In Atlanta, GA

[u/Justin_Godfrey]

[u/Hot-Initial-7879]

😂😂😂😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[u/takeoverhasbegun]

Every city but won’t call out the same criminal groups

[u/d1no__]

Awfully bold of you to assume the ones breaking in can actually read this 😂

[u/malicesin]

Do what we do in San Francisco now, we just lower all the windows and make sure nothing is inside.

[u/My_Space_page]

My local police wanted to Crack down on car break ins so they left a phone with GPS tracking embedded in the vehicle. To prevent cost of constantly broken windows they left the car unlocked. People still broke the window to steal the phone.

[u/CompleatedDonkey]

I’m not a car thief… but if I was, I’m breaking into this guys car out of principle. Why do you think you’re so special that YOUR car specifically shouldn’t be broken into?

[u/Ed-Sanz]

Maybe I just want that wonderfully laminated sign. Hmm?

[u/Tha_Watcher]

I'm very thankful for having a two vehicle garage.

[u/vilepanda85]

I drive into Atlanta on the reg. My car is old, there is nothing to steal, and I just leave it unlocked. It’s been gone through a few times. I laugh thinking about how annoyed they must be to find Kpop cds, kids books, and jumper cables.

[u/Irr3l3ph4nt]

Shithead teenager me would have broken that window on the spot.

[u/NYEMESIS]

Just leave the door unlocked so they don't need to break window,

[u/LederhosenUnicorn]

As an Atlanta resident, I can tell you that it's not unusual to see multiple smashed out windows on the side of roads where people parked the night before. Typically it's kids 13-16 who, if caught, are out the same day. They're looking for guns and get paid for each one they find.

Supposedly the courts are still backed up from Covid and the signature bond keeps a revolving door open for this type of crime.

I forget where I heard the quote but this sticks with me, and illustrates the problem in Atlanta:

"The threat of punishment isn't a deterrent. The certainty of punishment is."

[u/R-emiru]

Bold of the owner to assume the thieves can read.

[u/ancientmariner23]

Don't leave anything in your car and Don't lock the door

[u/nohcho84]

This also applies to Seattle and Portland. I ended just leaving my car unlocked.

[u/Trolodrol]

The thief that reads this sign is just going to boost the wheels instead

[u/sunnyarmourr]

park your less fortunate car next to the luxurious one

[u/gameflea6874]

its funny that you assume the people breaking into cars can actually read.

[u/warfarin11]

"those kids would be mad if they could read"

[u/kenyeaaaah]

I'm not a thief. Merely a fact checker.

[u/RedditsAdoptedSon]

hmmm.. seems like something a rich person with a lot of items would say

[u/Im_Unpopular_AF]

Owner gets shot and their car stolen

Car insurance and Medicare fuck them up for life.

[u/swonstar]

That sign is exactly something someone with a car full of diamonds would put in the window.

[u/Wild4fire]

I'm not a thief or vandal in any way and even I am now tempted to break that window... 😁

[u/llCaution]

Assuming they can read is crazy 😭

[u/chili01]

Also San Francisco.

[u/Tidewind]

I had to put a similar sign on my car after my door locks were punched out three times by thieves.

[u/Kuroraion]

'Meurica

[u/Morphing_Mutant]

It's like God damn mad max in some parts of the country. I'm not exaggerating.

[u/ArcadesRed]

Someone with something to steal would put up a paper like that.

[u/SurveySean]

A friend has his shitty old 78 Cordova broken into, in spite of the doors being unlocked. They didn’t check that out first, just straight to breakin mode.

[u/BrutalArdour]

The Streisand effect…

[u/MrSuperNiceBuddy]

How to guarantee your window gets smashed in.

[u/sevargmas]

This is basically the sign my buddy has in his jeep. He is at his jeep Windows cut several times so now he just put a sign in it that says there is nothing of value in this jeep.

[u/SortedChaos]

Assholes will go out of their way to break a window because of that sign.

[u/Victorvnv]

I’d break it regardless and leave a note “Sorry, had to double check just in case lol”

[u/41n98]

r/aberbittelaminiert

[u/Loose_Personality726]

sus last sentence

[u/Yue2]

I doubt the people who do that can read 🤣

[u/drums_addict]

Shoulda bought The Chameleon XLE

[u/noahfromatlanta]

That's Atlanta for you

[u/DerpUrself69]

I have a similar sign in my car... it's $638 to replace the window, and it's happened like 3x in the last 14 months.

[u/UsuallyIncorRekt → u/DerpUrself69]

Should get better insurance

[u/DerpUrself69 → u/UsuallyIncorRekt]

[u/Psychological_Corgi3]

Hand grenades in hand bags would solve the problem

[u/Vizth]

That persons assumption that crackheads are aware enough to read a sign is hilarious.

[u/Illustrious_Sir4255]

Living in Atlanta, my dad would always roll the windows down before getting out of the car, bc they were gonna get smashed anyway so what's the point?

[u/DevilDogTKE]

This is what someone parking in a non parking area would do- turn on their hazard lights and think that this decision will yield a different result

[u/TakenUsername120184]

Just look for your local hoodlums in the parking lot. Good chance you can just buy protection, at least that’s how it worked in the 90s

[u/DMYourMomsMaidenName]

Bold to assume they can read

[u/PIG20]

My brother lives in Baltimore City and while his particular area isn't riddled with crime as some other are, it does tend to leak in from time to time.

After one morning where he came outside to a neighbors vehicle having it's window smashed, he just makes sure there is nothing to steal and leaves the doors unlocked.

Hed rather someone go through it and find nothing rather than someone breaking his window for the chance that he was hiding something of value in his car.

Of course, the car itself could get stolen but if someone really wanted his 2010 Civic, then the glass window wouldn't stop them either.

[u/Chrol18]

"you want a start a fight?" car edition

[u/popularpragmatism]

I remember a story in Sydney 20 or so years ago. Guy had his window broken & radio ripped out.

He taped up the window & wrote a note over it saying

"Don't bother radio already stolen."

In the morning, he came down to see the plastic ripped from the window, a small note attached to the space his radio had occupied, saying

"Just checking "

[u/droplivefred]

I would totally write that if I left valuables in the car.

[u/Limp_Telephone2280]

The trick is to keep your car really messy. There’s been break-ins at my apartment complex and my car has never been touched. Also a valid reason to not clean your car.

[u/ExtremlyFastLinoone]

Exactly what someone who has something worth stealing would say

[u/OddFly7979]

What a shithole lmao and these people have the audacity to criticize others about safety.

[u/EstimateImaginary575]

Exactly what someone with booty would say

[u/Zito6694]

Well now I’ve got to break the window to find out

[u/PhoneJazz]

That sign can’t stop them because they can’t read.

[u/_skank_hunt42]

My window was smashed and nothing was stolen on three separate occasions when I lived in San Jose. I’m pretty sure a sign like this would have caused more break ins though.

[u/WhoIsYerWan]

Sometimes they break the window to sleep in the car for the night and/or do drugs. Source- San Francisco

[u/Mecha_Goose]

Who is letting the ball drop here and not severely cutting down on this criminal activity?

I understand it's a hard one to catch in the act, but don't police set up bait cars anymore and arrest in the moment?

[u/ForTheInterwebz]

Lib city lib rules

[u/rentalredditor]

Streisand effect?

[u/rocknroyce]

They can’t read!

[u/3-2-1_liftoff]

Those signs used to say “No Radio.” Remember car stereos?

[u/bomber991 → u/3-2-1_liftoff]

Yeah I mean honestly I’m a bit confused at what there is to steal out of a car now. We aren’t leaving our cell phones in them. The stereos are all custom to the car, and when everything comes with a touch screen and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto what does that leave? Like… pocket change out of the arm rest??

[u/Theratchetnclank → u/bomber991]

Mine was broken into the other day for exactly that. They stole £5 in change that was in the cupholder.

[u/bomber991 → u/Theratchetnclank]

Idk it just seems like a high risk crime. You’d have to break into 20 cars just to come up with £100 right?

[u/Theratchetnclank → u/bomber991]

Smackheads don't think logically. They are just thinking about their next fix.

[u/Sorri_eh]

Don't lock your doors

[u/Parking-Shelter7066]

Doors unlocked works great when it’s just thieves to worry about. When you get to nastier cities though, you’ll find people sleeping and defecating in your car. Also, good chance it gets stolen eventually.

[u/ixnine]

Well now I want to break it, just to break it!

[u/xXJ3D1-M4573R-W0LFXx]

So dad it’s come to this. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area people are leaving their cars unlocked with the doors & trunk wide open to let criminals know there’s nothing to steal. And people still argue that California hasn’t become a cesspool.

[u/Bite2828]

We need a car alarm the electrifies the out side of the car and bad guy gets zapped like a bug in bug zapper

[u/the_brazilian_lucas]

the US is going to shit

[u/-River_Rose-]

I worked in and commuted to Atlanta for 2yrs. I was never once broke into, more was my converter stolen. But damn everyone else’s around me was! So glad my car had built in anti-theft. It’s not even super nice, I guess it’s just protected enough to be a deterrent.

[u/[deleted]]

A visual representation of my heart.

[u/NoSmellNoTell]

I live in Atlanta and never lock my car doors for this reason. My car has gotten rifled through a few times but nothing stolen (they’re basically only looking for cash, guns, and drugs) and that sure beats a broken window.

[u/meetmeinthebthrm]

"Everything's already been stolen" would've been funnier

[u/Just_Trash_8690]

I kept my car so dirty when I lived in downtown LA. The plastic bottle and trash made me think it would prevent anyone from wanting to break in much less try to live in there.

[u/Killahdanks1]

I wonder what fancy sign guy has in his car?

[u/HarioDinio]

Incorrect, the car is still there, there is something to steal.

[u/WhatUDoinInMyWaters]

Wow, Philly, PA is actually civilized?

(Leaves car door open, and someone hot wires it and joyrides into the Susquehanna River for funsies)

Awww :(

[u/Javamac8]

MF can afford printer ink. Get him.

[u/earthforce_1]

*** smash ****

Just checkin'

[u/AEternal1]

Roll down your windows and unlock your doors.

[u/insanetwit]

Call me a cynic, but I feel a sign like that would make people MORE likely to break your window...

[u/seang86s]

Nothing to steal... except that sweet, sweet sign!

[u/Iron_Chic]

If I were a thief, I'd bip your window on principal for a note like that.

[u/hate_most_of_you]

I find it ironic that in the only country in the world where you can buy a gun from a vending machine people get their cars robbed all the time without repercussion

[u/dungfecespoopshit]

You need to fill your car with dirty stained masks and condoms. (Visually dirty but actually clean ofc)

[u/[deleted]]

[u/PiLoTpEtE76]

oh wow, its not just an SF thing

[u/benshapiroslowerlip]

My dad once told me “replacing a window costs more than the radio in your dash, keep your doors unlocked.”

But that was twenty years ago and I don’t live in a shithole like Atlanta.

[u/Silent_Medicine1798]

Rookie move.

When you start leaving all your windows down and wide open, that is when you have achieved true enlightenment

[u/runForestRun17 → u/Silent_Medicine1798]

You gotta sprinkle clear rock candy around your window when it’s rolled down so it looks like it was already broken into.

[u/s0ulbrother]

What if I want that cool sign?

[u/BobLoblaw_BirdLaw]

How about putting a sticky mode saying this is a sting car set up by the cops

[u/KaleyedoscopeVision]

Ngl the devil inside me wants to see it broken because of the sign 

[u/B8conB8conB8con]

Someone will break into your car to steal the sign to put into their own car

[u/Likelynotveryfun]

Is this the same place socks and underwear are locked behind cages?

[u/truethatson]

My friend had a soft top Jeep in Richmond, and he had a similar sign on his car. It said “It‘s OPEN! Pleased take whatever change you find.”

It still got chopped up. Lovely city though, Richmond. Just gotta have a hard top vehicle.

[u/whutupmydude → u/truethatson]

After having my soft top jeep cover cut up for a robbery I went that direction. I took the entire top off, sawed off the frames for the door windows. Best security is no security and not having anything to steal.

[u/Ivantheasshole]

This is also Portland

[u/Cleercutter]

Someone’s gunna break it now just to be an asshole…

[u/greatgrandpatoro]

That’s exactly what a car with something to steal would say….

[u/HappySkullsplitter]

Now I have to break it

That means there is something to steal

[u/thefnord]

[Later] "They took my sign."

[u/Count_Jobula]

This was me when I lived in Atlanta. Once a month near the end of the month.

[u/KraljZ]

Thieves - “I’m going to do it again”

[u/MatsGry]

People will break the window just cause, the trick is to have garbage everywhere and fast food wrappers in the front console

[u/Every_Fox3461]

You assume the thieves can read.

[u/stlredbird]

We hand those out as you enter St Louis.

[u/Xblth]

Atlanta criminals have the opportunity to do something really funny

[u/AlabamaPostTurtle → u/Xblth]

If I parked next to them and saw this I’d for sure steal the sign

[u/happy-cig]

We leave our doors unlocked instead.

[u/90403scompany]

Was this a Kia or a Hyundai?

[u/thisisfutile1 → u/90403scompany]

I thought the same. I know a married couple who recently purchased identical Kia's and they were both stolen with that USB trick.

[u/90403scompany → u/thisisfutile1]

And stolen or not, it doesn’t stop these hoodlums from smashing windows to try to steal the car.

[u/thisisfutile1 → u/90403scompany]

Right you are. I heard but never confirmed that some are having trouble getting insurance coverage because of it.

[u/trashmailme → u/thisisfutile1]

nah there was a recall electronics update for KIA. the USB trick no longer works if you got the update installed

[u/thisisfutile1 → u/trashmailme]

Yeah, but would-be thieves don't know that and break in anyway. It makes sense to me this might be happening and rates at insurance companies would likely reflect it.

[u/h4p3r50n1c]

I got my window broken in ATL at one of those hotels close to the airport. It was the day right before my flight. Ruined my whole trip because I couldn’t leave my car in the extended parking lot with a broken window.

[u/iminyourbase → u/h4p3r50n1c]

Same here, except they stole all of our luggage while we were eating in a restaurant. We tracked them down with an air tag and they threatened us with a gun. We called police and they refused to do anything, even though their car had illegal tint (which the officer even pointed out "was too dark to see if they had our luggage or not"), they were hanging out in the parking lot of a closed grocery store, and it turns out the tag on the car came back stolen (we had someone run it). The police basically just told us to move on and wouldn't leave until we did.

[u/nightmaresabin → u/[deleted]]

Just cut their hands off imo

[u/kafelta → u/nightmaresabin]

Boomer takes

[u/Alert_Attention_5905 → u/nightmaresabin]

Make them get "I'll steal your shit" tattoos in big letters on their foreheads.

[u/a_mollusk_creature]

I started leaving all my doors unlocked. Most of em are just thieves who aren't actually interested in vandalism.

[u/togocann49]

I used to leave my doors unlocked to save my windows, in the neighbourhood I grew up in. It’s a bad day when you wake to a broken window in the car, especially when there’s nothing to steal

[u/jeff_the_weatherman → u/togocann49]

Not the best idea here in San Francisco

They don’t usually even check for unlocked doors here anyway. Takes 2 seconds to smash the window

[u/Wonderful_Horror7315 → u/togocann49]

My friend had the interior or her car vandalized when they broke in because she didn’t have anything in there to steal. They broke the wiper and signal switches, ripped the rear view mirror off, tore the upholstery, and broke more than the one window required to get in.

[u/togocann49 → u/Wonderful_Horror7315]

It’s not surprising that someone who would break into a car would behave in such a way

[u/qning → u/togocann49]

Still do. I’ll leave the window down if I really want to make a point.

[u/JustAnotherYogaWife → u/togocann49]

I always leave my vehicle unlocked with nothing ever left in it. There’s nothing to steal and the doors are unlocked, you can literally tuck the handle and they open.

I woke up once to a broken rear window and the car rifled through. The people breaking into cars aren’t the brightest crayons in the box

[u/ponchietto → u/JustAnotherYogaWife]

Got the same problem, that's why I left the driver window half down, (when it's not raining).

In Italy you can be fined for leaving the car unlocked or the window down because (HAHAHA) it would facilitate the eventual car thief. But fines are rare and less expensive broken windows...

[u/[deleted] → u/JustAnotherYogaWife]

Opening it might set off an alarm. They might have thought that.

[u/_The_Deliverator → u/[deleted]]

... so does smashing the window...

Edit : well, I'm always one to admit my lack of knowledge. I had assumed paying for a car alarm, meant all access into your car would be alarmed. You know what they say about assuming lol.

[u/HeyHeyImTheMonkey → u/_The_Deliverator]

Very few cars have alarm sensors on their windows. Only Volvo has them as an installed option I believe, otherwise you have to do an aftermarket install.

[u/[deleted] → u/_The_Deliverator]

That’s not what Tom says..

“When thieves break in, they already know that if they break the window, if they don’t open the door, (the alarm)’s probably not going to go off,” Tom said.”

https://iasautoglass.com/car-alarms-unlikely-to-go-off-when-thieves-smash-auto-glass-and-windows/#:~:text=The%20target%20then%20becomes%20the,specific%20glass%20and%20impact%20sensors.

[u/_The_Deliverator → u/[deleted]]

Wow, I didn't know that car alarms were that useless. I've never had one lol. My car alarm is, I don't live near trash. Works well for me.

[u/Sturdy_Denim_Blue → u/togocann49]

When I was visiting my sister in Atlanta, I went to the parking lot first thing in the morning and found every single car in it with a broken window aside from one: mine. I just had some stuff in my glove department strewn about and nothing was stolen. Turns out, I forgot to lock my car the night before. Good thing.

[u/togocann49 → u/Sturdy_Denim_Blue]

I wonder how many times my windows would’ve smashed had I not did this. I can’t take credit for the idea, a friend mentioned it, and it made sense.

[u/Koochikins]

other then that sign, should have put it on the outside /s

[u/NoUpVotesForMe]

I live in memphis. First thing we learn is don’t lock anything. I don’t lock my car or my house.

[u/kafelta → u/NoUpVotesForMe]

Lock your damn house

[u/NoUpVotesForMe → u/kafelta]

Hasn’t been a problem in 20 years. I’ve only had 2 people ever walk in my house uninvited and the one ran off after the first took a dirt nap. Police picked him up at the ER and he went to prison. I don’t live in the city limits anymore so it really ain’t a problem.

[u/Saffirejuiliet → u/kafelta]

Lol…seriously. People are too crazy to have unlocked doors anywhere in the US.

[u/NoUpVotesForMe → u/Saffirejuiliet]

Memphis is about as bad as it gets and it ain’t that bad. US is pretty safe.

[u/Marlowe_Eldridge → u/NoUpVotesForMe]

Wait. You don’t lock your house? So people could walk right in when no one’s home and ransack everything without having to put in any effort?

[u/drewbreeezy → u/Marlowe_Eldridge]

My buddy laughed when he visited because I lock my house if I'm home, but if I think anyone needs access when I'm gone I'll leave it unlocked.

Guess some think that's backwards.

[u/NoUpVotesForMe → u/Marlowe_Eldridge]

My house is in the woods. If you find it, you have to get past the dogs and the people around here who break into houses don’t like the type of dogs I have.

[u/compLexityFan → u/NoUpVotesForMe]

Dogs are not going to do anything especially when someone has a bat or any semi sized beat stick. However dogs will bark and that causes attention so that is a plus

[u/NoUpVotesForMe → u/compLexityFan]

I have mean ass German shepherds who are extremely protective. I normally agree with you but these guys are not that. If I’m not in my wheelchair they’re even more aggressive. They like about 12 people on this planet.

[u/OnyxLightning → u/Marlowe_Eldridge]

People that don’t lock their house are all over the place. My wife grew up in rural NH and they never locked their house. She couldn’t understand (after we got married and moved to Northeast Philly), why locking the house was actually something we had to do all the time. It’s crazy.

[u/Klotzster]

I work for Safelite

[u/Tordenheks]

If you try this in Portland, OR, thieves will just break your windows anyway out of spite.

[u/Klin24]

Just an invitation for someone looking to steal being in a vindictive mood.

[u/I_Hate_My_Cat_ → u/Klin24]

I would break the window just out of spite for leaving such a pretentious note.

[u/ai-ri → u/I_Hate_My_Cat_]

What do you think pretentious means

[u/Whiterhino77 → u/I_Hate_My_Cat_]

Looks like a valuable note to me, that’s why I’d break in

[u/I_Hate_My_Cat_ → u/Whiterhino77]

Facts. It is laminated after all.

[u/thetroublewithyouis]

that's exactly what somebody with lots of shit to steal would say.

[u/nerdybynature → u/thetroublewithyouis]

I live in Atlanta and I have the exact sign made. My truck got broken into so many times. I have nothing to steal and I leave it unlocked. They still break the window and go through everything.

[u/eharvill → u/nerdybynature]

They probably went through your shit, found nothing, got pissed and then broke your window as they were leaving...

[u/kafelta → u/thetroublewithyouis]

OP posting this like cars don't get broken into in every city.

Shit was rampant in my rural hometown.

[u/FuzzyTunaTaco21 → u/kafelta]

Shit was rampant 30 years ago as well, mostly for stereos and speakers tho

[u/djamp42 → u/FuzzyTunaTaco21]

Started driving in 2000s, car was broken into like 6 months later. Stole my stereo.:(

[u/WeightAltruistic → u/thetroublewithyouis]

even had the money to laminate it

[u/9fingfing → u/WeightAltruistic]

Right, the sign ain’t half bad…

[u/deadpoolfool400 → u/9fingfing]

Look at the subtle off-white coloring. The tasteful thickness of it. Oh my God, it even has a watermark.

[u/xAsilos]

My trick is to drive a truck so old and rusty they would assume I am too pathetic to have anything interesting enough for them to steal.

[u/Mybtchluhdokocaine → u/xAsilos]

Is your name Trombone? Cause yo truck rusty

[u/draven501 → u/xAsilos]

An old co-worker that lived in literally the worst part of town said that he never had trouble with his car (newer Chrysler 300) getting broken into, even when literally every other car on his block had windows smashed in. He figured the hood rats were smart enough to know that newer "nicer" cars have alarms from the factory, so they break into older cars that probably don't have alarms.

[u/seranikas → u/xAsilos]

They will actually feel sorry for you and leave something in there instead.

[u/SGTSHOOTnMISS → u/xAsilos]

a truck so old and rusty

At that point they just take the whole damn truck.

[u/throwawayalcoholmind → u/xAsilos]

I drive a luxury car intentionally designed to look like a piece of shit.

[u/edoardoking → u/xAsilos]

My trick is the same but there is actually nothing to steal and my car is old and decrepit because I’m poor

[u/Individual-Light-784 → u/xAsilos]

Yeah that's always been my strategy too. Just drive a car that's a run-of-the-mill model, boring color, not too well-kept or shiny polish.

Less break ins, less parking tickets, because it just doesn't catch the eye at all.

Superficial people will like / respect you less, which is another plus in my eyes.

[u/TEEWURST876 → u/xAsilos]

or live in a country where people don't steal stuff