynfelix]

I have a tendency to leave my purse in the car if we have the diaper bag with us.  I put it in the back, our back windows are tinted. 

In my trunk, I carry a car emergency kit.  2 pairs of jeans, my hiking boots (which double as work boots), a couple pairs of socks, 3 or 4 t-shirts, a sports bra and 2 or 3 sweatshirts.  I have to wear dress clothes for work, but need to go out in the field sometimes for work too and need to change my clothes. Obviously what i have is overkill, but it works. 

[Deleted]

On the rare occasion that I'm out and decide to go somewhere I don't want to lug my purse into, I put my purse in the trunk before I get to my destination and use the key to lock the trunk release inside the car. A friend put her purse in her trunk just before she went inside a building. Someone broke her window, popped the trunk, and took her purse while she was inside. It's possible that the thief saw her put the purse in the trunk when she got out of the car.

[greeniis10]

We have tons of car break-ins here.  Anytime of the day or night.

I don't keep anything valuable in my truck, but it is full of stuff I use all the time.  Mainly gym bags, depending on which one I'm going to that day.  Our newspaper is full of reports daily like the one in the OP.  I am amazed people still leave valuables visible in their vehicles.  At this point, if they're not smart enough to take them out or hide them then too bad.

It also makes me wonder if people inflate the losses a bit.  I know someone whose SUV was "stolen" one morning when it was left running in his driveway to warm it up (this was before it was illegal to do that here) and when it mysteriously reappeared a few blocks over undamaged an expensive set of golf clubs was reported "missing".  Hmmm.  Yes, I know it does happen ligitimately, but I know this guy and I'm pretty sure it wasn't legit. 

[mollyanna58]

When I work at dog adoption events, I put one CC and a few bucks in my pocket.  I lock my wallet in the center console, and put my purse in one of the many canvas bags in the car.

Normally I have a bunch of CDs in the console, an umbrella, canvas bags, dog leashes, some change for tolls and parking meters, and right now, a folding canvas chair.

[dannylion]

Many years ago I drove home from work in a heavy snowstorm in my 1980 Mustang, which was unable to negotiate the last uphill stretch to my neighborhood because the streets hadn't been plowed. I had to leave the car and hike the last 2 blocks home.  After the snow abated somewhat, I filled a big grocery bag with some fireplace ashes hoping they would provide some traction so I could get the car home. They didn't help, so I left the bag in the car, locked it up, and went home as it was dark and I was tired.  The car was parked on a sparsely traveled road with no street lights, and during the night someone smashed the passenger-side window and grabbed the bag. It wasn't left lying anywhere along the street that I could see when I discovered the break-in the next day, so I have always carried the picture of the thieves taking the bag home and emptying it out on their floor. It makes me feel better. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

3 retractable dog leashes (because I can't remember to bring them in), about a dozen reusable shopping bags, poop bags, a stack of 20% off coupons to BB&B, a cork screw, a bag of dog treats, maps and a pair of new wiper blades.

[tskeeter]

Jul 15, 2014 15:10:25 GMT -5 Abby Normal said:

I was with a friend at a concert once.  When we came out her car had been broken into.  Called police but didn't look like anything was missing.  It wasn't until we got back to her house that we realized they had taken her garage door opener and her address off the registration.  They helped themselves while were enjoying the music.  They caught the bastards though.

Pretty slick trick.  You know where the homeowner is and when they will be home.

[kittensaver]

In the glove compartment: an ancient one-use camera (!) - in case of an accident, to take photos (I have a cell phone - hello); a bunch of old maps - (hello - ditto with the cell phone); my registration and auto insurance cards. I REALLY need to clean out the glove compartment  Maybe this confession will push me to do it.

In the center console: lip balm; an emery board; some CD's; a phone charger; a stash of Kleenex and Starbucks napkins; the parking pass to mom's retirement community. 

In the trunk: re-useable shopping bags; my hiking poles; my garden boots, gardening bag with all my tools and supplies and a trug for harvested veggies. I'd be ticked off if someone stole my garden stuff

ETA: I have a small earthquake emergency kit in there too

[midjd]

The only things of value in my car are in the trunk: DD's stroller ($50) and about $300 worth of derby gear and my skates.

There is nothing actually in my car except a bunch of fast-food napkins, coupons, and DD's car seat base. Well, right now there's a Bumbo seat I'm returning to my friend tomorrow, but it's usually pretty empty.

I do leave my wallet/iPhone in the car when I take DD into daycare, but I don't worry about robbery... I am the poorest parent there and it is heavily surveilled.

[msventoux]

I only have a phone charger cable and Excedrin in the center console.  And a small trash bin and a dog leash and ramp in the back of the vehicle.  My area is notorious for anything left in a car disappearing.  I actually filmed a group of teenage boys who came into my driveway really early one morning, looked in the vehicle and tried the doors to see if they were unlocked.  I called the police and gave them the info, but I'm not sure if anything was done with it. 

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Several bags of dirty laundry waiting to be washed as soon as we move in to our short-term rental. $1.75/small wash at the hotel is highway robbery.

Empty water bottles and wrappers courtesy of my kids.

Dog's booster seat (it actually helps with his carsickness).

[Artemis Windsong]

Golf clubs, lawn chair, grocery bags, gym bag, 2 jackets, 5 snack bars, first aid kit, umbrella, water proof hat, coupons and divot digger as the holder, lip stick, gloves, windshield sun screen.  Side window screens to clock the sun.  Cross hanging from the rear view mirror. Winter gloves, windshield scraper.  Dirt on the floor mats. Water bottle, small hand sanitizer.  The glove box has car manuals, insurance card and registration.  And a water bottle.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Sounds like a very cluttered car.

Mine: Glove box has small lug wrench for my wheels, registration/insurance docs, owner's manual, hairbrush.

Sunglasses are on the visor, disabled parking placard hanging from rear-view mirror.

Trunk has fully equipped toolbox, spare tire, and also sandbags get put in during winter - come out in spring.

Back seat has a spare cane, and a couple of spare cloth shopping/grocery bags.

Front driver's door side-pocket holds the automatic garage-door opener.

[cronewitch]

Mine is a mess, front seat has my coat from fishing in the ocean 4th of July and some candy wrappers. Back seat which I never use has stuff on the floor from when mom died like a picture of my nephew with his dog and a scented candle just never took them out. Trunk is the worst. Reusable shopping bags, rope a small hand cart that folds up and two gallons of paint. I keep the paint in there so my handyman doesn't use it. I got him white primer and white paint for the kitchen then the same day bought white primer and white base paint tinted pale gray for a hallway. The second primer covers better and is for covering yellow the first primer is covering white. When he finishes the kitchen I will give him the next paint.