Interview with a Burglar

[guido911]

Every winter I see at least one Sheriff or Police vehicle running outside of QT.  I'm no thief, but even I am tempted to take it and park it on the backside of the block.  Other vehicles running at QT when it is cold is way to common.

Valuables out when possible.  Doors locked.  Anything worth while out of sight.  I won't solve all the problems, but it will solve many.

Was that you on the 5th floor of the courthouse today?

[Conan71]

I find this to be an absolutely ridiculous argument.  It is not people like me that has anything to do with high insurance rates.  It has everything to do with the actual person that steals the car.  Let's say, for the sake of argument, that no one, not one person, ever left their car running at a gas station.  Would car thief "x" find another way to steal a car? Yes.

And for what it is worth, I don't pay a lot for car insurance?  Do you?  Perhaps you have a bad driving record or should switch insurance companies...

I'm satisfied with what I pay for auto insurance, I've got a great driving record.  But I'd be even happier if people didn't file liability suits over 5 MPH rear end whiplash collisions and others didn't make dumb decisions like leaving a car running unattended.  It's a far easier target than my locked truck.  I wish you luck on it never being stolen, just don't be expecting an easy payout from your insurance company.  I take precautions to protect my personal property, but I do so with the realization it's only a deterrent to less determined criminals.  I don't care to be an easy mark.

[Wilbur]

I always have and always will leave my car running when going in a gas station for whatever.  If someone steals it right in front of me at least I will have a story to tell and an insurance check in my pocket.

I would take a look at Tulsa ordinances, Title 37 Section 513, which clearly says it is illegal to leave your keys in the car, for obvious reasons.  Another one of those laws that really don't need to be on the books...........  except for a few folks, I guess.

[nathanm]

I disagree, however, that it is negligent to leave a car running within view.  That would be like saying it is negligent to leave your front door unlocked whilst working in the front yard

What are you going to do if someone gets in your car and drives off with it while you're in Quiktrip?

Your analogy is quite poor, unless your house is on wheels.

[buckeye]

Let's assume somebody is ready and waiting to lift a easy mark running car at Quiktrip.

On one side we have the expense of:

-3 seconds to turn off the car and remove the key
-2 seconds to lock the door on the way out
-another 5 seconds to reverse the process

On the other side we have the expense of:

(assuming the crook is seen and stopped)
-call cops, wait for them arrive
-fill out paperwork

(assuming the crook is not stopped)
-arrange for pickup from Quiktrip
-file claim with insurance company
-wrangle with insurance company about value and details of coverage
-pickup rental (and pay for it if insurance doesn't cover)
-research new car and dance with the dealership for an afternoon
-pay for registration and excise tax
-wait for check from insurance company to defray cost of new car

Assuming it'd take about 45 minutes to go through to pavaler with the police, that's 270 visits to Quiktrip before you break even time wise.

Crook gets away...hm...10 minutes for pickup, 45 on the phone with Mr. State Farm, 30 to pickup rental, 6 hours to research and buy car, $$$ and 10 minutes registration and tax...and however you want to quantify waiting for reimbursement.  So roughly, that's 1000 Quiktrip visits.

If the risk to reward ratio of forgoing that 10 seconds each visit balances out for you, well, there you go...

[TUalum0982]

Every winter I see at least one Sheriff or Police vehicle running outside of QT.  I'm no thief, but even I am tempted to take it and park it on the backside of the block.  Other vehicles running at QT when it is cold is way to common.

Valuables out when possible.  Doors locked.  Anything worth while out of sight.  I won't solve all the problems, but it will solve many.

Majority of the time, they lock the car, most cops carry atleast 2 sets of keys to their car on them at all times, if not more.  They will have one set they normally use to start the car, and an extra set or two. 

[BierGarten]

In all seriousness, has anyone known someone that has had their car stolen in a gas station parking lot?  I haven't.  Nor have I ever heard of it happening, news or otherwise, until this thread.  Just curious how real this possibility is.

[BierGarten]

I would take a look at Tulsa ordinances, Title 37 Section 513, which clearly says it is illegal to leave your keys in the car, for obvious reasons.  Another one of those laws that really don't need to be on the books...........  except for a few folks, I guess.

You must be looking at a different Section 513 than I am.  The Section 513 I see says that "No person shall leave a vehicle unattended unless the brakes are securely set and the ignition key removed from the vehicle."  A vehicle within view, IMO, is not unattended.

[Hoss]

You must be looking at a different Section 513 than I am.  The Section 513 I see says that "No person shall leave a vehicle unattended unless the brakes are securely set and the ignition key removed from the vehicle."  A vehicle within view, IMO, is not unattended.

You're kidding, right?

So a child within view where you can't intercede if said child runs into the street; is that child unattended?

Give me a break.

[BierGarten]

You're kidding, right?

So a child within view where you can't intercede if said child runs into the street; is that child unattended?

Give me a break.

No I am not kidding.  I didn't write the ordinance.  The person that wrote it used the word "unattended" not "unoccupied".  If the person drafting the ordinance meant the ordinance to mean you couldn't leave your car while it was running they would have used the latter.  Is a pot of boiling water unattended unless my finger is sticking in it?  Is a fire in my fireplace unattended if I am on my couch admiring it?

[waterboy]

In all seriousness, has anyone known someone that has had their car stolen in a gas station parking lot?  I haven't.  Nor have I ever heard of it happening, news or otherwise, until this thread.  Just curious how real this possibility is.

Yes. My nephew left his Montero running in the parking lot of a Quik Trip to get cigarettes and buy gas. The car was in sight with the keys in it, the door unlocked and the engine running because it was cold outside. Two young teens jumped in it and took off before he could get out the door. They later drove it into a ditch and punctured the oil pan. While trying to get it out of the ditch they gunned the engine and threw a rod through the block. They ran off but the QT guys thought they knew who they were. It now sits in my brother's pasture as insurance would not cover it. Pretty good looking shell of a car. At least he learned something.

[buckeye]

Is a pot of boiling water unattended unless my finger is sticking in it?  Is a fire in my fireplace unattended if I am on my couch admiring it?

If you're far enough away that little Timmy could stick -his- finger in either one before you got there to intervene, yes.  That means the child is unattended, too, although you could see them both the whole time.  To refine the analogy a little, you'd be standing in the front yard watching the whole thing through the picture window.

There's really no way around it, bub.  What you do at the gas station is foolhardy, you've been lucky.  As for the definition of "unattended", it ultimately doesn't matter what you, me or anybody on the forum thinks - it's up to the judge...

[Wilbur]

You must be looking at a different Section 513 than I am.  The Section 513 I see says that "No person shall leave a vehicle unattended unless the brakes are securely set and the ignition key removed from the vehicle."  A vehicle within view, IMO, is not unattended.

Good luck with that.  Don't get pissed when the judge laughs in your face.

And you've never heard of this happening before.  You missed all the news coverage last winter when stories were done when it was out of control? 

[nathanm]

Every winter I see at least one Sheriff or Police vehicle running outside of QT.

I don't know about TPD, but some departments require patrol vehicles to be running at all times. I think that's more common in cases where the department doesn't have take home cars, though.

[custosnox]

Let's say, for the sake of argument, that no one, not one person, ever left their car running at a gas station.  Would car thief "x" find another way to steal a car? Yes.

Actually, not always the case.  Thieves are generally a lazy lot, therefor tend to take advantage of crimes of opportunities.  If the car wasn't sitting there running unattended (yes, it is unattended at this point because you might be able to see it, but you do not have direct access to it), then they wouldn't think "hey, there is an easy joyride/payday".