Lafayette police to check if cars are locked

[Andre46996]

I was on a Jobsite in the worst part of the NWI Ghetto and purposely left my truck unlocked with a sign in the window that said. Crappy CD player skips it is worth about $10, there is a screwdriver in the glovebox, Please don't break the window the door is unlocked, if your going to steal the CD player use the screwdriver to just pop the dash insert then take it. It would be great if you didn't F up my dash.

P.S. There is a couple dollars change in the ashtray.

P.P.S I can see my truck from where I am working about 30 ft up and 200 yrds behind you, In the amount of time it took you to read this I have a very good target picture of your head, Nothing in this truck is worth your life.


I actually had a guy write me a note and leave it on my seat... It said.

Yo dude you nuts, aint sho if you really is watching but that note be cool so I leaving yo **** alone.

 

[eldirector]

I SPECIFICALLY don't lock the doors on my Jeep. It is a soft-top, and most thieves would just as soon cut the top as jimmy the door. Anything of value is in a lock-box, and I don't keep much of anything in it. I'd much rather a crook open the door, see there is nothing there, and move on. Beats buying a new top.

Heck, come summer I don't even have a top on! Is that an "F"?

Dear Lafayette Cops: please leave my damn Jeep alone.

 

[Love the 1911]

This is referred to as "Community Policing"

While I disagree with this policy and would not be happy about it being implemented where I work, the general public will accept this and possibly even embrace it. Why would they do that? Maybe because unlike the typical INGO internet tough guy, the general public does not feel like the police are their enemy and aren't scared when another human being is given the authority necessary to protect everyone's way of life.

I don't see the big deal myself. This will get officers in neighborhoods, in parking lots, and off the streets writing a bunch of tickets for "victimless crimes" that people love to complain about here.

(Key the pile-on, I know I've got it coming now)

 

[theweakerbrother]

A few of us in Columbus are gonna get hammered and walk around the local neighborhoods and see if Police cruiser door handles are locked or not. This is an open carry event so plan accordingly!

Also, we'll be checking drunks. Don't worry, it's okay. We're just making sure they've remembered to leave their doors locked. BRB!!!

 

[rambone]

Are "normal" citizens allowed to do this? Because I was under the impression that police officers did not have extra rights beyond anybody else.

I can't really separate how this is so much different than walking up to people's back doors and testing if they are open or not. Or their garage, or their shed, et cetera. The article specified that some of the parking lots that they are checking are on private property. How is it different? I'm all for community policing. But I value my privacy and private property. Thanks for the concern, but get off my lawn.

 

[Farmritch]

If you're dumb enough to not lock your car, then you deserve to have it stolen.

I have to ask
What does locking you car have to do with having it or it's contents stolen?

 

[semperfi211]

Leave the doors unlocked and a donut on the dash and see what kind of report card if left.

 

[Armed Eastsider]

Better they waste their time checking the cars than for taking a bunch of reports from people too stupid to lock their cars or hide their valuables.

How is it stupid to not lock your car doors? I dont lock my truck doors anymore, since some punk busted out the window and stole a bunch of crap. Now the thieves can just open the door, and take what they want. I leave absolutely nothing of any value in my truck. Id rather them do that then bust out the window and cost me $185 getting it replaced again.

I also dont think its any of the cops damn business if I lock my doors or not. I also dont see what gives cops the right to go around checking peoples vehicles.

 

[Armed Eastsider]

+1

I don't think I've EVER seen a car break-in that couldn't have been prevented. It's always an unlocked door, valuables in plain view, or something that looks like valuables (such as a diaper bag that looks like a purse). Put that fancy GPS away, put your backpacks in the trunk, take the faceplate off the CD player, and lock your damn doors.

/rant

You are absolutely right. The easiest way to prevent vehicle break ins is to obviously lock your car doors, install bolt locks, bulletproof the entire body, and install bulletproof glass. I just dont see why people dont do this? I mean, it only cost like 5 grand to have it done on my 89 geo metro, and it was well worth it.

 

[JetGirl]

Perhaps they'll start to do "security checks" on homes and apartments too.

Already been done:

YouTube - 3am Reminder or 4th Amendment Violation?

 

[hoosierken]

I have not heard about this yet. It does appear to be another "good idea" for our benefit. But we all know where the road paved with good intentions lead to. I can see a lot of bad things that are just one small step away from this type of action. But I'm sure that the average citizen would think I am paranoid.
Part of my day job is Quality Auditing and assessment. A Root Cause Analysis of some of these actions would probably lead to some pretty scary answers. But, then again. I might be paranoid...but maybe for a good reason.

 

[jeremy]

Uhhh...

I have a small question....

My Farm Beater Truck has a Coil connected to the Body of the Truck (does wonders keeping Cattle and Horses from licking the paint off the truck) how much trouble would I happen to get into if an Officer happened to grab the Door and get shocked by it?!

 

[Bunnykid68]

Everyone that lives in those areas should set their car alarms and leave the doors unlocked.

 

[jsharmon7]

You are absolutely right. The easiest way to prevent vehicle break ins is to obviously lock your car doors, install bolt locks, bulletproof the entire body, and install bulletproof glass. I just dont see why people dont do this? I mean, it only cost like 5 grand to have it done on my 89 geo metro, and it was well worth it.

I'm not sure if the sarcasm is meant to disagree with me or just make a joke. Either way, if a person would do the simple things I said in my first post then I'd put money on you car being left alone. Thieves don't break windows out in the hopes that they'll find something of value. If they can't quietly open the door or obviously see something of value, they'll move on. Again, I've never seen a theft from a vehicle that couldn't have been prevented. Not that it couldn't happen, I've just never seen it. Your method would probably work too though.

 

[JSeroka]

Some people just don't care if their car gets stolen, that is one reason to have full coverage insurance. My gradnpa always left his car unlocked and use to tell me "Let someone steal it, my insurance will just get me a new one". Now me personally I always lock my doors, its been a habit since I've been a little kid. I just don't think "keeping cops busy" in this manner is good practice. I mean if they have time to walk around a parking lot checking cars, then they should have time to walk around neighborhoods to raise awareness that there is a police presence protecting these law abiding citizens. If you see a cop in full uniform walking around the neighborhood and just checking on "shady" things I think a lot more crimes can be adverted than checking if my car is unlocked and leaving a "steal" me sign for a intelligent criminal.

 

[grimor]

My parents have always kept their car unlocked with the keys in it, In case someone needed to use it. And by someone I don't even mean people they know, just if someone needed a car in an emergency or whatever. Granted they didn't drive new cars or anything. They've had 2 cars taken, funny story on one but that's for another time. Both were recovered with no damage.

My dad actually let someone borrow his car for a few days (couple decades ago) who just knocked on his door and asked for a ride.

In a similar story, I ran out of gas with a GF one time and we coasted to a stop in front of a small ranch (a city ranch, not really a big place) and went up to the door to see if they had any gas we could buy to get to the gas station. The lady gave us her car keys (nice car btw) and told us where the gas can was at and went back inside. Drove to the station, came back and thanked her for the help.

Times have changed some, but I still believe that if given the chance there are still good people in the world.. the problem is finding them.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

Last year there was a guy on my beat that would constantly leave his garage door open and the interior light on late at night. He didn't live in a bad neighborhood, but he lived within a half mile of 2 ****hole apartment complexes and across the street from a nightclub frequented by some not-so-upstanding residents of Indianapolis. Every time I saw his garage door open I would sit for a minute to see if he would come out of the house, in case he was working in the garage and knew the door was open. After several minutes if I didn't see him, I would go knock on his front door (never entered the garage) to let him know his garage door was up. I did this 3 or 4 times before I got tired of wasting my time because even after all the times I notified him, he continued to leave the door open and the light on. Guess who ended up making a theft report....

 

[jeremy]

I'm not sure if the sarcasm is meant to disagree with me or just make a joke. Either way, if a person would do the simple things I said in my first post then I'd put money on you car being left alone. Thieves don't break windows out in the hopes that they'll find something of value. If they can't quietly open the door or obviously see something of value, they'll move on. Again, I've never seen a theft from a vehicle that couldn't have been prevented. Not that it couldn't happen, I've just never seen it. Your method would probably work too though.

The one and only time I have had a Vehicle stolen of mine was when I had a '97 Mustang GT. The was nothing inside the Car, doors locked, and in a locked Garage...

However, I have never had anyone steal any of my Jeeps ever...
And there was a couple of them I might have been happy to see be stolen...

 

[serpicostraight]

While I disagree with this policy and would not be happy about it being implemented where I work, the general public will accept this and possibly even embrace it. Why would they do that? Maybe because unlike the typical INGO internet tough guy, the general public does not feel like the police are their enemy and aren't scared when another human being is given the authority necessary to protect everyone's way of life.

I don't see the big deal myself. This will get officers in neighborhoods, in parking lots, and off the streets writing a bunch of tickets for "victimless crimes" that people love to complain about here.

(Key the pile-on, I know I've got it coming now)

typical cop response. why complain because we are invading your privacy and violating the constitution even more than we already do. you ingo internet tough guys need to relax and embrace your good friend officer friendly hes just looking out for you not fishing for something to gig you on. i was born at night but it wasnt last night.

 

[Love the 1911]

typical cop response. why complain because we are invading your privacy and violating the constitution even more than we already do. you ingo internet tough guys need to relax and embrace your good friend officer friendly hes just looking out for you not fishing for something to gig you on. i was born at night but it wasnt last night.

Yep. You caught us. We are not allowed yet to go through public access parking lots to look inside vehicles to see if we can find something to gig you on. Nor can we do that with vehicles that are parked on public roadways. I'm really happy that Lafeyette PD has figured out a way to make that possible and help us get our quota easier.