GPS Stolen; My Fault?

[Snugglees]

It's your fault for leaving a door unlocked and the theif's for stealing. I honestly think your stuff getting stolen is punishment enough and your dad shouldn't have yelled at you.

[lazypeon100]

It's your fault for leaving a door unlocked and the theif's for stealing. I honestly think your stuff getting stolen is punishment enough and your dad shouldn't have yelled at you.

That was kind of my view on it earlier.

[Majad]

I apologize for not making the pole more clear, I'm not sure how to edit (or if I even can) edit the pole to do so. Sorry.

If you want to edit your poll, PM a Super Mod or an Admin.

[lazypeon100]

If you want to edit your poll, PM a mod(me for example) from Gen OT and we can change it for you.

Cool, glad to know! Thanks.

[Dakia]

Unless it was willful negligence, depending on who is the taxpayer and if you are dependent, the primary taxpayer could be able to claim it as a theft loss for taxes. This depends on the value and some other thresholds, but I would at least track down some documentation as to the value of the GPS and possibly save a copy of the police report.

[Elysia]

Updated poll options per OP's request.

[lazypeon100]

Updated poll options per OP's request.

Much appreciated! Hope it makes it clearer for people

[kivipää]

The options in this poll... oh man. I might have understood if you had blamed your friend, but <trying to blame the thief? Thieves don't create opportunities to steal, they take them.
And you can't lay the blame on your friend either. You can't just assume any passenger knows and remembers what to do with your door locks and such. It's your job as the driver to inform them on what do with the car and ensure all of that gets done. It's your loss.

[lazypeon100]

The options in this poll... oh man. I might have understood if you had blamed your friend, but <trying to blame the thief? Thieves don't create opportunities to steal, they take them.
And you can't lay the blame on your friend either. You can't just assume any passenger knows and remembers what to do with your door locks and such. It's your job as the driver to inform them on what do with the car and ensure all of that gets done. It's your loss.

I made it clear in the OP I wasn't blaming my friend, and I've stated quite a few times it was my mistake.

[kivipää]

I made it clear in the OP I wasn't blaming my friend, and I've stated quite a few times it was my mistake.

So... what exactly is the purpose of this queer poll, then?

[Collegeguy]

The lock on my doors are like little poles as you described, makes it easy to see if it's locked or not sadly.

That makes sense. I am guessing since your posting this today, that it happened during the weekend when a lot of people are out at night.

I know I leave my car doors unlocked every day. I have a really old car from 1998, and driver door lock is broken. There is nothing in the car to steal but a pack of cigs. Plus, any thief would have one hell of a time trying to figure out how to drive an automatic without a first gear and a trany off center. Only I know how to get the pos moving. My neighborhood is middle class too, so that helps.

[lazypeon100]

So... what exactly is the purpose of this queer poll, then?

I wanted to see others opinions on the topic is all. I like seeing what people think, and I like seeing people's reasoning for why they voted the way they did.

[Collegeguy]

True, but if the door would have been locked the insurance would've covered the losses. No insurance company is going to pay up the costs of a robbery to an unlocked car.

How would they find out that the door was unlocked if you don't tell them. I wouldn't. It's pretty easy to break into a car without shattering glass.

[Fuzzzie]

How would they find out that the door was unlocked if you don't tell them. I wouldn't. It's pretty easy to break into a car without shattering glass.

Something you're not telling us Collegeguy?

[Atrea]

Yeah, victim blaming is awesome.

No one forced this person to steal from you, OP. They chose to. They made a conscious choice to do it, and they are to blame - 100%.

Was it careless of you to leave your door unlocked? Absolutely. Is it a mistake you're likely to repeat? I hope not!
But is it your fault? No. Not unless you hired someone to steal from you.

[WhyT74]

Most thieves only do it because the situation presents itself. You are at fault because you set the situation up. He is at fault because he's a douche bag that would steal from someone.

[kivipää]

I wanted to see others opinions on the topic is all. I like seeing what people think, and I like seeing people's reasoning for why they voted the way they did.

I guess I have such a hard time understanding you or the poll because you have put a cause and an effect in there, put treat them both like causes. Whenever I read your poll, I get the same feeling I get when I look at one of those optical illusion pictures that are physically impossible.

---------- Post added 2012-11-07 at 01:58 AM ----------

Most thieves only do it because the situation presents itself. You are at fault because you set the situation up. He is at fault because he's a douche bag that would steal from someone.

If there is no opportunity, there is no theft. If there is no theft, there is no thief. Cause and effect.

[Collegeguy]

Something you're not telling us Collegeguy?

Touche. I use to work in mall security when I was younger. They train you every possible way to break into a car.

[-Atrophos-]

I had a similar situation, I had my car broken into a couple of months back because I left the passenger door unlocked. I take the blame for it, because without my mistake it wouldn't have happened. Only got my iPod and 3/4ths of a large pizza from where I work though...

[Imnick]

Mostly the fault of the guy who stole it, you could have done more to prevent it.