Beware!!!

I just read this thread. I don't know this area, but according to the other thread it sounds like it is a tight fit for a tow truck. Is it possible that the VW was the real target, and they needed to move (i.e., steal) the Explorer to get at the VW?

 

I've used that technique here at work to catch the cleaning lady stealing gum from me at night.

Trouble is with a street, there's movement all day and it'd record a bunch of crap...not to mention if you have paranoid neighbors that ever found out you were 'taping them'! I'd rather have stuff recorded like they do in London...if you're not doing anything illegal, you shouldn't care that there are cameras everywhere.

 

The Explorer was taken first and then they came back 90+ minutes later to take the VW.

 

I've thought about it also (setting up a webcam in the window). I believe the is plenty of open source software that can archive photos taken every few seconds as well.

I'm wondering if the HOA would fund setting up a couple wireless webcams on our major roads. We could feed it to our webpage and archive photos. Might be something to discuss at our next Technology Meeting (which has been resheduled to this Monday the 19th at 7:30pm at the Community Center - but location may change. Will post if so.).

If we had this in place, the police could have used it here. I'll post a thread for discussion.

John

---------------
Got Broadband?

 

all you need is about ~2 weeks of rolling picture/video archive... someone should report it by then, and then you can check the approx date/time of the event to see if you can get any info from it, otherwise old footage gets discarded.

I bet wireless webcams would be crazy expensive... maybe $1500+ each. + mounting to streetlight or whatever w/ power, etc.

Sure would be nice in cases like this though!

 

that sucks! yikes, that VW will be hard to replace!

i live on frame square, but on the front side. for what it's worth: the corner house that just sold a couple months ago (the beige one on the opposite side of the street with the VW), they had a fence contractor out yesterday fixing their fence about that time the first car was stolen, maybe you could find his number and see if he remembers seeing anything?

why do we not have a neighborhood watch/signs in Broadlands already? what is required for that?

for the rest of us, here are a few tips on protecting your car from theft, or at least making it easier to find if it is stolen:

http://www.2sportscars.com/prevent-car-theft.shtml

 

Hummm,

I am wondering why this has not be on leesburg2day.com, other news outlets (WAGE?) or part of the County's email news alert system.

Two possibilities:

1. A legitimate excuse or rational for the towings.
2. A reflection on our Sheriff's efforts to communicate issues and events that are of concern.

If this truly was a theft, I think the Sheriff should find a way to alert the community so a wider audience (than just this forum) could be on the look out. I consider that a core responsibility for the Sheriff's office.

 

At our recent HOA meeting a sheriffs representative was present and will be filling us in on crime statistics and what we need to know about what is occuring in our neighborhoods. I think (at least) we need to get active with the neighborhood watch program and I will ask the Sheriff what he suggests. A neighbor of mine had some vandalism done to their home, things were stolen and their mailox was glued shut. I know this is a good place to post these events but if you could also email someone on the HOA board so that we are all aware of what is going on we can present our sheriffs liaison with facts and dates.

 

Looks like the guy with the Corrado got his VW back, the HOA may have been involved in towing it.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?&id=1491281&postid=14830066#14830066

BODYWORKS was the tow company, so if you want to call them you can probably get yoru ride back.

 

I knew that thread about Abandoned Cars was trouble! Look what it led to.

What's the HOA's response to this? Did they have anything to do with it? From that thread it looks like HOA will be sued if it doesn't start 'splaining.

 

It will be interesting to hear the outcome from the meeting with the police, car owner, tow truck company owners, tow truck driver, and HOA.

 

Seems to me that if the inspection, tags, and Loudoun County sticker are current, H.O.A. wouldn't have any reason having it towed, much less without some sort of prior notice to the owner. Sounds a little fishy to me.

 

I would like to hear (on the forums) from Cliff, Donna and Neil on this to clear up what's going on.

 

Strange that none of them has actually chimed in on this issue (Donna mentioned something about neighborhood security, not the car theft/towing).

 

I think the HOA made an uh-oh. Raise your hand if you towed a vehicle unlawfully. Come on - own up!

 

I dunno, after reading the vortex I'm leaning toward the towing company being the culprit.

 

I am too, but I find the HOA's silence disturbing.

 

Most of you do not know me but I too am one of your HOA represenatives (Staci Kapinos). It was not the HOA that had the cars towed. What happened was this same tow company (Bodyworks) was in our neighborhood last night (7/14 8pm) they were canvasing several streets including Autumnwood sq. Having seen that a tow truck was reported stealing cars in the community I called the Sheriff's office. Apperently when the two cars were recovered last night and the company said they had authorization to tow them from the HOA and thus the sheriffs office was passing this incorrect info along to others. The HOA did NOT authorize the towing of theses cars. Broadlands does not have any association with Bodywork towing. Myself Wes and Arlene are presently working with the sherriff's office to press criminal charges against Bodywork towing for this incident. If you see any of theses trucks in our neighborhood, especially on private streets you can know they were not authorized by the HOA and please contact the sheriff's office. The HOA works with Road runner towing and yes in some extreem cases we have had to tow cars but not until after the cars owner has 60 days notice that the cars will be towed. Wes will tag a car twice to make sure the owner is notified and the second notice needs to be physically peeled off the windshield so there is no way anyone can say they did not know there was a problem.

 

Thanks for posting! Maybe the HOA should also post on these forums as the final warning. That way those of us who are watching will know someone is getting a legitimate tow.