P.S.A. for all drivers here -

[alum04org]

Thieves use side mirrors to tell if the key fob has been left in the vehicle


Police in Sparta, New Jersey, USA, have reported that in certain luxury vehicles the side mirrors fold inwards once the key fob is no longer in the vehicle. Therefore if the side mirrors are still open on a parked car, thieves can readily know the key is in the vehicle, making it an easy theft target.

To read more: http://newjersey.news12.com/story/36118733/thieves-use-google-app-to-strategize-car-theft

 

[sca037]

Interesting, thanks for the heads-up!

We have 5 cars (including one 2017) and none of them have auto-folding exterior mirrors, so maybe they will get extra criminal scrutiny in the future (?)

 

[Mac Attack]

Does insurance pay for the theft if you're an idiot and leave your keys in an unattended vehicle?

 

[sca037]

Does insurance pay for the theft if you're an idiot and leave your keys in an unattended vehicle?

KEY question (;-P) but like my wife's Focus ST there are no keys anymore, just a proximity fob.

 

[alum04org]

I seem to recall a Michigan law that permitted an auto insurance carrier to reduce total-theft-of-auto claim payment by $500 if key was left in car. (I g**gled for it for 20 minutes/no findee).

It was difficult for the auto ins. carrier to prove, unless the insured made an admission. It appears to become more fuzzy with proximity fobs.

Yea, Mac Attack, as you know, the insurance community insures against stupidity. And we all pay for that


The number of stolen cars with keys inside of them is increasing amid an overall decline of vehicle thefts, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
From 2012 to 2014, the top five states for stolen vehicles with keys inside them were:
• California -- 19,597
• Texas -- 8,796
• Florida -- 7,868
• Michigan -- 7,726
• Ohio -- 7,452

 

[Mac Attack]

I guess I'm still old-fashioned and say "keys" when I mean "fobs."

Interesting numbers alum04org - Thanks.

I'll admit to extremely rare times when I have a lapse in my better judgement and do some dumb things. However, I feel very strongly about some of the dumb things fellow motorists do on a constant basis. I should leave it at that. In fact, I think I upset you in a thread long ago that was deleted about my thoughts towards a select group of motorists....