Best practices for parking with doors off?

[mdk77]

Hey all - for those who have owned Jeeps or own a Bronco - have you or do you leave your vehicle parked with the doors off?

Example - stop at a gas station or Home Depot for something quick. Any issues with leaving the car unattended while doors are off? Obviously do not leave anything valuable in sight but curious on any experiences you've had with people messing with your ride? Thanks

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[bodean]

Treat it the same way you would with a soft top. Unlocked and nothing in it.

Lock your glove box and a thief will assume there’s something of value inside.

 

[patientB]

^this

And for softops, I've typically parked with the doors unlocked, including (or especially) in big cities. Would rather have someone rooting around and taking a stray quarter or tire gauge than deal with a slashed roof.

 

[Wickedbronco]

If you have nothing of value inside, there is nothing to steal… my Jeep has its doors off most of the summer. Never had an issue.

If you are worried about someone stealing the vehicle, doors on or off won’t stop them….

 

[mdk77]

If you have nothing of value inside, there is nothing to steal… my Jeep has its doors off most of the summer. Never had an issue.

If you are worried about someone stealing the vehicle, doors on or off won’t stop them….

I was thinking more like someone would vandalize the inside. Slash the seats, etc. I was considering one of the security cameras post-delivery but not sure if it's worth the 1,000 all in cost.

 

[ChrisCozart]

Treat it the same way you would with a soft top. Unlocked and nothing in it.

Lock your glove box and a thief will assume there’s something of value inside.

Uhhhh.....But if you leave the glove box unlocked, wouldn't the would be thief just open it to see? At least a locked door gives a bit more of a deterrent even if it creates curiosity.

 

[bodean]

Uhhhh.....But if you leave the glove box unlocked, wouldn't the would be thief just open it to see? At least a locked door gives a bit more of a deterrent even if it creates curiosity.

That’s why you leave nothing inside. After having a soft top cut, you learn it’s easier just to let them inside. They’ll find nothing and move on.

If you want secure storage you need to step up to some version of a metal lock box. I’m sure Tuffy will have some options if they don’t already.

 

[Black_Stallion13]

I keep valuable stuff in my open Tacoma bed from time to time unattended and I use a long snake lock for those occasions (link below). Very handy because you have plenty of length to run it through multiple items... also nice if you camp and leave stuff at the camp site from time to time. As anything else, probably not going to stop somebody that REALLY wants to steal something, but they would have to try pretty hard and have some really specific tools on hand to do so.

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-...s=hi&sprefix=snake+lock+20+ft,tools,74&sr=1-2

 

[Aman]

Uhhhh.....But if you leave the glove box unlocked, wouldn't the would be thief just open it to see? At least a locked door gives a bit more of a deterrent even if it creates curiosity.

As @bodean mentioned, the thief will assume there is something valuable in the glove box and will simply pry it open, breaking the lock. Glove box lock is really only good for keeping items safe from a valet, not a thief with intent.

 

[bodean]

I was thinking more like someone would vandalize the inside. Slash the seats, etc. I was considering one of the security cameras post-delivery but not sure if it's worth the 1,000 all in cost.

Unfortunately in this day and age, petty theft isn’t really pursued. All a camera is going to do is give you the opportunity to watch your shit get stolen.

It won’t increase your odds of having them returned.

And vandalism for the sake of vandalism is pretty rare. They’re generally just looking for a means to get drugs.

 

[HeliPilot]

It is inevitable that someone somewhere will rummage through it. Part of the ownership experience. Way back in the early 80's, we would routinely return to an open glovebox on my Dad's CJ-5. Expect it, live with it, and it won't be a problem.

 

[ChrisCozart]

As @bodean mentioned, the thief will assume there is something valuable in the glove box and will simply pry it open, breaking the lock. Glove box lock is really only good for keeping items safe from a valet, not a thief with intent.

Nothing will stop a thief with intent. I think the moral of the story is don't leave anything in a vehicle, OPEN OR NOT, that would give a thief reason or even raise their curiosity. I'm sure we all have stolen property stories (I know I do)...use common sense when leaving your open vehicle in a public area.

 

[King Luis]

in general, don't leave stuff visible in your car. everything is out of sight. if people see something, they'll be tempted to grab it. if there's nothing to see, that means nothing to grab. and what's hidden away shouldn't be valuable. nothing that you need or care about. in my cars i only leave masks, rags/cloths and tissues. thats it. everything else comes with me.

 

[pfd799]

My friends who are police officers all say vehicle breaks are usually crimes of opportunity, they’ll move quickly shaking doors and rummage quick through consoles and glove boxes of unlocked vehicles then on to the next one. Leaving it unlocked (or doors off) definitely might deter a slice to the soft top, but one of my buddies had his jeep sliced with the doors unlocked in the police department garage, between that and the piles of glass I’ve seen line a street after a night of rummaging sometimes there’s nothing you can do, best bet is to not leave any sign there’s anything worth stealing inside to begin with

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