Thieves use manhole cover to break into car.

dirtydiesel

My friends car was parked in a busy town centre car park last night. It was there from 9.30pm to 11.30pm, upon her return she saw a manhole cover next to her car and the drivers window smashed.
In the car was a dirty towel that wasn't in it when she parked it up.
Cash and a pack of ciggies was missing from the glove box.
Guards were called and the car was taken to the station and dusted for prints, there is CCTV nearby but not in the car park, even so they might be caught with some luck.
I am just amazed at the lengths they went to to break into the car, like its not easy to lift a manhole cover and why did they have a towel with them.
Its hard enough to protect our cars from been targeted by thieves but now it seems we should not park near a manhole cover either just in case.
I have heard of bricks, rocks and the like been used to break windows but this was extreme IMO.

Senna

Its possible these morons though if they either put the towel around the manhole cover or against the glass it would reduce the noise of breaking glass:rolleyes:

dirtydiesel

Senna wrote: »

Its possible these morons though if they either put the towel around the manhole cover or against the glass it would reduce the noise of breaking glass:rolleyes:

Maybe so

Atlantic Dawn

Yes pretty much any idiot can get in to a car by breaking the window, there's a skill in driving a modern car away without the key though.

Wossack

hope its only the window that was damaged and not any surrounding bodywork - wouldnt imagine a manhole cover is the most precise instrument for busting windows

dr.fuzzenstein

Kinda reminds me of the old joke.
A man parks his car and proceeds to wrap a large chain and padlock around the steering wheel and pedals.
He then locks the doors, alarms his car and puts on the immobiliser.
Inside the car is a fearsome looking dog.
As he walks away some kids who have been watching shout over “Hey mister, can your dog put out fires too?”
I'm afraid you just cannot win with scumbags.

Absurdum

man I'd love to drop a manhole cover on some car thieves

dirtydiesel

Wossack wrote: »

hope its only the window that was damaged and not any surrounding bodywork - wouldnt imagine a manhole cover is the most precise instrument for busting windows

No just the window.

Absurdum wrote: »

man I'd love to drop a manhole cover on some car thieves

Nice idea.

Senna

Senna wrote: »

Its possible these morons though if they either put the towel around the manhole cover or against the glass it would reduce the noise of breaking glass:rolleyes:

If they had put gaffer tape on the glass and given the taped glass a sharp smack of the towel covered man hole cover the noise would have been minimal enough. The towel will reduce the impact noise and the gaffer tape will prevent the shatter noise.

dirtydiesel

RoverJames wrote: »

If they had put gaffer tape on the glass and given the taped glass a sharp smack of the towel covered man hole cover the noise would have been minimal enough. The towel will reduce the impact noise and the gaffer tape will prevent the shatter noise.

They must be bringing a towel with em these days and then look for something to shatter the window. The car was just a bog standard clio, nothing special, nothing on display.
Goes to show it makes no difference what car you drive as any car can be a target.

vectra

Towel to possibly wipe off any finger prints?

Wibbs

Opportunistic junkie types by the sounds of it. Not a lot you can about it either sadly. Maybe park in front of a CCTV camera, but that's not so practical. Was this in one ofthe city centre high rise car parks? If so I would be asking where was their security. OK the disclaimer sign is all very well, but regardless they have some duty of care while your car is parked there and youre paying for the privilege.

dirtydiesel

Wibbs wrote: »

Opportunistic junkie types by the sounds of it. Not a lot you can about it either sadly. Maybe park in front of a CCTV camera, but that's not so practical. Was this in one ofthe city centre high rise car parks? If so I would be asking where was their security. OK the disclaimer sign is all very well, but regardless they have some duty of care while your car is parked there and youre paying for the privilege.

It was in a public car park in Clonmel by the westgate, busy road running front and back of the car park,its fairly exposed and anyone passing would of seen them do it.
Clonmel town centre was fitted with guarda cctv cameras this year, one camera is located close enough to see vehicles or people leaving the car park at the rear but there is no camera at the front entrance.