Why was my car rummaged through and they didn't take anythin

[mutepointe]

This morning, I noticed my car was rummaged through. They got into the center console and dug through all the pop soaked napkins and candy wrappers and stuff. They didn't take anything. They left:
1. The money in the mint tin in the console.
2. The money in the visor.
3. The candy individiually wrapped in a zip loc bag in the console tray.
4. The happy meal toys in the door compartments.
5. The insurance and registration papers in the glove compartment.

I don't have credit or debit card receipts. Why would someone had done this?

[emmline]

They hoped you had a gps, and you didn't? And they don't like candy?

[fearfaoin]

They hoped you had a gps, and you didn't?

That was my guess. Loose GPS devices
are the most commonly stolen item from
cars now. You didn't have one, so they
moved on to the next car. Gotta hit many
cars before anyone catches on so we can
get as many GPSs as possible. Christmas
rush and all.

[mutepointe]

That's an interesting theory folks and maybe correct. I live in a rather modest neighborhood and own a rather modest car (2004 Chevy Cavalier). West Virginia has a low crime rate and our neighborhood would be very slim pickin's for a thief. It's rare that we have door to door salesmen. A GPS in this neighborhood just wouldn't happen unless it was a visitor.

[Innocent Bystander]

It's a few years ago now, but I had my car "rummaged through" while I was recording with the Wycombe Talking Newspaper (I used to be one of their sound men. It doesn't require great technical expertise).
It was the time when the cordless drills started appearing in the shops. They drilled out my locks. They obviously went through my casette collection - that's how long ago it was - but rejected everything. The locks had to be replaced, but that was pretty much it. And I never parked the car at that spot again.

In the UK, Liverpool has a reputation for being full of thieves. High Wycombe is no different.

[Doc Jones]

Mute you obviously need to get some more interesting stuff in your car.

Doc

[mutepointe]

Funny Story about when my parents car was stolen:
My parents still keep their keys above the visor but the theives missed this and broke the steering column to hot wire the car or whatever they do to start a car without keys. The car was found a few days later in a field. My Mom wasn't upset that they broke the steering column because that can be fixed and insurance will cover that but what she is still upset about and their car was stolen years ago, they smoked in the car. To quote my Mom, "Did they not see the sign on the dashboard that says, "Thank you for not smoking." I still can't get the cigarette smell out of the car and I've tried everything."

[missy]

Mute - the "mode" of operation is a van dumps a bunch of kids / young adults in the neighborhood.

They go through it as quickly as possible, looking for electronics to pawn. Ipods and the previously mentioned GPS are the main things. No cell phones because those are traceable.

They may take the time to rip out a stereo or two, but that's not as much of an occurrance as even 4 or 5 years ago. Which locks and faceplates and such, it's just not worth getting something they cannot pawn.

If they have a lot of time, and noise isn't an issue, they may cut off your catalytic convertor to pawn for the platinum, but most metal recyclers have installed cameras so that's also not as prevalent as is was just a few years ago.

Change means nothing to them but weight.

Another item they might take is a 3 or larger cell Mag Lite. I had no idea why until I did my ride along (after my son had two stolen from his truck). They add a bore tube to them and turn them into guns, rigging the power switch as a trigger.

[jsluder]

Another item they might take is a 3 or larger cell Mag Lite. I had no idea why until I did my ride along (after my son had two stolen from his truck). They add a bore tube to them and turn them into guns, rigging the power switch as a trigger.

Interesting. The one time my old jeep was rummaged, a 3-cell maglite was the only thing they took. I always wondered why they'd bother.

[mutepointe]

Missy was right. Now that neighbors are home from works, a few of them mentioned that their cars got rummaged through. Small electronic devices were stolen (radar detectors and Ipods) and even the jacket of the little boy who lives next door. It was probably a sports team jacket.

[The Weekenders]

No ziplock bag with meth in it? What's the matter with you? Doesn't everybody?

[Dale]

Another item they might take is a 3 or larger cell Mag Lite. I had no idea why until I did my ride along (after my son had two stolen from his truck). They add a bore tube to them and turn them into guns, rigging the power switch as a trigger.

Hm. My car was broken into recently and they stole my digital camera (which I had inadvertently left in the hatchback area) and my MagLite. Left all my CD's, probably because of my taste in music.

[brewerpaul]

They were obviously looking for whistles. Probably pretty pissed off that they didn't find any...

[crookedtune]

Are you sure they didn't PUT anything in there? I'm seeing videos of your road-rage incidents all over YouTube.