Theft: Watch Your Vehicles in the SE Metro

[gopherhockey]

This could probably go in the non-biking, but I thought it might apply to everyone so I'm posting it here.

Today while Liz and I had lunch at Granite City in Eagan someone busted our passenger window and stole a bag that contained Liz's laptop, pilot log book, passport and other odds & ends. It was around 11:50am, right at the busiest lunch time. They did not take any of the bike stuff I had in the back seat or my snowshoes, boots, or even a random package I had sitting in the back seat with a valuable item I sold on eBay.

The manager of Granite City said they are getting hit quite regularly and its always right in the daylight hours. They said other places like Jakes are also a target. When we spoke to the police they said that someone at Don Pablo's just blocks away had just called about the same exact thing.

Apparently its always a laptop they are after, and its always a very quick smash and grab. In our case they wouldn't have known there was a laptop there, however, but would have seen what looked like a laptop case.

If anyone lives or breathes around Eagan, beware of this. Keep your valuables out of sight is probably the only thing you can do... or don't keep valuable items in your vehicle if at all possible.

I have also heard reports down in Apple Valley of a common house break-in strategy where the theifs break in the front door, steal what they can, and drive away in the home owners own car if parked in the garage. This has happened at numerous places down in Cobblestone just south of us.

It seems even those in the burb's need to not let their guard down. I definitely have been lazy, but you wno't catch me leaving my bike stuff in my car ever again.

Last year the Leb parking lot was a target as well. There were weeks where you couldn't park without seeing broken glass.

Check your insurance as well. It might be a good idea to have a special valuables policy on your bike stuff.

Maybe our carelessness and bad luck will help others avoid the same.

[gopherhockey]

A quick follow-up. The Minneapolis police just called and have Liz's bag with passport, logbook and everything intact (except the laptop, which wasn't worth much anyway) Just when I was hating mankind someone goes and hands in her stuff like that.. pretty cool.

[crux]

Don't be to releived yet. Someone had her passport and all they need is the info contained inside to create an id for themselves or worse. Not to be the bringer of doom and gloom, just don't want to see you get hit agian. Would cancel all credit cards and watch all accounts for the next few months. Also what was on the laptop? and bank account info? personal info?

Most likely they were kids after "stuff", but you want to protect yourself.


A quick follow-up. The Minneapolis police just called and have Liz's bag with passport, logbook and everything intact (except the laptop, which wasn't worth much anyway) Just when I was hating mankind someone goes and hands in her stuff like that.. pretty cool.

[gopherhockey]

Most likely they were kids after "stuff", but you want to protect yourself.

Yea, no data on the laptop. Strangely enough I had actually just re-imaged it 2 days earlier. (its been acting funny and locking up, so they stole a lemon) I kinda doubt there is much to worry about personal info-wise, but we'll see. From what we're being told this has been very common lately and often the bags are tossed out on the street as they drive away. (doubting that this is information theft)

They actually left the bag right outside the police station near Lake (figures) street. Only the laptop and her $10 sunglasses were missing... and one of my STTNG DVDs was in the latop :mad: Oh, and there was a breakfast roll in the bag that is also missing. (speculate the cops were hungry?) Apparently some other guys stuff was in the bag as well, we speculate it was the person that got hit over at Don Pablos around the same time.

It is odd that the police in Minneapolis did not inventory the bag at all, did not ask Liz for her ID in order to pick up the bag, and had no idea where the stuff was stolen (apparently there is no master computer where you can type in "stolen pilot logbook and passport" and find that information). No dustin the contents for prints? C'mon, this is a major crime ring ;)

[manual63]

IMO, you should always be careful with what you keep in your car. Buck had his bike stolen out of his van too. Basically, if you leave valueable things in your car, they are at high risk......no matter where you are. Alarms don't help either. Most thefts only take a few seconds, like this one.

[Paul Swenson]

I hate the feeling of being violated. :mad:

[ryno lite]

Having gone to the U of M, worked in South MPLS., and lived in Mpls. for 17 years, I've developed the habit of never leaving anything in my truck. It's sad that I can't trust things in my truck, but that is how it is. I may have to reconsider leaving things in my truck during a ride at Leb. I wasn't aware of break ins at Leb. I am wary at Theo, River Bottoms, and Battle Creek, but hadn't realized that it was a problem at Leb. What are they stealing at Leb from the vehicles?

[soupboy]

Happened to me last year at the Lifetime in Bloomington. Thieves hit fives cars in a row. Got my corporate laptop that was basically worthless from a black/gray market perspective. Just a real PITA due to monkeying around with claims, repair shop, etc.

[Nickel]

What are they stealing at Leb from the vehicles?

I know some guy posted up a while ago that his entire toolkit was taken.

[gopherhockey]

Just a real PITA due to monkeying around with claims, repair shop, etc.

Yea, thats actually the part I'm most POd about. That and driving around with no window.

May the thiefs come back as one of Bob's frames in their next life.... :crazy2: :cool: (or Ted's seat...)

[Hathor]

I hate the feeling of being violated. :mad:

The worst part of it is, somehow the victim always feels guilty.

[syntaxjunkie]

first of all, john and liz, sorry about the break-in. i am unfortunately able to empathize all too well with the feeling of having something stolen. from a car, from the house, from my office... i'm glad that you got some of the stuff back at least.

and if there's any value in cautionary tales, it's good for folks to realize that theft is not something that only us city residents get to enjoy. as crimes go, it's very democratic and ALWAYS follows the money. the point about car alarms is well-taken, too: it won't keep anyone from breaking into a vehicle, it'll just mean you car makes a lot of noise. think of how many times you've heard a car alarm going off, and then think of how many times you've gone out to investigate. thought so. i would imagine many people aren't even sure what the alarms on their cars sound like.

bottom line: if you're going to leave something in your car, leave it under the seat or in the trunk where it's out of site. best way to keep from being the victim of an impulse crime is to take away anything that triggers the impulse.

[Nita]

That is just too bad, and I'm sorry for you guys. I remember how I felt when my car was broken into back in the day (but that was in St. Louis). Thanks for the heads-up on this, I also wasn't aware of what had happened at Leb last year.

[syntaxjunkie]

That is just too bad, and I'm sorry for you guys. I remember how I felt when my car was broken into back in the day (but that was in St. Louis). Thanks for the heads-up on this, I also wasn't aware of what had happened at Leb last year.
not to get off topic, but i didn't know i was in the presence of another expatriate show-me stater...

[ryno lite]

John, sorry you guys have to go through this crap. Hopefully they catch these idiots and string them up!

[Nita]

not to get off topic, but i didn't know i was in the presence of another expatriate show-me stater...


Heh...don't you miss The Wizard of Oz (Smith)? Baseball was never the same for me after he retired. :)

[transplant]

I know some guy posted up a while ago that his entire toolkit was taken.

Ryan, this was Alan, your teammate from Afton. Someone got his good set of tools.

[Smurf]

not to get off topic, but i didn't know i was in the presence of another expatriate show-me stater...

And another....except from the other side of the state....;) :D

[syntaxjunkie]

And another....except from the other side of the state....;) :D

Man, we've got a regular I-70 mafia going here.

[bigwheel]

Just a real PITA due to monkeying around with claims,

I'm just beginning to feel the pain. Got a call on my voice mail with the list of stuff they "need" in order to process my laptop claim. Unbelievable! I assume that they are purposely trying to make it a pain.

[Danimal]

"Today while Liz and I had lunch at Granite City in Eagan someone busted our passenger window and stole a bag that contained Liz's laptop, pilot log book, passport and other odds & ends. It was around 11:50am, right at the busiest lunch time. They did not take any of the bike stuff I had in the back seat or my snowshoes, boots, or even a random package I had sitting in the back seat with a valuable item I sold on eBay.

The manager of Granite City said they are getting hit quite regularly and its always right in the daylight hours. They said other places like Jakes are also a target. When we spoke to the police they said that someone at Don Pablo's just blocks away had just called about the same exact thing."

Wholly crap thats in my neighborhood!

[gopherhockey]

I'm just beginning to feel the pain. Got a call on my voice mail with the list of stuff they "need" in order to process my laptop claim. Unbelievable! I assume that they are purposely trying to make it a pain.

We were somewhat fortunate (if you can call it that) in that my company takes care of the laptop claim. (i.e. they just give me a new laptop, which works out nice for me) and the rest of the damage fit into a different type of claim that had a lower deductable and does not raise our insurance.

Had we not gotten Liz's passport and other items back we'd have been footing the bill for those ourselves as they would be under our homeowners policy that has a pretty big deducable. If it had been a personal laptop we still wouldn't have claimed it.

Had it been anything of real value we'd be dipping into our homeowners policy right now. They claim it would not have gone up, but that it would have been "flagged" that we had a claim, and switching or qualifying for discounts would be harder.