Car broken into last night (ridgeway drive)

Everyone-

As a new resident of Broadlands since December 2009, I need to inform you all that last night my car was broken into and papers/glovebox rifled through and thrown about within the front seats of my car along with them pouring water onto my papers. Good thing they didn't take my garage opener ...

Called the cops and they came out. Took detailed reports...they said that they believe it was the work of bored high school kids who were up in the dead of the night after 2 AM (where were their parents at that time of the night???)

Am going to replace my garage lights to motion ones (Are we allowed to do that??) so that way if someone lurks around my garage/driveway, the lights will come on scaring them off....

I heard from some other neighbors this AM that their cars were rifled through too even though our cars were locked. Some of us believe the kids bought or have been given the jimney thingies (they can buy them off of craigslist, ebay, or through friends).

Be careful and keep your valuables in the house. Thank GOD that my GPS was in the house and not in the car. I always keep it in the house in the evenings!

Oh and they did take my car manual...Why they want that manual beats me!!!!

 

Where on Ridgeway was this? Up the hill or down?

 

It happened in the middle

 

e-Bay. Seriously.

 

You've got to be sh*ttin' me! Incredible...how much those books cost, really?

 

We had some sketchy looking guys in our neighborhood (Ashburn Farm) last night about 7pm (after dark). Older maroon Cadillac or some other four door large boxy type sedan. A neighbor said they were going door to door for a "remodeling company" but they never made it to my house so I don't know. I think the cops were called but I'm not sure if they caught up with them. You can probably ask the Sheriffs office if they talked to any solicitors last night. Could be something to look into.

 

This problem has been going on for years in this area, and will continue to be a problem for years to come.
Keep your car doors locked.
Almost all of this type of theft/vandalism is caused by children who live in the community.

 

CAR ALSO BROKEN INTO LAST NIGHT around 2:45 am

Cloverleaf court at the bottom of the street JUST DISCOVERED we were also VICTIMIZED last night. NEW Bag of clothing only thing taken..we think. 2am-3am (i think it was 2:45 am) I was awoken by what i thought was our car horn (just confirmed my neighbor heard it also). Me and the dogs jumped up and ran around and looked out the front windows saw nothing thought I was crazy and went back to bed. They must have bumped the horn because my wife's purse was right there and it was un bothered. We are not 100% sure if the doors were locked often they aren't(no longer). This is the 2nd time last time was minor (last summer I think) like this but it is becoming a pain. Going to file a police report. I am also guessing neighborhood kids... but obviously can't be sure. KEEP YOUR EYES and EARS open.

 

Guess they are all looking for electronic stuff to sell on ebay, craigslist....the bastards! Im toying with the idea of having a small camera being put up somewhere in front of my house (inside, so they cannot rip it out) that will be trained on my driveway for potential thiefs!!! Will be good evidence for the cops if the kids are caught! I will prosecute kids if they tresspass on my property / car if the camera catches them...their parents will also be sued. I don't play games with these kids and will hit their pocketbooks where it will hurt...that means I will also have their parents pay for my attorney fees.

Sorry that I have to be a bit 'meanie' about this but where are their parents supervising them? Maybe suing their parents will make them wake up about their parenting responsibilities at that hour of the night!!!!

Thoughts? Comments?

 

there was a dog barking its head off around 1:15am last night in our culdesac- i wonder if they were creeping around our street before they got to ridgeway... we park in the garage so they had nothing to go after in our driveway, but i wonder about our neighbors who park in theirs... sorry that happened to you folks.

 

and if kids are sneaking out while parents are asleep a lawsuit would fail anyway. i think catching and scaring the bejesus out of a few of them is much more effective. neighborhood watch will need to ramp up as the weather gets warmer.. happens every year.

 

If they damaged my car, stole stuff, etc...Since the kids are minors, I still can sue the parents since they technically under the law are RESPONSIBLE for their children's actions. As a grad student, I took two years of law courses (not law school, but took law courses nonetheless), I did research the law regarding parental responsibilities and the law. Turns out that the law can be applied to the parents whether they are sleeping or not due to the fact that the minors are STILL under their parents.

Minors can be dragged into juvenile court if caught and prosecuted. The police officer said that they have successfully prosecuted some minors and the parents were made responsible for the restitution through a civil lawsuit. The officer said that it doesn't matter if parents are sleeping or not, the parents are responsible for their children's actions until the kid becomes 18.

So.....

 

Very true! Parents are responsible for their children's actions until they are 18. Which is why mine always had a curfew and I always knew where they were!

 

Good to know! I thgought negligence had 2 be oproven.

 

<inappropriate semi-right wingnut wack-job comment here>

 

???????????????

 

One of our community members put up camera(s?) and caught some thieves who took a sign from their yard. A don't believe they posted what system they used, but it was good enough to see their faces to know exactly who did it. The thread is buried somewhere in this site, I couldn't find it nor do I remember offhand the user. They threatened to go to the police by a certain date. They got the signs back.

I don't know how well it would work at night, but it could be done I'm sure. When the tech committee was looking for a camera for the Nature Center Cam (see front page) we found a lot that did night enhancement (but we didn't need it). The camera solution we did is cheap and is wireless, and the software it comes with is very impressive (motion alerts, ftp capabilities, etc). At the time the resolution was great, today's cameras are much much better.

 

Some states have laws that allow you to sue parents for the "willful misconduct" of their minor children. Not sure about Virginia.

 

You can check into the "Parent Liability Child’s Act". It describes parental responsibilty regarding their children. It does differ by state.