Just had phone call from poor *feeling stupid/sorry for himself* OH

He's just returned to his (thankfully company) car to find that it had been broken into and had the TomTom stolen. He had removed it from its stand and hidden it in the glove compartment (no one would think to look there!!??) the problem really tho' was he left the stand suckered to the dashboard, so bit of an advertisment to a would be thief!! (didnt occur to him..bless)

so, just a timely security reminder to you all...'Tis the season!... unfortunately.
so dont forget your house,car,handbag,personal security at this time. :(

Very good advice, Huskygal.  It pays to be extra careful with your belongings at this time of year.

Yes slap on the wrist for me i always leave my bag in the car when i go to work, i suppose you just don't think it will happen to you. But it can happen to anyone.

I was paranoid about my Tom Tom and always carried it in my bag despite it being bulky and annoying.

I am so glad I did as some theives saw the sucker and smashed my car up trying to get to the Tom Tom which they thought was in the glove box.

The damage did not end up costing me more than £50 as I managed to find a new window in the scrapyard so at least they didnt get away with a £350 Tom Tom too!

I would never leave the sucker out again either :(

Where I lived before there was a spate of car break-ins, one neighbour had all his carpentary tools taken, another who was a taxi driver popped indoors for a cuppa and had his takings taken, thought that was particularly daft, but like you say you don't think it will happen to you.  My car was actually stolen and when I eventually got it back (written off) they had taken from the boot the spare wheel and presumably to get to that they had just dumped my baby's buggy, the car blanket was gone and even my sunglasses. 

It does really annoy me that although I NEVER leave anything that is nickable in the car we still sometimes get the window smashed. We have been throught it so many times now I just cant be bothered to buy things like a tom tom and it has always happend in 'good' areas. It is just the hassle of trying to sort out insurance/window replacement etc. Seriously thinking about getting a poisonous snake or a vicious dog to put in the car. If I knew the toerags had a few teeth marks for their trouble it would mae me feel a whole lot better.   

I know how you feel.  I felt like I wanted to chop their hands off I was soooo angry. I was upset though that they dumped the baby's buggy, that felt really personal.  I don't have any niceties in my car although I do have a MD player I am resigned to that being pinched if they broke in so sort of prepared myself for it.

Worringly, a news item today reported that car-jacking has increased significantly because of sophisticated car security.  Can't win can we?

I know my OH is looking to buy a new car and one of the security systems that they are promoting allows you to do certain remote control functions to the car with a mobile phone so if you are car jacked you can let them get a safe distance before you stop the vehicle. My reaction was - great so they will soon learn to take mobile phones/handbags as well :(

Sorry to sound like a bit of a dolly-dim-wit but could someone please explain to me what is a tom tom ? Thanks

Its a Satellite Navigation System Margaret  :-)

Dont appologise Margret!... there's sooo much new technology around now I defy anyone to keep up with the 'latest' gadget!! :)

They look very much like a little hand held game, you know like kids gameboys, a small screen. It guides you as your driving with visual maps and with a voice (which you can change to your preference) also indicates speed cameras.

very handy when work takes you to strange cities/towns. (until it comes across a new road and tells you your driving in a field!!???)
:D

OOoooooo sounds just fabulous, think I could really be doing with one of them, but once you have it do you have to pay to use it -  like using the computer. Now if you don't have to pay anymore, once you have it then you don't have to geuss what I want for Xmas !

I have to admit I leave the sucker on the windscreen.  I would have thought that any would-be thief would assume that you had taken the tomtom away with you, but having heard this, I'm going to remove the thing right now!

Unfortunately they'll assume that you have put your tom tom in the glove compartment because that's where most people put their removable CD/MD players apparently so assume tom tom owners will be the same

Chez is absolutely right Rose,
we were chatting last night with friends who are Met police, and they are astounded at the amounts of people who leave items in glove compartments under seats etc. ( they react the same way to that as we react to unrealistic expectations of puppies ;) )
     AS car technology gets sophisticated ergo so do the thieves, its no skin of their nose to pop your door and look. they have well co ordinated gangs and specific shopping lists apparently.
    I guess in some ways my OH was 'lucky' as it was 'pros' that stole his and they popped the car door with no damage very clean very quick and were gone.
so no damage or broken windows to add insult to injury!

Its mad to leave it in the glove box cause its just like carrying around a mobile phone .

I've seen them actually left on view in cars how stupid is that!!  :)

dont be to hard on his Huskygal...he might havebeen thinking about what to buy you for christmas !! :D

A word of warning for those of you who might over-indulge with Christmas exhuberance!  Eldest son was out for celebrations on Saturday night and had had more than a few too many.  He remembers texting someone whilst stood in the street outside a club but hasn't seen his phone since.  He thinks that someone helped him to put his beloved £450 phone (with tom-tom) back in his pocket!!!! (perhaps not HIS pocket)!

He's very very cross with himself now, and isn't in receipt of much sympathy!  He has insurance cover on the phone but certainly isn't covered for being drunk and disorderly in charge of valuable technology!

I didn't know what one of these was until last Saturday when I went on a trip to Wolverhampton Race Course and they are brilliant, friend has the Tom Tom 300 and I want one!  Won't get one though my Christmas list already done!  Shame wish I'd seen one earlier!  Loved it!