Epidemic of Model 3 small window break-ins

[voip-ninja]

when parking in risky areas, put anything in your footwell and open empty glove compartment and take off cargo cover to trunk and lay it cross ways in bottom of trunk. can fold down back seats also. your car will be much less attractive.

I think the problem is "risky areas". Apparently people are getting their cars broken into in areas that shouldn't be considered risky areas. Sounds like crime is up in those places.

I would advocate for a dash cam so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice, but the reality is that the police virtually never give a crap about this stuff. It's a much lower priority for them than say, investigating more serious crimes after they occur or writing speeding and parking tickets.

My wife was rear ended by a guy who drove off. She got his license plate number and his place of work. State police "investigate" for three weeks and said "nobody knows this guy, they say he doesn't work there and at his listed residence they say he moved out, sorry" so we are stuck with paying the deductible to fix the car and are just thankful she wasn't injured when he hit her.

 

[stopcrazypp]

How exactly are you supposed to design out glass windows?

He's talking about designing the seat releases so that they can be secured (either by having them in the trunk, or having a lock lever in the trunk).

This way even if they break the window, they can't access the trunk.

 

[voip-ninja]

He's talking about designing the seat releases so that they can be secured (either by having them in the trunk, or having a lock lever in the trunk).

This way even if they break the window, they can't access the trunk.

I guess that's a deterrent, I'm not sure how much of one. A crowbar that can be hidden inside a coat will make short work of the latch on any regular trunk.

I suppose they don't want to risk that level of break in if there's nothing there, so locking seats makes sense. It's hard to see why it was overlooked other than them being cheap. They have a lot of people from European automakers working for them and this is a pretty common feature in Euro vehicles.

The real solution is to make finding the people doing the break ins a priority for law enforcement and getting them off the street. I've visited the Bay area every couple of years for pleasure or business going back about 20 years. The difference in the area now in regards to crime, homelessness, etc., compared to 20 years ago is sobering.

 

[jelloslug]

He's talking about designing the seat releases so that they can be secured (either by having them in the trunk, or having a lock lever in the trunk).

This way even if they break the window, they can't access the trunk.

What other cars are like this?

 

[stopcrazypp]

What other cars are like this?

My current car has release in the passenger compartment (like Tesla), but there is also a lever on back of each seat back to lock them (accessible only from trunk).

I checked for BMW 3 Series, the releases are in the trunk. The Mercedes C-Class also have them in the trunk (middle passthrough release is in cabin, but there is lever on back of seatback to lock to adjacent seat). The A4 has them in the passenger compartment, but the releases can be locked with the mechanical key.

I guess the better question is what cars don't have the seat releases secureable.

 

[jelloslug]

My current car has release in the passenger compartment (like Tesla), but there is also a lever on back of each seat back to lock them (accessible only from trunk).

I checked for BMW 3 Series, the releases are in the trunk. The Mercedes C-Class also have them in the trunk (middle passthrough release is in cabin, but there is lever on back of seatback to lock to adjacent seat). The A4 has them in the passenger compartment, but the releases can be locked with the mechanical key.

I guess the better question is what cars don't have the seat releases secureable.

Every car I have had did not have lockable handles. I have had Fords, GMs, Chryslers, Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, and BMWs.

 

[voip-ninja]

Every car I have had did not have lockable handles. I have had Fords, GMs, Chryslers, Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, and BMWs.

The handles don't have to be lockable if the releases are only in the trunk, which can be locked.

On my Audis there were actual locks in the releases at the top of the seats you could put your key in to lock the levers from being used to open the rear seats.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Every car I have had did not have lockable handles. I have had Fords, GMs, Chryslers, Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, and BMWs.

To clarify, I count releases that are in the trunk as secureable too (since you can't get to them unless you open the trunk), it doesn't have to actually lock.

 

[jelloslug]

The handles don't have to be lockable if the releases are only in the trunk, which can be locked.

On my Audis there were actual locks in the releases at the top of the seats you could put your key in to lock the levers from being used to open the rear seats.

That is the exception, not the norm.

 

[gregincal]

That is the exception, not the norm.

The norm is for the release to be in the trunk (remember, we are only talking about sedans here, not SUVs, hatchbacks or wagons). They are for at least several of the brands you mentioned earlier.

 

[DFibRL8R]

My first car was an '88 Honda Accord that used the key to release/fold down the rear seats. Valet key would not work. Also had a lockable gas filler door release. Not an option with the keyless Model 3 but clearly securing the rear seats is an old problem that automakers have found numerous solutions to.

 

[BioSehnsucht]

My 2008 Mazda 3 has lockable rear seats (locks in the trunk, but the latches to fold them in passenger compartment). I never even noticed them until after seeing this thread and then folding my seats to move some stuff ...

 

[chibi_kurochan]

Sigh.. just happened to our ☰ in Saratoga Mitsuwa parking lot.
Do i file insurance claim?
Anybody know how much it’ll cost for the 3?

P.S. i don’t even have anything in the car. Argh.. (now I really need to leave the rear seat folded so they don’t need to break my window to see there’s nothing inside)
P.P.S Happened the same day after another friend got his car broken into in SF palace of fine arts in broad daylight.

 

[Raechris]

Seems this happens a lot in CA. Cops don’t care, drug addicts will do anything for the next hit, where has morality, civility, common courtesy and respect gone these days. Sure that CA is just the leading edge of the wave.

 

[chibi_kurochan]

Seems this happens a lot in CA. Cops don’t care, drug addicts will do anything for the next hit, where has morality, civility, common courtesy and respect gone these days. Sure that CA is just the leading edge of the wave.

bcuz prop 47 downgraded car burglaries from felony to just misdemeanor (meaning no jail time), it became an epidemic in CA

California Proposition 47, Reduced Penalties for Some Crimes Initiative (2014) - Ballotpedia

 

[cwerdna]

I think the problem is "risky areas". Apparently people are getting their cars broken into in areas that shouldn't be considered risky areas. Sounds like crime is up in those places.

Yep. A previous poster mentioned Bridgepoint(e) Center in San Mateo (FAR out of the way for me). I don't go there often but I was there in the past few months and it looked like a good area.

The SF Bay Area is crazy expensive and the Pensinsula, which includes the above area is really expensive. https://www.zillow.com/san-mateo-ca/home-values/ currently says

The median home value in San Mateo is $1,463,000. San Mateo home values have gone up 20.6% over the past year and Zillow predicts they will rise 5.7% within the next year. The median list price per square foot in San Mateo is $885, which is higher than the San Francisco Metro average of $491. The median price of homes currently listed in San Mateo is $1,230,000 while the median price of homes that sold is $1,280,600. The median rent price in San Mateo is $4,000, which is higher than the San Francisco Metro median of $3,300.

The's a large shopping center there, some restaurants and apartments nearby and Sony Interactive Entertainment - Wikipedia nearby: Google Maps.

There are even a bunch of Tesla Superchargers: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You across from some free L2 charging at Target: PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You.

 

[cwerdna]

Sigh.. just happened to our ☰ in Saratoga Mitsuwa parking lot.
Do i file insurance claim?
Anybody know how much it’ll cost for the 3?

P.S. i don’t even have anything in the car. Argh.. (now I really need to leave the rear seat folded so they don’t need to break my window to see there’s nothing inside)
P.P.S Happened the same day after another friend got his car broken into in SF palace of fine arts in broad daylight.

Ouch! I sometimes do visit the Mitsuwa on Saratoga Ave in San Jose to shop and/or eat ramen. Fortunately (?), I have no Tesla and have never had my car broken into there.

Palace of Fine Arts and other tourist attractions in SF are unfortunately common places for car break-ins.
VIDEO: San Francisco homeowners concerned over uptick in car break-ins near Palace of Fine Arts

 

[Raechris]

bcuz prop 47 downgraded car burglaries from felony to just misdemeanor (meaning no jail time), it became an epidemic in CA

California Proposition 47, Reduced Penalties for Some Crimes Initiative (2014) - Ballotpedia

Interesting fact. Status of a criminal offense has never changed my behavior. Seems like a PhD dissertation topic.

 

[Big Dog]

^^the status changed the cops's behavior. Now they don't care to spend the time/resources to investigate. Since that is common knowledge, the criminals have run wild.

 

[chibi_kurochan]

^^the status changed the cops's behavior. Now they don't care to spend the time/resources to investigate. Since that is common knowledge, the criminals have run wild.

And i didn't even bother to report it to the police because i was not expecting the police to do anything about it besides file a report and forget about it.. especially since nothing got stolen, for my case.