Do you leave your purse, wallet in the car normally?

[TravelingChris]

I have been living here since late July and I am befuddled by the crime reports in the paper. There are quite a number of thefts occuring from cars where a purse with ID and credit cards, etc, or wallet is stolen. Maybe I am missing something but I don't leave my purse in the car and my dh doesn't take his wallet out and leave it in the car. We were discussing this and wondering if these are fake reports for some type of insurance fraud where they collect insurance for things that were never stolen. It has been really frequent like in my area of town probably 4 cases a week.

[Mommy22alyns]

Goodness, no! That's just asking for trouble, isn't it? I will occasionally if I have brought my purse and don't need it, but I always hide it.

[Dmmetler]

Not normally-I had my purse stolen from a parked, locked car while DD and I were playing at a park once. Said park was located behind City Hall, a fire/rescue station, and a police substation! I'd left it there without intending to do so-DD was still a toddler and I usually put it in my diaper bag, but had missed. It wasn't until later I got back and had the broken window that I realized that I didn't have it.

[delaney]

Yes if it is parked in the garage. If they get in the garage they can also get in the house. When I leave the car I will hide it if I don't need it.

[Zoo Keeper]

No! If the purse is important enough to come with me, it important enough to stay with me. Besides, I have to lug it around because of allergy meds for one of the boys (epipen, etc.).

[beaners]

I'm an "other." I don't carry a purse. I do usually have my ID somewhere in the car (glovebox, lockbox) because the only time I use it is to have it when I drive somewhere.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I put other.

 

Yes, I do. But I wouldn't if I lived somewhere that this happened frequently (or if other similar issues happened frequently).

 

ETA: But considering I just posted this on a public forum, I might have to change my habit :)

 

ETA2: Of course, a thief would be sorely disappointed as I don't have a checkbook, credit card, or any money usually. I could imagine that a thief wouldn't be too happy with a couple diapers, a Bible, and a highlighter.

Edited October 20, 2011 by 2J5M9K

[Quad Shot Academy]

i figure it would be much more likely to be stolen out of my stroller, diaper bag or even off of me. I always hide it under an enormous pile of junk though. ;) I wouldn't leave it in plain sight.

[dcjlkplus3]

Yes, I occasionally will take only my wallet to things like softball practice at the park. I lock it in the glove box when that happens (my glove compartment actually locks with a key. No one would know that it is in there.

[Ellie]

I never, ever leave my purse in the car. Not my wallet, either. Not nothin'. I cannot imagine doing that under any circumstances, for any reason.

 

:001_huh:

[Parrothead]

I essentially carry a wallet on a string so if I'm not wearing it across my chest when I'm out it is under the seat or in the trunk. Truth be told half the time I just grab my card and put it in my pocket and leave w/o ID.

[twoforjoy]

Not usually. I'll very, very occasionally toss it under something if it's a big bag, rather than lugging it in. But I'd always take my wallet in with me.

[Audrey]

It is very rare that I'll leave my purse in the car. When I do, it goes in the trunk (if I'm using the car) or under the back seat (if I'm using the van).

[Laura Corin]

This is a low crime area. I'd be pretty astonished if my car was broken into. I leave my handbag in the car (concealed) if I go for a walk with the dog and won't be needing the contents.

 

Laura

[WeeBeaks]

Yes when the car is in plain sight. We go to the park and the lot is in sight the entire time. It is safer there than with me chasing toddlers.

 

If I can't see the car, I don't leave anything important in it.

[caedmyn]

I voted "other". I do leave my purse in the car but ALWAYS out of view with the car locked. Around here at least no one is going to break into a car when there's nothing that looks like it could be valuable in sight.

[Night Elf]

I voted yes, in rare circumstances. We have a garage and I leave my wallet in the car nearly all the time. Our neighborhood is one street and it's off a busy road, tucked behind old buildings so that people probably don't even know we're here. I feel like if someone breaks into my garage, my wallet being there will either be great (maybe they'll take it and leave), or be the least of my worries (because a stranger is in my home).

 

I leave my wallet in the glove compartment sometimes when DH and I go into a store together. I did it just today when we ate at a restaurant.

[Sushi's Mom]

Thieves watch cars.

 

If they see a woman leave the car without a purse, they will break in.

 

If they see a woman get out of car and put something in the trunk, they assume it is a purse and break in.

 

The latter happened to me at the zoo. I put my purse in the trunk, thinking it was safe there and out of sight. The crook broke into the car and used the latch to pop the trunk open.

 

the first happened to a friend. She went to the gym and left her purse hidden in the car. On her way into the building she said 'good morning' to a man. As she entered the building, she heard glass shatter, turned around and saw the guy running away om her car. He used a hammer to break the window and grab the purse.

 

In both instances, the police told us that parking lots are targeted and those two instances cause a car to be targeted.

 

Also, I had my gps stolen from my car in my driveway. There was absolutely no indication that I had a gps. That is all that was stolen. My daughter's Nintendo DS waas removed from its case, but left on the seat.

 

I don't think this is an insurance scam. Most times stolen purses are not covered, or the deductible is too high to bother making a claim. My insurance company did pay to replace the loss on our other car because my keys were in the purse. Since my driver's license was also in there with the address, we decided to be safe and change the locks in case they came to the house to steal the whole car. (the car that was originally broken into was my husband's car.)

[Night Elf]

I could imagine that a thief wouldn't be too happy with a couple diapers, a Bible, and a highlighter.

 

Heh.. I had cash stolen out of my wallet when I left my bag in a room at church. I was a VBS teacher and took the kids to get a snack. I wish they had taken my Bible too. They might have learned something from it. :glare:

[Word Nerd]

Yes—out of view with the doors locked. When I'm at work, it's safer there than in my desk, which doesn't have any locks.

[Veritaserum]

If we are going to the pool, I generally only bring the amount of cash I need to get into the facility and my license. I will leave my license locked in the glove box in the locked car so that I don't lose it at the pool.

 

I grew up in a big city and am flabbergasted by what dh (country boy) views as safe. :tongue_smilie:

[foxbridgeacademy]

i figure it would be much more likely to be stolen out of my stroller, diaper bag or even off of me. I always hide it under an enormous pile of junk though. ;) I wouldn't leave it in plain sight.

 

I usually take mine with me, but if I'm going where it will be unattened I leave it in the car under stuff.

[kwickimom]

When I moved to my "safe little town" my DH kept telling me to leave my purse in the car that everyone did it and it was safe. I stuck it under the seat.

 

The first time I left it we were in the movie store for about 8 mins and.....someone stole it out of my car...my money, credit cards, camera, cell phone and vacation pictures...all gone. :glare:Had my social security card in there too as I was needing to go change my name. It was a costly, and more than anything, annoying mistake. It took forever to cancel everything and get mew cards and my first vacation pics with my DH can never be replaced.

 

NEVER AGAIN.

[Julie Smith]

I do all the time. But my car is usually trashed so not easy to spot something left in it. Also my purse is a little kids knapsack with a picture from the cars movie on it. Not exactly looks worthy of being stolen.

[Hwin]

Yeah, I usually leave it in the car, semi-hidden, with the doors locked, when I am intentional.

 

I can't tell you how many times I've just left it on the seat without locking the doors...by accident, of course, and it's stayed perfectly safe.

 

I don't know anyone whose car has been robbed, although there was a "rummaging through open cars" spree recently.

[Osaubi]

If I run or do a hike I will put my purse in the trunk. Also my car is really messy on purpose. No one would think to break in and steal something. Both my dh and I do that on purpose with both of our cars. My dh will often carry client laptops or computers in his car. No one would ever think to look in his messy car for anything valuable.

[J-rap]

Very rarely. But if I do, I make sure and hide it so it cannot be seen through the window.

[MrsBasil]

No. Though if I don't have a purse and just a diaper bag, I will on very rare occasions take anything of value(phone, wallet, keys) and put those in my pockets and leave the diaper bag in the car.

 

I prefer not to do that though, because I think seeing a bag unattended in a car or seeing a person place a bag in a trunk makes it a target.

[peachskittles]

I don't have a purse...Or a wallet. All the stuff I need is either is stuck in my pockets or my diaper bag if I have the littlest ones with me. I only carry a debit card and my id for 90% of my times out of the house. I tried a purse a few times but it seems like such a waste. I don't need anything when I go out. I must be missing something. :confused:

[Julie Smith]

As i mentioned shove my purse is a little kids knapsack. But due to forgetfulness or whatnot, I often leave it in various places. It usually turns up in a lost and found bin. I have had no problems before.

[jenangelcat]

Our car window was smashed for less than a buck in change that dh left on the seat. So no, I don't leave anything valuable in the car.

[LauraGB]

I do at home. I know it is stupid, but I'm so used to it, I never think to take it out until I get back in the car to go somewhere. I also leave the keys in the ignition. But the car is also in my (unlocked) garage.

 

Out and about - I usually take my purse and keys with me, anyway. Except possibly if I'm someplace where it would be cumbersome (like the gym or something), and then if I remember to take it out before I leave, it stays home, but otherwise I cover it up well with any amount of junk already in my car.

 

Not good ideas, I know.

[Mimm]

On the rare occasions that I do, I lock it in the trunk. But normally, no, it comes with me.

 

My sister left her purse on the passenger side seat in plain view. Someone broke her window and stole it one day. It was in broad daylight, outside of a busy gym, on the "good" side of town. Even so, I felt it was very foolish of her to leave it there where someone could (and did) see it and take it. It only takes a moment, smash the glass, grab the purse, walk away.

 

I was once friends with a woman who heard a car alarm outside of the store where she worked. She dismissed it, as people usually do, thinking someone accidentally hit their alarm key. When she got off work, she walked out to find her own car had been broken into.

[Denisemomof4]

nope! I have looooooong ago.

[Denise in Florida]

It was quite common in my home town for women to leave their purses in their cars. Small town, fairly low crime etc.

 

Where I live now, that would be insanity! I don't leave anything of value in the car. Sometimes this includes the garage door opener since all someone would have to do is break into the car to then get into the house. :glare:

[gaillardia]

Rarely do I leave it in the car.

[Running the race]

No way.

 

My friend left her purse in the car for less than 5 minutes while dropping her son off at a Christian School located in a church parking lot. Car was in sight of the doors. Within that time, her purse was stolen. It took a long time to straighten out. The thieves even had duplicate license plates made and ran up lots of tolls.

[Farrar]

Sometimes you kind of have to. If I'm taking the kids to the pool, is it safer locked in the car or locked in the cheapie lockers? Seems pretty even odds. Besides, locking it in the car is free.

[Skadi]

I always carry a gun in my purse, so no, I don't leave it in the car. If I'm going some place where I wouldn't want to carry my purse, I leave my purse at home and carry my wallet, keys and gun on my person (jacket pockets, etc.).

 

Our car was broken into in our driveway and the GPS was stolen from the glove compartment (like a PP, we didn't have one of those plastic mounts to let them know we even had one, so that was odd). Someone broke my dad's car window just to steal his leather jacket. I don't think it's fraud, I think that car break-ins are just becoming more common now than they were ten years ago and people aren't used to having to deal with that.

[OLG]

I lock it in the glove compartment when I go to early morning Mass each day but that's it.

[Jenny in Florida]

I leave mine in the car now and then if I can't be bothered carrying it around.

 

For example, if we go to a theme park, I might take the purse in the car so that the things I normally have it it would be closer than home, but I would take just my phone, ID, keys and some money or credit card stuffed in my pockets for the day.

 

Or, today I was at the park with my son where his Lego robotics team meets. The room where the kids work is cramped, and I don't need to add to the clutter by keeping my purse in there. So, I grabbed my phone and keys and left the rest.

 

However, when I do leave it in the car, I never leave it in plain sight. It always gets tucked away somewhere that obscures it from outside the car. And, since I have most of the stuff anyone might want to steal with my in my pockets most of the time, anyway, I figure even if it did get stolen it would be more of an inconvenience than a disaster.

Edited October 21, 2011 by Jenny in Florida

[Paige]

I don't carry a purse but I used to frequently leave the diaper bag in the car. I didn't bother to hide it but I would put my wallet in there without thinking about it. I hate carrying around a purse or diaper bag! I also will stash my phone or IDs in the car out of sight if I don't have room in my pockets and don't think I'll need them.

[VeteranMom]

I do occasionally, but I hide it under the seat. I'd never leave it sitting out in plain sight.

[IsabelC]

Don't usually leave it in the car, but if I want to I ensure it's well hidden.

[dirty ethel rackham]

We have had a ring of smash&grabbers in our town. I think there were 50 cases this summer alone. My friend does all the time. Even at places where the smash&grabbers have been known to operate - like the Y. I just don't get why she does this. I have left a purse in the car, but it was very hidden and I took the wallet and phone out. I don't do it anymore.

[Beth in OH]

I rarely leave my purse in the car, but I did it about a year ago, because it was that or leave it unattended in a theater while I went on stage (I couldn't have it with me do to a competition video being filmed).

 

That one time. My window was broken out and the purse gone. It only took once.

[felicity]

I've had two GPSs stolen from my car in my driveway. My dh hates that my car is so messy but I've only had problems right after i clean it out. So now i call the messiness my anti-theft devices. But because of that i don't keep anything that i actually like in mycar.

[Bang!Zoom!]

This is a funny thread.

 

I'm waiting for someone to pipe up and talk about hoodies as essential, running red lights as SOP.

 

Purse in the car, are you out of your mind? :lol:

[Joules]

No, the breakins happen a great deal here. Things are just different in the city. I grew up in a bit safer suburb, but then lived at college downtown. I don't leave my purse in the car when I pump gas. I lock the other doors in the car while I pump gas.

 

I'm back in the suburbs, now so muggings and carjackings are much less likely, but we get constant alerts from the cops about "entering cars." I kinda feel bad for the police. They remind people over and over to not leave valuables in the car and to lock the cars when they leave them. The percentage of unlocked cars where the thief doesn't even have to break a window is appalling. (I guess I could see leaving the doors unlocked if there is nothing to steal in the car in the hopes to minimize damage, but that's not the case. One of dh's coworker's had his new truck busted up so that someone could steal his gym bag off the seat. I just had sweaty clothes in it!)

[snickelfritz]

I voted no. My sister was at church when her car window was broken to snatch her purse.

 

I left our garage door open last spring and someone came in and took things from the garage and my car. They grabbed a wallet out of the glove box. Imagine their excitement to discover the zoo and science museum membership cards that I do leave out there. :)