[tanwaramit]

A CCTV video of the laptop theft execution done by a person by smashing the car window.

In fact its done by a solo person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1WNrx6v3vk

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by tanwaramit

A CCTV video of the laptop theft execution done by a person by smashing the car window.

Seems to be a fairly busy alley/road. I am truly amazed that this could be done with such nonchalance.
By the way, it should be easy enough to frame freeze the footage, for getting the thief's mugshot.Also, going by the first few seconds, it does seem that he has accomplices as well.

[andydude]

That's terrible, hope cops are able to use the footage and get your property back soon. Any idea what did he through to break the glass just like that.

[drmohitg]

The important thing to notice in this video is that the guy tried to mix with the crowd. Each time he performed a task on his checklist, he just casually walked from one end of the car to the other thus attracting zero attention and merely appearing as a passer by. The other people on the road hence didn't notice any thing fishy since during each task a different set of people would be passing the car and for them the thief would again become just another pedestrian. Still needs a lot of guts to carry it off.

[Kumar R]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

The other people on the road hence didn't notice any thing fishy since during each task a different set of people would be passing the car and for them the thief would again become just another pedestrian. Still needs a lot of guts to carry it off.

The whole idea of suspicious people attracting attention is a bit overrated. Few months back I was meeting a friend at some point on the road in order to get back some borrowed stuff. Seeing his vehicle parked on a reasonably busy road (but not him) I decided to kill time till his return by inspecting it for state of upkeep, dents, scratches and so on. For almost 10 minutes I hovered around the car in a most suspicious manner with not a single passerby showing the slightest concern. In fact I daresay that busier roads are better for this kind of thievery due to the anonymity they provide. A thief would think twice before trying this on a narrow residential road with building chowkidars around and no crowds walking by.

Anyone can try this experiment on their own car by parking it in someplace else and later returning to hang around the car with a suspicious attitude. The chances are high that no one will bother to mind what you are doing. You can even try this experiment on your house by getting a friend to attempt a 'break-in' and see for yourself how little interest that provokes.

[CAC444]

All,

Just got back from a nice breakfast drive to Indian Paratha Company, on the way to Nandi Hills here in Bangalore.

We had a good breakfast and decided to walk up the flight of stairs leading to the Jain Temple just behind the breakfast joint. We had parked our Innova right in front of IPC (as its popularly known!).

When we were walking back to IPC, there were two cars parked in front of our Innova, with its worried owners standing by them. One of them came by to us asked us which of the cars were ours. They then said we were lucky, as they had left bags in their cars (Chevy Beat, if Im not wrong, and a Honda City) and by the time they came back from breakfast, the side windows were smashed and the valuables grabbed. This was clearly a smash'n'grab incident right outside IPS.

Thanking our lucky stars (that we left no valuables in our Innova) and feeling sorry for the two car owners, we left from that place, slightly shaken by the incident.

Folks, please do not leave any valuables in plain sight in your car, IRRESPECTIVE of where you are. It attracts unnecessary attention.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Praveen

[shankar.balan]

The widening gap between the haves and the have nots coupled with conspicuous consumption lead people into such evil acts.
The only way is to guard against it and never leave anything visibly exposed in the vehicle while it is parked.

[rohansachar]

I always follow this rule. Earlier in my Manza, the boot was the perfect spot to keep laptop/office bag, but since now I have the Safari, I keep bags below one of the rear boot seats.

ANYTHING, which we believe is valuable or not, should always be kept concealed. Worst case scenario, even if a bag pack is kept on the back seat & is visible, the thief doesn't know it's valuable or not. Even an attempt at stealing, can have you end up with the bill for repairs.

Better safe than sorry!

[paragsachania]

And Indian Paratha Company may have just spent on taking print out on A4 Size sheets and got it laminated and posted it all over now that reads "Management is not responsible for your belongings'

A village with "Family Restaurant and Bars" bang on the highway serving truckers and goons all day (and night) and in the midst of nothing, just few kms ahead you have this swanky place to take a grub where car owners and high end bikers visit for few hours and make a crowd, with family, flaunting mobiles and vanity purses while their kids are hooked onto Tablets watching animation movies or playing games, under the sky on open air tables around the restaurant!!

To that man oblivious to these "developments" happening in their village, darn, he just hit a jackpot.

Income disparity and its merrits - many become rich overnight, taking the wrong way, and sadly many of these cities suffer from this - Muggings, thefts and now this.

[itwasntme]

My standing rule is that all bags must be in the boot at all times. This prevents such opportunistic thefts and also stops these items acting as projectiles in case of emergency braking or a collision!

Bangalore police have advertised near all the parks, warning people against wearing gold ornaments while going for a walk to prevent chain-snatching. The same warning holds good for keeping valuables visibly inside the car to prevent theft. Nowadays, one cannot take anything for granted anywhere.

[RedDevil_KP]

Originally Posted by CAC444

All,

Just got back from a nice breakfast drive to Indian Paratha Company, on the way to Nandi Hills here in Bangalore.

Cheers,
Praveen

This is sad & feeling awful for the owners. This seems to be a novice mistake most of us make. We're so eager & hungry to get into a restaurant that we just at times give our keys to valet or park it down the road forgetting things at the back. It would be commendable that one spends that extra 30sec to pick our valuables along with us when we're out of the car.

[Aroy]

In Delhi, chances are 50% that if you leave any visible valuable in the car it will be stolen. My friend lost his laptop bag with all documents in just 5 minutes it took to visit a shop in busy market. Another lost it in authorised car park.

[ssambyal1980]

Theft of valuables from cars has been very common occurrence in the parking areas in Chandigarh. There has been meteoric rise in the number of such cases since last few years. The chances of one losing his/her valuables, if left back in vehicle, especially in the markets and office areas are quite high. There had been a substantial number of cases wherein the thieves have laid their hands on the booty after smashing the windows. Surprisingly no one noticed them in the act and no sound was heard either.

In many cases it has been the folly on the part of car owners, who forget to close the windows after parking. This happens especially when driver is the lone person in the car and in a hurry, he forgets to notice that rear left window has been left partially open, which eventually becomes an open invitation for the anti social elements on the prowl.

The golden rule to avoid such situations is "Check, Check, Re-check!!!". Make it a habit to go around the vehicle after parking, to make sure that all windows are properly closed. Avoid leaving the valuables in the cabin, take them along if possible or better stow them in the boot area, away from the preying eyes of opportunists. Avoid parking the vehicle in secluded corners of the parking lots.

Never leave anything to chance. Its always better to be safe than sorry.

[Aroy]

Leave all valuables in the boot. Do that before starting for the destination, never at the destination, as that gives the thieves a clue that some valuable is being stored.