95 C4 993

It was not my 95 C4. I just returned from 4 days on business in Alaska to the SLC Airport. Parked in a secure airport parking lot (you have to pull a ticket to get in, pay to get out) and came home to see my Explorers window shattered and my entire stereo systems removed. Even my garage door opener was gone. XM dock and receiver and Ipod (which was in the glovebox) was also removed. They even removed my cup holders which was part of of XM integration into the dash area. Called 911 and the airport police came. As I was finishing up the report in the cop car, a call came in about another car in the same lot being burglerized. I had to get out of the cop car and they went zipping through the parking lot. An actual footcase and car persuit started and they caught both suspects. Where the hell are they going to go? It wa In the car they found stereo equipment, amps, golf clubs, dvd players, a couple of ipods, several CD cases and a gun of some sort, and car break in tools. None of my stereo equipment was in it but received a call today and they recoved "a lot" more equipment at the suspects house. I lost an XM set up, Ipod, Amp, stereo, and garage door opener. I'll find out Monday if its my stuff and I have every receit for every piece of electronics I own. A serious of a few dozen break ins was happening at the airport in SLC for the past few weeks. They caught the young idiots. It appears they were breaking in cars, gathering stuff, dropping it off at home, and doing it again. Mine was probably hit Wednesday or Thursday night.

Got my window fixed today and hope to get my stereo equipment back on Monday. The punks did a good job of removing things and it was pretty clean but broke my arm rest attemping to get my cd changer out and part of my dash is missing. Missing was about $1700 in electronics, the window was $170 to fix today, and probably $500 interior damage. What concerned me was my garage door opener and if they had my address. Changed all the codes 1st thing when I got home yesterday.

Two recommendations for those with upgraded stereo's-inform your insurance company that you have an upgraded stereo. Some states according to insurace will only cover the loss of stock unless its on your policy. Secondly, park in the most secure area you can think of because "it never would happen to me" is something Im a prime example of today.

You think our airports are secure, to some degree, but did you ever think gun toting people are breaking in cars in a secure parking lot that requires a ticket to get in and must pay to get out while on business? Think again.

Here are couple of pics.

The Brewmeister

Man, what a drag. Hope these young hoodlums are dealt with the appropriate
punishment in severe fashion. Hopefully getting your vehicle sorted out and
back to normal can be done without too much hassle. It's a very uncomfortable
feeling when your property is violated in such a destructive fashion.

Bull

Sorry to hear of your loss. I must say if it is new to SLC, then it must be the last airport to have it come around! It is a problem at every airport I have lived near, from Seattle to East Coast airports. I don't drive anything I own to an airport. It is limos or taxis for me. A friend of mine left her BMW at an airport while she was on vacation for 10 days. She returned to find all side windows smashed, and everything taken from the dash, including A/C equipment, removed by what appeared to be a crowbar. There had been large rain storms while she was gone, and in the car was a report from the Airport Police advising her that her car had been broken into.....

Air Kuul TT

That sucks... just glad it wasn't your C4 but sitll sucks. I hope you'll get everything replaced by insurance.

X2Board

There are some airports with indoor valet parking, when I lived in CT, I used a place called Park Plaza, 24/7 security and secure roll up, roll down metal gates, cool in summer and warm in winter, I would drive by the open lots with a huge grin whenever I flew home after a snow storm.

X2

Bull

Around here those are popular...but off-site from the airports. So, you have to take a ridiculous shuttle ride to the airport terminal, in some sort of foul shuttle thing.

95 C4 993

I have NEVER EVER park at the airport. I usually do a park n fly (Diamond is the one I have been doing for 5+ years near the airport) and they are very secure. Do the the fact I was running way late, I decided I would park in short term at the airport. I had a flight from SLC to Seattle, Seattle to Anchorage, and Anchorage to Bethel, AK. Short term was full (first time I had ever seen that in SLC) so I had to go to longer term parking which is about 1/2 mile away. The park and fly takes 5 minutes from the airport and very efficient. Plus, you get a free car wash, water, and some of the shuttles have coffee for free. Its like $6 a day and even when Im on company $$$, I use it. Im not a tight *** when it come to money or a person who would drive out of the way to save a dollar but found a place I get great service and a good value. Every 10 stays you get an oil change or up to a week parking or some other free be.

Tony356993

Limo Only!

95 C4 993

I used to do limo's in the Bay area flying out of SFO. Most large city airports turn into an adventure and time consuming process so Im right there with you. Unfortantely, my CEO doesnt approve limo rides.

177mph

Sorry to hear of your loss. Its always a good idea to write down serial numbers of electronics you buy ( i keep a one sheet on all my electronic stuff) so that in case they ever catch they guy - you can get your stuff back.

Tony356993

Is your CEO going to pay your bill? Hell, if it is that bad, rent a KIA to leave at the airport.

amfp

I wonder if you can check with the garage and determine if they have security cameras.

Hindsight is 20 20, but I try to never leave the garage door opener in the car. You may want to reconsider changing your garage combo.

Good luck, I had cars broken in the past and know the awful situation it creates.

Bull

I once worked for a company where a new CEO tried the same edict. There were several suits against the company for damages to personal cars, which the company ended up paying, but the event that changed the edict was when the CEO returned from a trip and found his car with no wheels....sitting on the ground! During that period (about a year) I paid for my own limos, as I was only traveling four or five times a year at that point.

I do agree that the next best option is the indoor, climate controlled, security 24/7 private facilities available at most large airports.

I have had cars broken into twice in my years, one a '68 911L. In both cases there was more dollar damage to the car than the value of the items stolen. With the 991L, they pried the wing/vent window open, breaking that window and significantly bending the door frame. They stole the set of six Porsche glasses the dealer had given me when I picked the cart up new that day, along with my size 54 Extra Long rain coat, which I'm sure fit them nicely. No, as you can see, I haven't yet gotten over it!!!!

Terry Adams

In the 80's I had a boss with an expedient way of turning in a rental car: pull up to the terminal entrance, leave the car running and go catch his flight. Eventually one of those got stolen. Can't do that routine now.

95 C4 993

My insurance is going to pay the bill. I will lose nothing out of pocket since they caught the people. This will be my very first car insurance claim in 23 years of driving. I started driving when I was 14 and this is the first claim. The park n fly place I have done dozens of times over the past 5 years will be my way in the future. My vehicle getting broke into and its not the damage but time having to deal with it. This was purely a random act. Think of all the random acts of volience and other crimes that happen on a daily basis. If I start thinking I should take renting vehicles to go to the airport, I better start calling taxis to the grocery store. If lightening kills people, better stay inside. If car accidents kill people, I better stop driving. If I leave my car at home and someone breaks into my garage and steals it, I better sell my cars. Im going to just keep doing what I do and not become some paranoid person and worry about my car getting broke into again.

The funny thing is the most expensive individual piece of material in the car that wasnt taken was the 10 day lift pass at Snowbird for the 2006 season. $479 pass hanging right from the rear view mirror. Right then I knew I was dealing with stupid people when it was still there.