A Brick and a Broken Window

It all started with a gentle tap tap tap on my door.  It was a Metropolitan DC police officer.  Wierd. Am I in trouble?  I had been home all day, innocently typing away on my computer.  What could be the matter?

"Is that your car out back?" he pointed to my forlorn Subaru Baja parked out listlessly on the street, directly in front of my house.



"Yeah"  Everything looked just fine.  I started getting worried.
What I didn't see out on the street, the driver's side window was completely smashed with a retainer brick snatched from a neighbor's yard.

The thug had also gone in my glove compartment and stolen money and change.  He had also taken my beloved Iphone car adaptor (which I didn't notice until after the police had taken off)

Oddly, an HVAC technician's car several houses down the road was also broken into by the same thug. This time, he made out with his GPS unit.  The cop said that it was definitely a desperate druggie trying to steal GPS units, loose change anything to buy that next fix.  How wonderful -- I think I would have just given him the money, (after I preached to him).

So why did my car get targeted?  Hopefully, I haven't made too many enemies in the hood.  Was it because I'm former military. I have a strange name.  I don't throw throw horse shoes at neighborhood block parties?   Did I have beer in the backseat.  Not nearly... I believe, it was likely because my GPS dashboard mount was still affixed to my windshield.  Thankfully, my unit was inside the house charging, but the thug likely thought that it was still inside the car, so he went after it.  But all he got was loose change and (yes, my nano adapter).

I also learned that because my car is manual, it is a disincentive (but not a complete deterrent) for the "joy riders" to take it for a spin.  Many of these thugs don't know how to drive a stick and may target another car.

So how much was the damage?  For the window alone? $230.  But that's not all.  There's damage to the door lock  (won't be able to open the driver's side with a key).  Unfortunately, my comprehensive is $500 and the total damage just adds up to about $500.  So I may not be able to get my car lock repaired.

Ironically, when I showed up at Royal Glass in Capitol Heights, I ran into the HVAC technician.  We both laughed about the odd coincidence.

As for the warranty. I was glad to hear that for $15 per window, I can purchase a lifetime warranty on each window (even if it's broken by vandals).  By doing this, I can keep my deductible at $500.

So where's my car now.  Out in the street in front of my house where I had parked it.  I'm not changing my normal, basic routine because of what happened.  Yes, I'm mindful of what I leave inside my car.  But I've got to live my life unhindered and worryfree and quite frankly they can take the whole car if they want it, just make sure I'm not in it and please don't leave me the carcass.