Spider secuirty

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 8/8/2002 6:57:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> I don't lock the doors in hopes that someone will try the door before 
> cutting
> the roof but I've already had the car rummaged through twice in two months.
> 

I've had Spiders on the road here in the big, bad city for a total of at 
least 17 years.  Only twice have I had unwanted intrusions.  I don't know if 
I have ever locked the doors (other than to test the locks).  Thanks to our 
favorable climate, the top is usually down.  Note: if the sky is threatening, 
or at night, I always flip the seats forward against sprinkles or 
condensation.

Once upon a time, the car was parked in a lot in a questionable neighborhood 
late at night.  The top was up against a light drizzle.  Someone opened the 
passenger door, the broke the lock and park of the dashboard breaking in to 
the locked glove compartment where nothing of value was to be found.

Another time, the car was parked on a street in a somewhat better 
neighborhood, also late at night, and again, the top was up.  Although the 
door were unlocked, the perp didn't stop to discover this and instead prized 
off part of the stainless trim around the passenger vent window to "force" 
open the window, though of course on that car the latch had long since fallen 
off the glass 22,865 times and the window could be opened with the simple 
finger pressure of a six-month-old child.  Thus gaining access, the master 
thief opened the now-unlocked glovebox to discover the usual nothing of 
value, but did take one worthless thing (I forget what), maybe as a souvenir 
of the adventure.

No one has ever bothered a Spider of mine when the top was down, no matter 
what time of day or what kind of neighborhood, other than to throw an egg at 
the car one hot summer day while I was at work.

Moral: don't lock the doors -- or the glove box!  Put up the top only in 
inclement weather.  Do not give the appearance of having something of value 
inside or something to hide.  Someone once suggested leaving a $5 bill poking 
out somewhere as a tip for leaving the car alone, but most of us are too 
cheap to spring for that one!

Best luck!

Charlie
LA, CA, USA
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