Officers putting flyers on cars

[itstheKman]

So I was at Walmart in Evansville this past Friday doing some shopping. When I came out I noticed several vehicles had these red flyer/ticket looking pieces of paper on the windshield. When I got to my vehicle I had one too. It talked about ways to keep your vehicle from being targeted for theft. Ways like keeping electronics out of sight, windows up, doors locked, things like that. I received one because my iPhone dock was visible. Police officers were walking around looking into vehicles and checking for these things.

What makes me kind of upset is that if I were a criminal and I happened to receive one of these notices on my windshield, I would immediately know which other vehicles to target. Am I right?

 

[singlestacksig]

probably..
you would also know that the police are busy wasting their time at walmart....

 

[Boost Lee]

Seems the intent was +1 but the exposure to real-time theft was -1.

I can't be mad at them for doing it... it may be a wake-up call for some...
However, we'd only hope to assume if there's a thief free-walking the lot looking for a car to break in, they don't know red paper = cool electronics.

 

[itstheKman]

I can't be mad at them for doing it... it may be a wake-up call for some...

That's kind of what I thought too. The intent was good, I was just upset that some stranger is looking into my vehicle.

 

[JetGirl]

it may be a wake-up call for some...

That's just too bad. The needs of the you(collective) doesn't outweigh the property/privacy of the me.

I can't be mad at them for doing it...

I can. What a ginormous waste of time. Go catch kidnappers, rapists, murderers, etc....stop walking around parking lots and peeping in windows.
My crap is where I put it for a reason. If it gets heisted, that's my bad. Nobody else needs to tell me how to care for my stuff or why. It's my responsibility. The people that welcome the invasion of privacy and call it a "heads up" are part of the problem that is the erosion of personal liberties.

 

[Denny347]

That's just too bad. The needs of the you(collective) doesn't outweigh the property/privacy of the me.


I can. What a ginormous waste of time. Go catch kidnappers, rapists, murderers, etc....stop walking around parking lots and peeping in windows.
My crap is where I put it for a reason. If it gets heisted, that's my bad. Nobody else needs to tell me how to care for my stuff or why. It's my responsibility. The people that welcome the invasion of privacy and call it a "heads up" are part of the problem that is the erosion of personal liberties.

I'd bet the farm that they are doing it as a response to thefts. I would also bet thay they received complaints that the lots need patrolled more or something along those lines. I see it all the time, we get BS details because a business or neighborhood perceives that petty crime is up and want a response NOW!!! So we drop everything and focus on that...aka "The Monon Detail". All for PR brownie points.

 

[mwg]

yes ,that sounds right.They should put them on all the cars or not on any

 

[JetGirl]

I'd bet the farm that they are doing it as a response to thefts. I would also bet thay they received complaints that the lots need patrolled more or something along those lines. I see it all the time, we get BS details because a business or neighborhood perceives that petty crime is up and want a response NOW!!! So we drop everything and focus on that...aka "The Monon Detail". All for PR brownie points.

Trust me...it's not that I don't see both sides. I'm fully aware that they have bosses telling them what to do, probably due to the prodding of business complaints like you've stated... but from this side of the fence it does seem petty and intrusive.
I'm hoping that most in your profession can see both sides as well.
EDITED TO ADD: because not all of us in the whole world need to be (nor want to be) babysat, as per the suggestion your location gives under your screen name. Just saying.

 

[Boost Lee]

Well unfortunately, I'm unfamiliar with Evansville PD and how they operate,
but 'duty' like this is more common in less activity/smaller towns.
I'd never have thought Evansville would've fallen into this category... So for that, I'm disappointed in.

Who knows, maybe it was just Reserves doing side work. I won't bother to make an excuse for the why's,
I'm just saying that the intent is not bad - So long as I disagree with it being less important than CBM/thieves/kidnappers,
I see no actual issue of them doing so other than the nasty thought that they're purposely peeping in the privacy of our cars.

 

[Bunnykid68]

yes ,that sounds right.They should put them on all the cars or not on any

Yep, all or none. At least then it doesn't single out any particular vehicles.

 

[Denny347]

EDITED TO ADD: because not all of us in the whole world need to be (nor want to be) babysat, as per the suggestion your location gives under your screen name. Just saying.

I know. However the vast majority of my workload is from grown adults acting like juveniles or adults who have no ability to raise their kids...it really feels like I am a babysitter at times. He won't give me my keys, she won't leave me alone, he won't stop yelling, he won't go to school (aka he missed the bus and needs a ride), they won't respect me, kids won't do their chores, on and on and on. I know this is not true for all but it doesn't keep me from feeling that way

 

[GPD177]

Just a heads up on the "privacy" issue***,if it is out there in public in plain sight where any passerby can see it then it is not really a violation of your privacy.

 

[Kase]

Just a heads up on the "privacy" issue***,if it is out there in public in plain sight where any passerby can see it then it is not really a violation of your privacy.

Quick question....

If I stand on the road, and look through your windows, is it a violation of privacy?

 

[GPD177]

As far as I am concerned, if you are in the public roadway, and a person inside the house is open to your view, then it is on the homeowner. Put up some curtains or something.

 

[96firephoenix]

As far as the law is concerned, if it is visible from the road, it is not an invasion of privacy. If I go around to your back porch and look in, then yes, its an invasion of privacy.

 

[Kase]

As far as I am concerned, if you are in the public roadway, and a person inside the house is open to your view, then it is on the homeowner. Put up some curtains or something.

Then we shall just agree to disagree Lol

 

[Mrmonte]

Ill be the odd man out and say that it might be a good idea. A little police time spent now educating shoppers could pay off in the end. They might not have to waste valuable time later taking reports and listening to whiners complain about how someone broke out their window just to steal $3 worth of change they left sitting on the console.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Had no idea EPD was looking for work that bad with all the breakins and robberies spiking recently...

I have heard of east coast PDs walking neighborhoods and checking doors. If they aren't locked they locked them for you... Many people complained when they were locked out of their house or car so they quit locking them they just put florecent stickers on them saying they were left unlocked

 

[femurphy77]

Had no idea EPD was looking for work that bad with all the breakins and robberies spiking recently...

I have heard of east coast PDs walking neighborhoods and checking doors. If they aren't locked they locked them for you... Many people complained when they were locked out of their house or car so they quit locking them they just put florecent stickers on them saying they were left unlocked

I guess with it being cold they don't have that many people to hassle at the zoo!!!

 

[stryguy]

How intrusive.