The Horse leaves his car unlocked in Berkeley, with a $700 guitar amplifier in the back. The results are what you'd expect.
By The Horse
@TheHorse (207134)
Walnut Creek, California
January 25, 2018 6:51pm CST
I did something really stupid yesterday. I was distracted by looking for wood glue for a "project" at the preschool in Berkeley, and forgot to lock my truck (actually, an SUV). In the back were two baseball gloves, a baseball bat, several sweatshirts, a Hudson Bay blanket, and a $700 Fishman guitar amplifier.
When I came back to my truck after work at the preschool, the results were what you would expect. Everything was as I'd left it. Nobody had broken in, left garbage in there, or anything else. The same thing happened to me a few times in Oakland, when I worked "in the 'hood."
The lesson? Break-ins are random, and do occur in urban areas, but they're relatively rare. The average person, on an average day, is not looking to steal anything. Have you ever had a similar experience?
27 people like this
22 responses
@paigea (35783)
• Canada
26 Jan 18
Heading back to my car after a day at a crowded beach, I realized I didn't have my keys.
I had two tired girls and I was feeling panicked. I was far from home in another province. I was hoping to find the keys locked in the car. Then find a payphone and call CAA (AAA)
We got back to the car and there were the keys, hanging out of the door lock!
So lucky no one took the car!
4 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (95136)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
26 Jan 18
The only problems living in my neighborhood is having to deal with a few people who like to break the windows of autos during the holiday season.
4 people like this
@FourWalls (62571)
• United States
26 Jan 18
My dear, sweet mother of blessed memory used to say, “The only thing a lock does is keep an honest man honest.”
I’ve slept in my car a few times and I’ve never been bothered. Having said that, I wasn’t exactly in the highest-crime area of town with a “hey, I’m inside with the keys!” neon sign on the hood.....
3 people like this
@TheHorse (207134)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Jan 18
That is true. I lost a car stereo and a treasured baseball cap in the 'hood in Oakland when I went to hear a blues band at Eli's Mile High Club. The cops never showed up, and I had to file a report in person (a futile gesture).
2 people like this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
26 Jan 18
we haven't had anything stolen,but we did wake up once to find out we'd aquired a german shepard overnight.
somebody put him in our car.
dad called a cop buddy of his,and i think he kept the dog.i guess somebody couldn't care for it anymore,and decided we might be a good home?
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
28 Jan 18
@TheHorse we have no idea..i don't remember anybody with a shepard
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (207134)
• Walnut Creek, California
17 Mar 18
@scarlet_woman Heh. Funny story. I'm glad he found a good home.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (99048)
• India
26 Jan 18
The folks who passed by did not know what is a Fishman guitar amplifier, and what it could fetch them. lol Lucky you. lol. In India it would not be robbed. Simply because it would be difficult to sell. Not many Indians are into guitar you know. So it would be easy to trace it down. Who wants easy money easy jail. lol
2 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
26 Jan 18
I lock my car unless it's in my driveway in rural Templeton. People rarely go there, since it's far from the road. If I leave anything valuable in it, though, I lock even on my rural property, since I don't trust all members of our tenant's family that live across the driveway.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (207134)
• Walnut Creek, California
17 Mar 18
Makes sense. Even though nobody has taken anything from the coffee house parking lot (where I tend to park for work), I chose not to leave my $4000 guitar and $2500 mandolin in the back yesterday. I had a gig right after work, and chose to go home and pick up the instruments.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
26 Jan 18
Yes, I dont have people steal out of the car. Now I have a habit of locking the suv when I go into store, at home it never locked.
2 people like this
@Gita17112016 (3611)
• Trinidad And Tobago
26 Jan 18
Yes, and I thank God that no one has stolen anything. However I am very conscious not to leave things so that 'people' can be tempted. 'Not being stupid' is a great motivator for me.
2 people like this
@Gita17112016 (3611)
• Trinidad And Tobago
27 Jan 18
@TheHorse The first is within my power to control but I am not sure 'my memory' is within my control. That's why I usually plan things how in my mind, where I am going, what I will need, and how best and how fast to do it. You know your topic mislead me...I thought you lost the guitar for sure! You said 'The results are what you'll expect...' 
@CookieMonster46 (13447)
• United States
26 Jan 18
Well it depends, a friend of mine had her car stolen in Berkeley. It is just the wrong person at the wrong time to do a crime. Or the luck was with you.
1 person likes this
@CookieMonster46 (13447)
• United States
31 Jan 18
@TheHorse of course they never seem to catch these people.
@TheHorse (207134)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jan 18
I lost a bike out of the back of my old truck in Berkeley when I was in The Sound Well on University Ave for only three minutes. Several people saw it happen (tallish black guy, about 25, in a Chicago Bulls jacket), but of course they never caught him.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43109)
• Staten Island, New York
26 Jan 18
There were a few times when I opened the house door and left the keys in the lock. Thankfully, no one took them or went into the house.
1 person likes this
