View Full Version : Car break-in at Unicoi Gap, GA
Uncle Joe
12-21-2020, 11:37
So apparently a car was broken into over the weekend at Unicoi Gap. This was posted on FB:
"So parked @ 8am this morning at Unicoi Gap trail head (Hwy 17) and hiked to Jacks Knob/AT intersection and back to find our car broken into. Purse and wallet was hidden but they ransacked the car and stole both. So frustrating."
These things seem to come in waves. Maybe they'll catch this person/persons soon! Esp. with them doing this during the day.
Gambit McCrae
12-21-2020, 12:05
So apparently a car was broken into over the weekend at Unicoi Gap. This was posted on FB:
"So parked @ 8am this morning at Unicoi Gap trail head (Hwy 17) and hiked to Jacks Knob/AT intersection and back to find our car broken into. Purse and wallet was hidden but they ransacked the car and stole both. So frustrating."
These things seem to come in waves. Maybe they'll catch this person/persons soon! Esp. with them doing this during the day.
Trip #28: Many years ago my Pit-Lab and I slept in my SUV at Unicoi gap for a sunrise start the next morning. My windows are tinted and can not be seen through at night.
1am...car pulls in, guy stumbles out of passenger seat. Starts looking through car windows. I am laying there with my Colt 1911 in hand, my dog staying quiet. The man put his hands up to my back window as I lay there silently in my sleeping bag, hammer cocked and safety on. My ol dog started growling some kind of fierce defense that the man suddenly reacted to, walking back away from the window to his buddies car. I rolled back over until sunrise...That was the last time I slept at a trailhead on the AT.
Five Tango
12-21-2020, 15:35
I make it a point to have nothing of value in my vehicle and leave it unlocked so they don't have to break a window to get in.Having to deal with a repair after a loss of valuables is like adding insult to the injury.
We shouldn't have to think about these issues but there's people out there that think they are more entitled to your stuff than you are for some reason..............but I do have a sign posted in the garage window at my home that says,"There is Nothing in here worth dying for"........
gpburdelljr
12-21-2020, 16:37
Breaking into cars has become a big problem in Atlanta. After losing two windows, I quit locking my truck. It’s been rifled through since then, but nothing taken. In Atlanta, at least, they are looking for small high dollar items (guns, phones, tablets, laptops, etc. ).
Crossbar
12-24-2020, 10:59
Lol, I always leave my doors unlocked and the idiots still broke my window out to get it. Wonder if a “Unlocked - Please don’t break window” sign would help.
We had the very same problem in Italy, in places we loved to go for rock climbing.
Every time we went there, something happend to the car. Even when doors were unlocked, they still smashed windows. Even with the windows rolled down a bit, they still broke the glass.
One time, there was a line of cars parked alongside the road, more than a km long. A group of guys came up with motocycles, riding slowly along the cue, the rear guy on the firts bike smashed a window on every car, the next bike rode up and the rear guy grabbed a good and worthy looking item from the car handing it over to the rear guy of the next bike and after 15 minutes the group was gone.
Police had piles of paper forms for the car insurance ready, and complaining tourists cued up in front of the office.
So far, thats all the police did. They knew well that those gangs invaded from the very south of Italy, and pretenden they couldn't do anything.
The nightmare only stopped when the local tourist business realized that rock climbers (and, later on MTB-ers) are still valuable guests leaving some money and that those guests will cease to go to this place given this severe kind of thievery, so they pushed the police harder to intervene - and as soon as the police became serious, the issue stopped.
peakbagger
12-24-2020, 12:18
I think I saw San Francisco had 90,000 reported car break ins and 14 arrests in a recent year. Property crimes are the first to be ignored as police staffs are being reduced. My observations in the whites over the years is it takes many weeks of many break ins before law enforcement starts to worry about it. There will be the usual spring time break ins that usually happen when the high schools get out of classes some years. They get a slap on the wrist and maybe restitution if they get caught. Other years its transient working the lots until they are caught or go elsewhere and occasionally its a local sleazebag that usually get caught with a garage full of stuff as they dont know how to fence it. Its pretty rare anyone goes to jail for it as its a property crime.
Five Tango
12-24-2020, 13:04
This reminds me of a story I heard about a guy with a problem like this so he left a bobcat in a suitcase for them to take.No,I cannot substantiate it but I have heard it more than once.
gpburdelljr
12-24-2020, 13:22
This reminds me of a story I heard about a guy with a problem like this so he left a bobcat in a suitcase for them to take.No,I cannot substantiate it but I have heard it more than once.
Thats an urban myth that’s been around since at least the 1940s. It’s hard enough to get a house cat into a carrier, and I can’t even imagine trying to get a bobcat in a suitcase.
atraildreamer
12-24-2020, 13:44
Thats an urban myth that’s been around since at least the 1940s. It’s hard enough to get a house cat into a carrier, and I can’t even imagine trying to get a bobcat in a suitcase.
I have met some very mean house cats!
Reminds me of the old "Adam - 12" episode, supposedly based on fact, when a stolen car had a boa constrictor in the trunk.
Five Tango
12-24-2020, 18:19
Thats an urban myth that’s been around since at least the 1940s. It’s hard enough to get a house cat into a carrier, and I can’t even imagine trying to get a bobcat in a suitcase.
That sounds reasonable but I bet you could put quite a few snakes in a suitcase and the thief would have no idea they were in there until he opened it up;hopefully at his residence.
peakbagger
12-24-2020, 18:42
Just keep in mind that in case of strictly property crime in most jurisdictions, the person leaving a booby trap that causes injury can get sued by those who got injured even if they were breaking into the car.
Just keep in mind that in case of strictly property crime in most jurisdictions, the person leaving a booby trap that causes injury can get sued by those who got injured even if they were breaking into the car.
Isn't that ridiculous :-? ?
(LOL booby trap .... )
Sorry to hear this.
I have a safe mounted under my front seat. It's hardly visible from outside the car but I draped a small towel over it to make it less conspicuous. Technically a gun safe but it's suitable for wallet, keys, etc. I recognize that locks, and safes, only keep out honest people but also recognize that most burglars don't want to spend more than a few minutes so they don't get caught. It's unlikely one could get in my safe in a few minutes. There are larger options available.
47101 47102
EDIT: I really should have vacuumed my car before taking photos.
atraildreamer
12-25-2020, 09:52
Take a Pamper, spread some peanut butter, or Nutella an it. Leave it open, on the the front seat. :eek: No one will bother the car.:D:banana
Just keep in mind that in case of strictly property crime in most jurisdictions, the person leaving a booby trap that causes injury can get sued by those who got injured even if they were breaking into the car.
Civil liability to be sure, but also very likely a felony.
rmitchell
12-26-2020, 00:06
At least in the Gatlinburg area bears have learned how to open unlocked car doors. I have seen video of one that worked both the front door and the sliding door of a minivan (two different style of handles).
RiverbirchHiker
12-26-2020, 01:10
I worry about this because I always seem to have lots of extra gear and stuff in my car that might make it look like a target. I cover it but I think that makes it look like there might be something valuable in there.
I want to leave no valuables like folks have mentioned. But, I often add on stuff & extra days to my AT hiking trips--cycling, birding, visiting local towns, etc...
I end up bringing lots of extra stuff beyond what I need for the hike.
I loved my ancient 1997 Honda CRV for this purpose. I don't think many would take a 2nd glance at a 20+ yr. old car approaching 300k miles that has all the wear and tear of 20+years of heavy use.
I now have a 2012 Honda that looks too nice--looks like a much newer car than it is.
Just keep in mind that in case of strictly property crime in most jurisdictions, the person leaving a booby trap that causes injury can get sued by those who got injured even if they were breaking into the car.
Leaving your pet copperhead in the car is not a crime.
Trailweaver
02-17-2021, 03:43
While it probably won't deter a break in, I have been known to liberally rub poison ivy on door handles or items I don't want to have taken. If I know to be careful, and someone else (who has no business bothering my things) does not, I don't feel pity for them for their misery later. Men are notorious for not washing their hands often enough. I did this for my political signs this past year. Two were stolen and vandalized. . . but only once.
Alligator
02-17-2021, 12:47
Sorry to hear this.
I have a safe mounted under my front seat. It's hardly visible from outside the car but I draped a small towel over it to make it less conspicuous. Technically a gun safe but it's suitable for wallet, keys, etc. I recognize that locks, and safes, only keep out honest people but also recognize that most burglars don't want to spend more than a few minutes so they don't get caught. It's unlikely one could get in my safe in a few minutes. There are larger options available.
47101 47102
EDIT: I really should have vacuumed my car before taking photos.How's it mounted? Might intrigue a thief but I agree a smash and grab probably won't spend time on it. Paint the front black or put a black cover over it and somebody might think it's part of the car. Or sew that towel like a fitted sheet and they might just pass their hand under it. Put a dirty sock or some old french fries under it.
Seatbelt
02-17-2021, 14:56
Leaving your pet copperhead in the car is not a crime.
Probably having one is tho.
I have been known to liberally rub poison ivy on door handles
but how long does the poison stay active?
looks like google says 1 to 5 years....
interesting.....but does really deter someone who's going to smash a window and just reach in?
Probably having one is tho.
Legal in most states with a permit.
How's it mounted?
I drilled some holes in the rear of the safe to accept u-bolts. There is a cross bar under the seat. The u-bolts go around the cross bar, into the safe, and the nuts secure to the u-bolts from inside the safe. I attached a piece of wood to the bottom of the safe to keep it level and allow it to slide with the seat when the seat is moved.
The u-bolts are not easily accessible from the rear for a bolt cutter or angle grinder. It’s not impossible to get into it, but it’s certainly not easy.
Big_Old_Dog
02-23-2021, 17:32
I drilled some holes in the rear of the safe to accept u-bolts. There is a cross bar under the seat. The u-bolts go around the cross bar, into the safe, and the nuts secure to the u-bolts from inside the safe. I attached a piece of wood to the bottom of the safe to keep it level and allow it to slide with the seat when the seat is moved.
The u-bolts are not easily accessible from the rear for a bolt cutter or angle grinder. It’s not impossible to get into it, but it’s certainly easy.
It is all about deterrence. My gun safe is rated to txtl 60, but a determined criminal with enough time and tools, will get in. In a car, a thief is probably looking at 30 seconds get in and get out. You solution looks very good to me.
Maineiac64
02-24-2021, 09:20
Had interesting convo about this with a shuttle driver, she was saying how most break-ins are at the parking areas on the main roads with easy and quick entry/exit like Dick’s and Unicoi. She has had clients get broken into, lose catalytic converters, and had fuel lines cut but never at the back woods areas. I am sure it happens there too but probably much less likely.
Lol, I always leave my doors unlocked and the idiots still broke my window out to get it. Wonder if a “Unlocked - Please don’t break window” sign would help.
I had a break-in into my unlocked car; the police said sometimes the crooks will break the windows any how just to let you know they were there. Tagging, if you will.