This article originally appeared in the June 2, 2010 edition of the Cazenovia Republican.
Keep your cars locked this summer
By Doug Campbell
Two years ago, I was home from college for the summer before my last semester of classes.
My family lives near the north end of Cazenovia Lake, so we don’t see much in terms of drivers or activity, especially late at night.
That means when Rosie, our then-one-year-old dog, wouldn’t stop barking at 3 a.m., my dad took notice. He looked outside to see some teenagers rummaging through our neighbor’s car. My dad and Rosie scared them off, but not before we gathered enough identifying information for the police to track down the kids, who had stolen change, GPS devices, iPods and more.
The next summer, I was also living at home. I’d graduated from college and was working for Eagle Newspapers.
I left my car unlocked one night (lightning doesn’t strike twice, right?), with the keys in the ignition. The next morning we found my car door open a crack, my keys gently resting on the seat (as to silence the car’s open-door indicator). And my $300 iPod was stolen.
Our entire street was hit, again; unfortunately, Rosie slept soundly through the intruders this time.
The idea of someone rifling through my things, thoughtfully pulling the keys from the ignition, knowing not to slam the door shut — left me unsettled. I felt violated, and for a few hours felt like my faith in humanity had taken a pretty big hit.
I got over it, but that doesn’t make the crime any less disrespectful. My iPod may only have been worth a couple hundred dollars, but my neighbors lost much more; GPS devices, digital cameras with irreplaceable family photos, wallets.
This is my third summer back in Central New York, and I’m much more vigilant now. I lock my car door every time, even when I’m just running into the house or a store for a few minutes in broad daylight.
Unfortunately, the wariness has been backed up.
It’s getting warm again, and already reports of thefts from unlocked cars, especially in rural areas, are beginning to trickle in.
Greg Carroll, of Wellington Drive in Cazenovia, had an iPod and $25 stolen, while his wife lost an iPod, $20; the thieves had taken her purse but a neighbor found it by Number 9 Road, with the iPod and cash missing.
“We just lost track of the cars,” Carroll said. “Typically we do lock them, it was just a busy, chaotic kind of day.”
Carroll reported that his neigh- bors also had property stolen from their car; they also lost an iPod, as well as some gift cards.
The great thing about living in a close, quiet neighborhood or in a fairly remote, rural area is the feeling of safety and security. But it’s important that we not get too comfortable. Lock your cars, bring your MP3 players and valuable electronics inside, and just try to stay cautious.
