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I saw this video when an organizing colleague of mine posted it on Facebook. I could not believe that this was going on but you can clearly see as people drive up beside a vehicle to steal their valuables right out of someone’s car.
I don’t know about you but I am pretty guilty of having my purse or wallet easily accessible to me. I have a centre console that I keep full of important things and of course my purse usually sits right there beside me. I am trying very hard to keep my phone in the back seat for safety reasons.
From Now ON, I will be doing this:
- Keep my valuables (purse, cell phone, iPad) out of sight.
- Keep my purse in the back seat on the driver’s side. I can access it quickly when I need to get my wallet.
- Pay at the pump. It is convenient and at least I won’t be robbed if I am paying inside. I pay this way 99% of the time.
- Lock the car if I walk away from the car (seems like a no brainer but we’ve all done it!)
- Pay extra attention to who is around me and what cars drive up along side my car.
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Another solutions may be to leave the window on the drivers side open (so you don’t lock yourself out of your car) and then just lock your car. Getting into this habit will make it harder for ‘sliders’ to open a passenger door (front or back).
I certainly hope that you take some time to consider your options the next time you are at the pump. Don’t let thieves ruin your day.
When you go to the gas station do you pay at the pump or walk inside?
Video clip is from ABCNews.com YouTube channel. I just used the ‘share’ button to let you know.
Disclosure: This is a Public Service Announcement provided by @DownshiftingPRO. No compensation (either monetary or for products or services) was received for this blog post. To find other interesting PSA posts, please go to my PSA Pinterest Board.
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Margarita Ibbott is a travel and lifestyle blogger. She blogs about travel in Canada, the United States and Europe giving practical advice through restaurant, hotel and attraction reviews. She writes for DownshiftingPRO.com and other online media outlets.
WOW, that’s just scary what people will do these days. :/ I’ve always rolled my eyes at my mother when she was insistent that we leave our valuables underneath seats of their tinted-glass vehicle. I’m not going to tell her she’s right to be concerned, lol. I’ll just maybe not roll my eyes so much next time she tells me to hide everything I might leave behind in her car. 😉
I am always locking my car … all the time… I always lock even at the gas bar. Heck even when I put my cart away at a grocery store after putting my groceries in the car I lock my car. I guess I could be over paranoid but after seeing this I am glad I always lock my door.
I am terrible for leaving things in my car… even my keys! I need to get on top of it!
I keep my cell phone in my purse and my purse right beside me, but I always take it with me when I’m pumping gas. I’m sure there have been times I’ve left the car unlocked at stations where you have to pay inside, and I’ll make sure I don’t do that anymore.