Thursday, September 16, 2010

Break ins can Ruin your Travels

car break inDon't let this happen to you! Broken car window, that's a rock in the backseat. That's the rock they used to break the car window. Yes they got my purse, my ID's, my glasses. This happened because my purse was in the car. How many times have you left your purse, your camera, your GPS in the car? I'm betting far too many times. I NEVER do now. Thankfully I wasn't out of town on vacation when this did happen. When I travel, I'm actually more on alert. If you leave items in your car (you often can't carry everything), make sure they are not visible. More importantly, lock them up BEFORE you get where you're going. It does no good to get out of the car, walk to the back and lock it (purse, DVD player, GPS etc.) up as people watch you do it. That's about what happened here. When you plan not to carry your purse, or camera bag etc, put them out of site before hand. Take your car keys with you, you chap stick...whatever items you plan to put in your pocket, then lock and or hide your purse and other valuables.

Having nothing visible that's tempting someone to break in will help protect you, your car, and your valuables.

I did have my car keys, and my cell phone in my pocket. Don't be unsafe, don't get stranded. Always have your items locked, or hidden or better yet with you! I down size my purse and therefore it's light enough to carry with me now at all times. I always have my cell phone even when I stop briefly to go potty at a rest stop. Do NOT leave things in the car, it really only takes a short while to have a mishap. Protect yourself, your family, and your valuables. Think ahead, pack well. Enjoy your travels.

**A bit of a side note here, do you have the name and phone number of your insurance agent in your cell phone? If not, you should. Do you have the number to call to stop your credit cards in your purse or cell phone? If not, you should. When this happened to me, I called hubby who immediately canceled the charge cards and call the agent. In this regard, I was lucky.**

Add to Technorati Favorites
Bookmark and Share

13 comments:

  1. Sorry to read about this. I am always careful and do most of what you listed, as to the preventions. My car is always in the garage at home and when I go out my purse is always on my shoulder.. even in the car, it's buckled in.
    Not that I am paranoid,lol.
    I have my cell in my pocket at all times and not in my purse when I'm out. I even leave credit cards at home. Only taking the one I will use. I do not open the purse to purchase thing, have the money/or card in my pocket. that way No one seeing me take out any thing from my small purse. Traveling light on the purse thing. Now if I can just get this through my daughters mind.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Auntie E, you're my kind of traveler! Perhaps if your daughters saw the picture it would register for them. I was actually at a cemetery when this happened; purse was hidden in the car, but clearly I was being watched. As soon as I was out of sight of the car, they broke in.

    This could really be a problem if it happened when out of town.
    Sandy

    ReplyDelete
  3. gosh... it happened to me, i left office, laptop in the carboot but apparently my car was trailed since i work in an IT co, they know each one of us uses a laptop. i parked my car near the bank for 10mins, i came back, my car was forced open and the laptop in the boot was stolen.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gosh, that is awful and very scary. I guess the good news is that you didn't get hurt. I don't usually have a purse with me, I carry everything I need in my pockets. Guess it doesn't do any good to lock the car. Take care.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I had this happen while I was traveling. I had my purse and things with me, but our luggage was in the car. They broke 3 windows to get to my laptop that was inside a wheeled luggage bag. I now rarely travel with a computer.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sorry that happened to you. I keep my camera with me all the time so always have my purse so I can carry it. (Never know when there's a blogging moment!) If I do leave my purse in the car I put it where it can't be seen through the dark tinted windows in the back or pull down my backseat and stick it in the trunk so no one knows that's what I did. Thanks for the tips - I'll be more careful from now on!

    ReplyDelete
  7. That is one of my worst nightmares! There is nothing worse than a thief :(

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh no. Was this recent? I don't like carrying my purse around when we are at theme parks or site seeing. I am guilty of putting it in the back of the SUV:( Lately I've been planning enough ahead to get the stuff I need out and leave it at home. Knock on wood I've never had my purse or valuable items stolen. I've never lost them either. I can't imagine the hassle. Sorry you had to deal with it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is nice post. I always travel with my laptops. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. My mom always tells us not to leave our bags in the car where people can see them and be tempted to check them out. When I used to travel for work and we lug laptops and projectors with us, we'd take them when we stop for meals if there's no way to hide them somewhere in the vehicle. Better safe than sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh how awful! I always leave my purse in the car here in the Small Town. I figure it is a small town, nothing should happen to it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hope you're right Anne, do be careful

    ReplyDelete

ALL comments left with name and url will be returned. NO PROFILE links please!