@T3SMA, I dunno, there's no question that break-ins occur, and certain areas are especially prone to them, but I think that some people are out to make it sound worse than it is - political agenda. I live in the Bay Area and I've only had a couple over the last 15 years, of which one was in a Las Vegas parking garage, next to a freeway on-ramp.
Of course if you drive a car like a Tesla, with a reputation as being luxury & expensive, you can expect resentment vandalism from miserable people who have nothing but miserable lives. When car radio theft was the rage, I remember a guy in NYC who left a sign on the dash that said "no radio". He returned to his car to find a window smashed and a note that said "get one". Real thieves might also plausibly expect you to own (other) expensive things.
Leaving the car open is IMHO over the top, and insurance can deny your claim. Bored kids will try doors and trunk, and if locked they move on. Some obvious suggestions that might improve the odds:
In an urban setting, try to park in well-lit and traveled areas with security, cameras.
Try not to park right next to a routine escape route for pros, like a freeway entrance.
Don't make your car too flashy, let it get dusty. IMHO child seats help you seem dorkier ;-)
- Some city people with very expensive bicycles use "trash kits" to make them look like junk ;-)
Don't leave anything out that attracts interest, say a fresh shopping bag. Put it in the trunk well.
- Maybe the Frunk is a safer place to leave valuables. Dunno. Read up on that, who knows.
If you have a handicap plaque, hide it unless you're using it, 'cause it spells "meds on board".
And USE SENTRY MODE whenever unsure. It burns about a mile of range per hour of use.
Enjoy your trip. Northern California hasn't entirely gone to hell, not even close.
I just tried it:
