Catching a Car Prowler,...

warwick.hoy · #1 06-09-2009, 12:08 AM

...what would you do.

So, one night probably a few months ago,...I came home from a rehearsal, beat down. I pulled up to the walkway that leads to the front door of my apartment to unload my gear,...got it all schleped in, pulled the car around the block an into the parking lot to the east of the building and entered the back door to my apartment. Through all those steps I...

a) neglected to retrieve my iPod from the charging dock/am fm transmitter and...

b) forgot to lock the doors.

Needless to say the next morning the iPod was gone...along with the dock.

Totally my fault for making it easy for the guy,...I'm sure it would have been insult to injury if I had left the iPod in plain sight and locked the doors; having to fork out a bunch of money for a new window.

Fast forward to early this morning and my neighbor who is on the third floor and overlooks the car park is awake at 4:30 in the morning; smoking a cig and having a cup of coffee on his balcony, and sees this guy looking in the window of the car.

We are pretty sure that this is the same guy as he seems to be forgoing all the other cars in the lot and only interested in my car. He is opportunistic; looking to see if he can take advantage of my absent mindedness.

I don't really care about the iPod, but I would like to chase this guy off. I considered taping a letter in an envelope addressed to "Blonde Guy" letting him know that I am wise to his prowling and to bugger off or I will call the cops; but that seems benign. I'm wondering if there is a prank I can perpetrate against this guy. Leave some bait and the car unlocked every night and use it to catch the guy,...or something of that matter. Any ideas?

Also let me add that I no longer keep anything of value in my car, no CDs, no iPods,...I certainly don't leave any gear in my car and I also make extra sure that the car gets locked before I leave the vicinity. Lesson learned on that one.

David1234 · #2 06-09-2009, 12:20 AM

Leave a photo of him on the steering wheel.

warwick.hoy · #3 06-09-2009, 12:26 AM

I'm trying not to be awake a that time in the morning trying to catch him which could be over the course of a couple of nights. That said he could be coming back every night if he is a junkie looking for a quick buck and a fix.

Steve · #4 06-09-2009, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

...what would you do.

Seems like the perfect opportunity to find out if you really can use a 2 liter plastic soda bottle on the muzzle of a rifle to make a silencer.

or....

You could always leave a couple of empty boxes wrapped up like gifts in the back seat and get some vid of him taking them. You could probably fill those boxes with all the neighborhood dog dookie to give 'em a little heft. Put your love note inside the box. Let him know you're on to him and the next time you see him in the neighborhood, you will get medieval on him.

popinfresh · #5 06-09-2009, 01:17 AM

How many times did your neighbour see him? Are you sure he's been coming back for a few months if the neighbour only saw him today?

MadMan118 · #6 06-09-2009, 01:35 AM

I aslo have a Glock 17 that works all the same, but only if he comes at me, otherwise its the ol' FuBar.

warwick.hoy · #7 06-09-2009, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by popinfresh

How many times did your neighbour see him?

Just the once, but as I said...I've been keeping it locked, and the only thing in the car is the owners manual,...registration and insurance,...and Django Reinhardt CD that I've been listening to since the iPod was stolen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by popinfresh

Are you sure he's been coming back for a few months if the neighbour only saw him today?

I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised.

T-Bird · #8 06-09-2009, 01:51 AM

Hi.

NOT that I advice this, as it's illegal in most places, but a well placed shocker made out of a TV line-transformer will slow him down a bit.

I do like the idea of the turd in a box prank, but if You have some friends in the security/money transportation bussines, a permanent dye bomb would be nice twist on that. Wouldn't be blonde anymore.

Perhaps the best bet is to take pics of him if You can, make a few posters and staple those everywhere.

Regards
Sam

MJ5150 · #9 06-09-2009, 08:46 AM

Car alarm? Those usually take care of the tweakers looking for an easy grab.

-Mike

L-A · #10 06-09-2009, 09:00 AM

Buy an empty iPod shell and a quarter pound of C4.

Joe Gress · #11 06-09-2009, 09:16 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxRMTtR5I2E

warwick.hoy · #12 06-09-2009, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Car alarm? Those usually take care of the tweakers looking for an easy grab.

-Mike

Had I locked the doors the factory alarm would have gone off. I think it has a factory alarm,...It honks when I push the lock button on the remote twice (2001 Mercury Sable for clarification).

I think this guy was looking for an easy kill and since my dumb*** didn't lock the doors,...I'm mainly looking to make this guy aware that we are on to his shenanigans and he needs to go else where, because there is no longer anything worthy of stealing left in the car....ever. I'm sure a prank could lead to vandalism,...either way the dye pack idea is an attractive idea.

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeinsprings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxRMTtR5I2E

Luckily my wife wasn't around when the advertised alarm went off.

MatticusMania · #13 06-09-2009, 02:44 PM

So how many times has this guy stolen from you? I wonder only because it seems you only mentioned one instance.

You should hide in the backseat of the car with a blanket over you, and maybe a bass (or lessser prized possesion) in plain sight. Even better if you could get a neighbor to let you hide in their car parked right next to yours. When he opens the door give him a crack on the head with a rubber mallet and handcuff him to a post while you wait for the cops to arrive. Go Vigilantism!

superjesus · #14 06-09-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

Seems like the perfect opportunity to find out if you really can use a 2 liter plastic soda bottle on the muzzle of a rifle to make a silencer.

It doesn't work. Try something else.

iamlowsound · #15 06-09-2009, 02:57 PM

You need a better car alarm. Yes, the one linked on youtube would be good, but lets face it, you live in an apartment building; everyone will just think that it is the newlyweds down the hall. What you need is a flamethrower that goes off when the handle is pulled. Lite his junk on fire, no way he will try stealing from you again. Plus, if he is a homeless man, he will have to deal with the smell of burnt hair until it rains again.

lowsound

Yngwie 4String · #16 06-09-2009, 03:31 PM

just sleep in the back seet under some blankets and other junk, so it looks like you have a bunch of stuff in your car. Then when he starts tryin to gank stuff, jump up at him and say ***?

warwick.hoy · #17 06-09-2009, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

So how many times has this guy stolen from you? I wonder only because it seems you only mentioned one instance.

You should hide in the backseat of the car with a blanket over you, and maybe a bass (or lessser prized possesion) in plain sight. Even better if you could get a neighbor to let you hide in their car parked right next to yours. When he opens the door give him a crack on the head with a rubber mallet and handcuff him to a post while you wait for the cops to arrive. Go Vigilantism!

Just the once,...you may be thinking about my former employer.

sarcastro83 · #18 06-09-2009, 03:53 PM

taze him, bro.

MatticusMania · #19 06-09-2009, 04:12 PM

Gotta Catch 'em All!

MadMan118 · #20 06-09-2009, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeinsprings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxRMTtR5I2E

That made my day.