I have heard a few local horror stories of kites being stolen out of their vehicles. Is this a sign of the times where people need to steal their toys, because they can't afford to buy them?

I know we all love to keep our kites with us, but maybe we better be more careful to keep them out of site in our vehicles.

word!!! i think that people see a bag they think its camping gear or a tent......the nylon drawstring bag is tempting...my 5.5 just got ripped off!

DQ

yeah bro you were one. The other was a customer in Berkeley who got 2 blades lifted.

I cover my equipment with a blanket. Sure... it looks like a dead body. But i figure, why would someone break into a vehicle unless they had a guaranteed profit out of the deal? Then again, they are stupid enough to break in... maybe they don't think about these things anyways.

People will steal anything if they think they can sell it and avoid working. #@%$#!ing scum don't even start me ...

Way back in the 90's when I was flatting with a bunch of friends, we had all our hockey gear ripped off from the shed down the back of the property. Yes, stinky knee pads and all. That would have been about 1998 I guess.
Well, in 2001 I got a call from my buddy to say that the cops had raided a place and found a ton of stolen gear ... including his beloved sunglasses and all our hockey gear.
Another friend had her car broken into and one skate - yes just one - stolen.

I'm fairly pacifist and all that, but I'd cut their #@%$#!ing hands off if I caught them

I had someone break into my car recently. They broke the passenger door lock while doing it. All they took was the ashtray and the butts in it. They looked at my CDs, but I guess they decided I have such shltty taste in music that they could not sell them easily.
Covering your stuff with a blanket is not going stop anyone from breaking your car. The people who are busting into your car are not the brightest bulbs in the pack. They are looking for change, anything they can sell to get their next rock, or even the butts in the ashtray. Locking your car with stuff in the passenger compartment is asking for some a$$hole to smash your window or take a wrench to a door lock. Lock your stuff in the trunk or a lock box.
I now have to fix my door lock, and go to a wrecker to find an ashtray. Their gain: a bunch of butts and my ashtray. I suppose it was better that they busted the door lock than smashed the window, at least it stays dry until i fix it.
What really pi$$ed me off was that the driver's door was unlocked. I said they are not the sharpest knives in the drawer.
S

Dude I had a 1967 Toyota Corona when I was younger ... I paid NZ$400 for it, less than a weeks wages. It got stolen 3 times and broken into twice. They got nothing from the car except a cheap cigar but they left a bandana so I guess I was up on the deal. The sad thing was you could open the door and start the car with a stone jammed in the lock ... but they had to smash the window

If they can't see anything then the spontaneous theft is reduced. I got dark tinted windows in the back of my car and a cover over the rear (station wagon) but Japan is pretty good.

RANT RANT RANT :evil:

People started stealing kites in Hawaii years ago. The ice heads who live on the beach soon learned how valuable the kites were and it's gotten to the point where your kites aren't safe anywhere there. At places like Kailua or Mokuleia you can't leave your gear unattended ever. Fortunately, the islands are a pretty tight knit community and some of the kites are eventually recovered. Usually because someone spots them on Craigslist and calls the police.

Yeah, while I miss the station wagon that I had years ago for it carrying capacity. I love having a trunk that people can't see into. The only things that are ever left in sight in my car are an umbrella and an ice scraper, both of which are only barely visible as they are stuff half under my drivers seat.

Well I'm no pacifist. I caught a guy breaking into my truck trying to get at my gear. I gave him the option of running but he thought he was tough. So he got to try out our wonderful medical system, bet he wish he'd ran....lol

I had a few kites ripped off out of my Blazer last year. (2 aces and a NT Ballistic) not a huge loss but still devastating.
The crackheads more than likely just wanted the backpacks they were in as they pulled my 4.9 reactor out of the bag and left it on the floor.
Lesson learned...never leave your gear in your vehicle.
I bought an expensive alarm system for the truck after this happened even though I keep nothing in there anymore.
I like Kamikuza's way...street justice on these lowlifes.

Ken

Maybe new to powerkites, but not new to general kiting. I think there was an article on kiting thefts in one of last year's issues of Kiting.

Sometimes more of a problem with framed, dual line kites. I can fit an R-Sky bag in the trunk, but HQ and Prism (unless broken down) only fit in the passenger compartment or with the rear seat dropped.

Luckily, the SO has kind of gotten used to the paranoia level. Don't like leaving the car out of line of sight. Have brought one of the 6ft kite bags into the restaurant when having lunch. Always a good conversational ice breaker.

Same caveats and paranoia apply to camera and computer gear.

No....thieves don't have an IQ requirement. Years ago, someone spent a good long time on my motorcyle lock and all they succeeded in doing was removing the dust/debris cover off of it, but never got past the actual fork lock or ignition. Not sure what they had intended to do with the U-Lock that ran through the rear wheel and swingargm.

There was a story recently on the news about a thief who dropped his wallet at the scene of a crime and called back to see if anyone had found it. He said he would be there soon to pick it up, but apparently the police were there first and waiting for him.

ATB,
Sam

lol i had a really nice... um... blown glass.... um item....... jacked out of my car in college. Thats the only time ive ever had anything stolen from me... i was a little angry at the time, mainly because they smashed a window to get to it... and not having a window in wyoming in the middle of winter sucks

Here in Nebraska, no one has a clue what im doing or what its worth, so i have no worries about my gear... i still lock everything up, but i'm not worried

a blanket is invaluable in concealing your stuff tho....

Luckily, my car's an old beat down 93' toyota celica, i dont think anybodys gonna try going for my car vs. the newer cars around mine, sad thing is i think all these kites i have are worth more than my car itself, including all the computer / electronic stuff i keep inside the car.

My car is a complete shltbox; people still try to steal it. Old Toyotas are one the worst makes for theft. Four easy blows with a hammer and drift the steering lock is smashed and you can turn the ignition with a screw driver. It can be done in about thirty seconds. You might as well leave the keys in them if you do not use the club or similar device.
I am surprised that Jolt's car has not been stolen for parts yet. In Vancouver it would gone and stripped for parts in no time.
S

I'm with you on that Drewculous, nobody where I live even knows what kiteboarding is, so I'm not too worried. Luckily my scorpion backpack looks so much like a bookbag, and I don't think anybody wants to steal books from a science teacher

somebody breaks in my car and i catch em--things will get UGLY fast--everyone in my hood knows im psycho,so im not too worried--they know their heads will get ripped off lol

Insured by springfield , ruger,swith&wesson,hk and colt. security cameras run 24/7 on my truck in the drive. And 3 dogs to let me know they are there,I'll take out the trash.

Kites wouldn't be worth anything if there wasn't a black market from them ...
I'm with WELD - cops are too busy on the speeding traps and handing out revenue gathering tickets, we'd best protect our interests ourselves ... I'd like a Glock 30 please ...

Now that's some cheap insurance that doesn't rack up a bill every month

have you priced ammo lately?

Yes I know its expensive but you don't need much of it.

Only need two rounds ... first is a warning shot - in one leg so they can do the right thing and hobble away ...

I hope none of you are really serious about trying to shoot someone for breaking into your car. I can not think of anywhere that the this would not get you some time to think it over. As you would be doing your thinking with a bunch of guys doing time for breaking into cars it might not be pleasant.
By the way, the fact you have written about it here means that your act would be premeditated. So if you are serious about it, delete your post. It is evidence that might be used against you.
Kamikuza, you might like spending time in Japan, but you definitely do not want to be doing time in Japan.
S

good point scud , guess I will have to use my M16 SPR automatic electric airsoft gun. That shoots 437fps and 18rps. 300 rd clip Ouch!! This aint yer kids airsoft rifle! Oh yeah,red/ green dot sight too, on target, everytime!

Weldngod, the next thing is you are wondering which one of the little bustard's friends torched your car. Burning school house on your hood etc. You are best off to let the police deal with the little facker; that way he is doing time not you.
S

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I am surprised that Jolt's car has not been stolen for parts yet. In Vancouver it would gone and stripped for parts in no time.

Do you think they'd take a crappy Malibu if i drove it up there.

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Originally posted by Akulakat Do you think they'd take a crappy Malibu if i drove it up there.

Sorry, Jolts car was a nice car at one time. There are people who love them and want to keep their's on the road. Yours was a POS from the day it left the line.

Quote:

Sorry, Jolts car was a nice car at one time. There are people who love them and want to keep their's on the road. Yours was a POS from the day it left

I can't really say that. I call it crappy as I don't ever wash it or anything. I really want something new, but have another year to go.
I do have 117,000 miles on it and have done nothing to it other than change the oil and tires. I've had 'better' brands of cars not do so well with the same care.
I really can't complain about the car itself.

Where am I going to get a gun in Japan? Paintball markers and plastic BB guns are illegal FFS ...

Leave it to the cops? Boy you must live next to the police station or something
Y'all know the old gag of ...
"Hello 911 There's a burglar in my house"
"Sorry all officers are busy"
"That's ok I've got my gun I'm going to shoot him" and the cops are there within 2 minutes?
Well ... buddy in Texas did that when his garage was being broken into. Yes they were there in 2 minutes and yes they were pissed when he didn't have a gun ...
"Guess you weren't that busy after all, huh?"

... friend in Australia had his bike ripped off from his garage - police sent him a DIY fingerprint kit, told him to interview the neighbors :ticking:
... in NZ the police were called as someone was drowning at the beach. They were told their were no units in the area - I guess they forgot about the radar trap 100m down the road :ticking:
... like I said, we had all our hockey gear ripped off. The police were given a statement of what was taken and it was only blind chance they found our hard earned kit - years later. We were uni students at the time ... thank crap I had home insurance!

The list is endless.

Why do you want to go soft on thieves? I work my ass off to pay for my toys and some shiftless lazy pond dweller thinks he can just walk in and take it? Think again. The cops don't have the time, resources or inclination to protect my pursuit of life, liberty and happiness so they have, by default, returned that responsibility into our hands.
Steal my stuff? Threaten my life? Hope you got medical insurance.