<p>I wanted to post this as a warning to our kids who drive around with their music blasting and the windows open. I got this email from a friend (I have changed all identifying info). It could happen anywhere at any time and I think our “invincible” kids need to know that they can be a victim! </p>
<p>“Family Friend” got a call last night at 11:00 from “Boy”, “neighbor’s” son. She is the first number in his cell phone. He had tried calling “parents” at 10:30 pm.</p>
<p>“Boy” told her he’s been kidnapped and to call his parents. She did. She called police. He was at “location” just leaving the ice cream store and was at the light on his way home. He was alone, windows open and two guys jumped in his car with guns. They told him to drive to
his ATM machine/ they were mad he only had $100 so they beat him in the face.
Then they shoved him into another car with another guy. He called “mom”
at 1:20 am so upset but composed. That was the last time they heard from
him until he called them from a Sunny’s at “location” at around noon today.
They went in the store and he crawled out of the car, and when they were gone he borrowed change to call home.</p>
<p>No one needs to be out alone here in “THIS SCARY CITY” at night. It is so upsetting and I am sure “Boy” was a target with the windows open and music playing.</p>
<p>I am going to try to talk some sense into my sons about driving around with the windows open and the music loud. I don’t think they can be truly aware of their surroundings and what is happening with the distraction, AND having the windows open with the car door unlocked is an invitation to a bad guy to carjack the car!!</p>
<p>OMG!!! I am SO glad that the boy was able to get away and is physically O.K., if emotionally traumatized! We live in a relatively quite safe area, but just from the experience of having lived in very large cities around the country prior to our moving here, I always lock the car doors and keep an eye on my surroundings when I’m at stop lights and such. Thanks for the reminder to make sure my driving kids are doing the same…that poor kid! ~berurah</p>
<p>I never lock the car door, and, while I have lived in the same house for 15 years, I literally don’t have the key to the front door. It’s not that I don’t lock; I literally don’t have a key, and don’t expect to get one anytime soon.</p>
<p>Yup, come on in! I have two ferocious dogs! a little Westie (my younger d.'s dog), and a giant half-Airedale half German shepherd who is getting on in years - and if you come in, they’ll both demand you rub their bellies.</p>
<p>If you get past them, you’ll have to deal with the snakes.</p>
<p>Mini, scary thing is, I do the same thing. Where we live, which is a suburb of Houston, has been like living in a small town. I rarely lock the door and I certainly haven’t thought of locking my car doors. But, where this occured is the grocery store complex about 1 mile from my house. Things have been changing though. I had written a thread a while back about stuff that was happening with the Katrina evacuees at our local public high school. (NOT saying that this carjack/kidnapping was done by NO folks, I honestly don’t know). But, things have started changing in our area…It is no longer a bubble and I sure as heck want my kids to realize that. Unfortunately, when you grow up thinking you live in a safe area and that nothing ever happens there, it is a hard thing to adjust your thinking. In fact, when I called my college age s (who is home on break) to tell him about this, his comment was that he is ALWAYS aware of what’s going on and that he would have hit his accelerator. I tried to impress upon him that this kind of thing happens before you can react, but he is a hard head and believes that he is invincible, it is just how he is made up. My junior S is much more cautious and after I tell him this after school, he may not want to drive any more (jk, but he will lock his doors and keep the window up)</p>
<p>I grew up in New York City, my wife in Washington, DC, at a time when both were much less safe than they are today. Actually, the crime rate in both places is roughly a third of what it was then.</p>
<p>Violent crime in most of the U.S. is about half of what it was 20 years ago, although much of the drop has happened in predominantly African-American communities. Still, on the whole, things are much, much safer than when we were all growing up. </p>
<p>What is WAY up is white-collar crime. So I’d watch your retirement funds carefully. (actually YOU should watch your retirement funds; you don’t need me to do it for you. ;))</p>
<p>Momwaitingfornew, this is no urban legend, I spoke to the mom after getting the email to verify (because I was SHOCKED) and to check on the boy. This boy is someone who played little league baseball and football with my S from elementary school on. Now they are at rival highschools, but we all stay in very close contact. He was beat up pretty badly, they took him to the emergency room of our local hospital, and he was looked over and released, Just battered and bruised, thank God.</p>
<p>No problem, Momwaiting, it is just so scary, and I am shaken to the core, honestly. The boy is a great kid, just like all of our kids, it could have just as easily been my boy. When I think what could have happened to him, it just makes me sick to my stomach.</p>
<p>Mini, haha about the retirement funds and white collar crime…I would have to watch carefully if I had any left…I am spending it all on college for the kids ;-)</p>
<p>They taught us in self-defense class that you should ALWAYS lock your car doors. I know that people get all upset and say that you could be trapped in your car during an accident, but the chances of that actually being a problem are pretty slim. If you’re that worried, lock the doors and carry one of those glass-breaker things with you.</p>
<p>Thanks for the warning. ALways goot to have it repeated.</p>
<p>If you’re new to a city, or driving in parts of a city unfamiliar to you, you should always keep your car doors locked and be very aware of what’s going on around you. Of course, you could live your whole life and never be the victim or a crime. But why not take simple precautions such as locking a door? An even more harrowing story happened some years ago in a small town in Florida. A 16-year-old sitting in his car at a 7-11 store was carjacked. He was forced into the trunk and while the thieves drove for hours in the summer heat, he suffered irreversible brain damage.</p>
<p>I grew up in the town in which I currently live, but I ALWAYS lock my car doors whenever I’m out and about. And I would NEVER knowingly, not in a million years go to bed with my doors unlocked! Mini, do you live in a patrolled and gated community? If not, you are taking unneccessary risks. How difficult could it be to get a key to your front door—or change the locks?</p>
<p>Thanks for the warning, Ag. The college kids who have been away all year in the little college towns have forgotten some of the dangers of being out at night (I had to remind my son anyway). I’ll show him your note.</p>
<p>As a child whose familiy arrived home as burglars were about to enter, I bolt, check, rebolt, and check locks again and again.</p>
<p>I would imagine that if you had a home invasion and your doors were unlocked- your insurance would not be too thrilled- just as if you left your car doors unlocked and things were taken- I don’t think your insurance has to pay in that case</p>
<p>We have a big dog- but she isn’t our security system ( are you kidding? she is a lab) it is pretty easy to throw a baited piece of meat in - to divert a dog.
Living in the city- it isn’t exactly a low crime area- both my neighbors houses have been broken into & the population of homeless living in the cars in surrounding streets admittedly makes me a little nervous-
They admit that many are on the streets because they won’t abide by a shelters stipulation of no drug use- and drugs cost money- more money than they can get panhandling.</p>
<p>When a precaution is as easy as locking your door- it really seems foolhardy to actively ignore it.
I know some people don’t lock their cars, because they don’t want their windows broken- I haven’t gotten to the point where I want to encourage people to take my stuff- it may not be a lot- but it is * my * stuff!</p>
<p>I’m just curious, but would it have been much safer if the windows had been up and the doors locked? I imagine (although I’m not sure) that a bullet would have gone through a car window, so the driver would probably have to comply either way. I rarely drive anymore since I started school in NYC (thank goodness, because the subway is much safer, j/k), but just in case, if anyone knows, I would be interested to find out.</p>