Stolen purse from car in the Clear Lake are

fm2 · Post by **fm2** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:24 pm

I wanted to pass this info. from an e-mail:
Subject: Stolen Purse

I wanted to pass along a warning to prevent you from having the bad experience I had Sunday here in Clear Lake. We wanted to browse around the Lexus dealership lot looking at the new cars even though they are closed on Sunday. We parked on the side street that is between the Lexus and Hummer dealerships. I had my heavy purse full of credit cards, driver's license, check book, ATM card, etc. hidden in the car which was locked and the alarm activated. We were on the lot for about 15 minutes with other people who, like us, were looking around at the new cars. When we got back to our car both passenger side windows were totally shattered and my purse was gone. No alarms were set off because the burglars did not open any doors to set off the alarm system. I doubt that we would have even heard an alarm if it had been activated because of all the freeway noise. When we spoke to the Houston Police they said that this type of smash and grab burglary is one of the big Sunday crimes in our area. The officer told us that on any given Sunday they have at least 30 such burglaries from Clear Lake to Fuqua all happening at the car dealerships that line the freeway. He said criminals count on freeway noise to cover up the sounds they are making. He said the burglars hide and watch for you to get on the lot and become preoccupied. You do not notice them lurking around because there are so many vehicles parked in and around a dealership that the criminals are almost invisible. Within minutes of breaking into the car they were at a gas station using my Shell card to fill up (3) tanks of gas totaling over $300 in fraudulent purchases. The fact that three tanks were filled so quickly shows you they work in teams. They tried to also access the ATM's with my card but they were unsuccessful.

I wanted to pass this warning on so everyone can be aware of the rising crime in our area and not fall victim to this type of theft. This has been a nightmare and I wanted to share my bad experience to help others not become victims. Stay vigilant because things are not as safe around Clear Lake as we would like to believe.

Can anyone else confirm this?

Glockamolie · Post by **Glockamolie** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 1:44 am

I can only confirm that nothing is safe anywhere, especially in Harris County.

longtooth · Post by **longtooth** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:22 am

Also prime reason for having CHL & not depending on traveling law. That could have been a stolen gun too.

GlockenHammer · Post by **GlockenHammer** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 11:37 am

longtooth wrote:Also prime reason for having CHL & not depending on traveling law. That could have been a stolen gun too.

That's another reason for CHL to carry on your person and not in a purse. As much as I hate getting stolen from, I really hate knowing I armed a criminal.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 1:25 pm

Thanks for the alert!

I think I know the dealership you mentioned. Sounds like you took reasonable precautions. Sorry to hear about your loss.

KinnyLee · Post by **KinnyLee** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 2:57 pm

I also know of the dealership you're speaking of. This is pretty much right by my house. Thanks for the heads up. If they are lurking by the dealership, they're lurking around Walmart which is right behind it.

DustinB · Post by **DustinB** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 3:28 pm

Sounds like the Katrina guys have spread further south. Definately have to be more careful these days.

AG-EE · Post by **AG-EE** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:49 am

Was there no crime in Houston before the Katrina refugees showed up?

G.C.Montgomery · Post by **G.C.Montgomery** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:19 pm

DustinB wrote:Sounds like the Katrina guys have spread further south. Definately have to be more careful these days.

AG-EE wrote:Was there no crime in Houston before the Katrina refugees showed up?

Yeah, that's a comment that bugs me whenever I hear it. Crime in Houston tends to run in cycles and it doesn't affect all areas the same all the time. Fact is, crime has been rising in Houston, Clear Lake included, since 2001. It wasn't a big increase but it was an increase. The murder rate is another story...that statistic really did jump in the months after the refugees arrived.

The refugees have the biggest impact on crime in the areas where they landed in large numbers. That's mainly the southwest side of town around Fondren at Richmond as well as Gessner at Braeswood. And while the Astrodome was still being used as a shelter, you'd see a highere than usual number of folks loitering and panhandling around Kirby, north of the 'Dome. Clear Lake doesn't really fit the bill in this regard and has had it's own cycles of high crime over the years.

Greybeard · Post by **Greybeard** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 8:25 am

Sorry to hear of your loss.

It sounds like it's high time the PD sets up a sting operation there. Hopefully, in a better fashion than Dallas who recently (supposedly through a computer glitch) had one of their high-dollar "bait cars" taken and untrackable!

GrannyGlock · Post by **GrannyGlock** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:14 pm

GlockenHammer wrote:
longtooth wrote:Also prime reason for having CHL & not depending on traveling law. That could have been a stolen gun too.
That's another reason for CHL to carry on your person and not in a purse. As much as I hate getting stolen from, I really hate knowing I armed a criminal.

When I do have to purse carry, I make sure that only essentials are in it so I will have it with me, but I really prefer carrying on my person (usually a SmartCarry)

We are getting into the Christmas shopping season again and leaving anything of value in any vehicle will continue to be a very bad idea.

stevie_d_64 · Post by **stevie_d_64** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:42 am

Since I live just north of that dealership, I have noticed through various resourses an increase in the random criminal activity as well...

Not to insult anyone who has posted an opinion on this issue, but I frankly don't give a rats "who" is doing this...Or why...

If you come to Houston via Katrina or other "illegal" means...We have a solution to handle those who for whatever reason decide that Houston is ripe pickings for their activities...If you come to Houston to live and be good citizens, it is a good place to do it...Nothing is a perfect situation...And there is not a conclusive "fix" to any cities ills...

But...

One thing I have learned from living here...And this is a suggestion, not a condemnation or being critical if it is not feasable for you to give this a try...

I don't leave anything in my vehicles, that I am not prepared to lose forever...

I also don't leave anything in there that would draw attention from a passer-by...

Smash and Grabbers are pretty low in my book...And ones that have a "system" to quickly run and rack up expenses ar gas stations or calling Afganistan on your cards are ones that could be caught fairly easily, eventually in one way or another...

The problem is that it is fairly widespread, and it is on the rise...

And Law Enforcement in my opinion is doing what they can when they can to take care of the issue after it happens...

I believe there is a lot more we can do to discourage this type of crime...

Just my 2 cents...