16 replies to this topic

[otayBill]

For those of you that have cars in TJ. Do you park in a secure place or on the street? If you park on the street do you have problems with theft?

I have secure parking at my place. But it seems most people in the barrio park on the street.

[Miggiesmallz- TEXMEX]

My apartment building has gated patio so I bring in my moto and park it within the fence. I also chain it to the fence with a Kryptonite cable lock. I would never leave my NINJA 650 out on the street for the night.

My truck (98 Ford Ranger), however, is parked on the street 24/7 and sometimes I don’t even lock it. I have never had any problems with it being vandalized on my street. I did catch a guy taking a couple of crushed soda cans from the bed of my truck once. I shrugged my shoulders and said “oh well”.

In my three years here in Playas I have only witnessed two incidents with car vandalism.

My girlfriend’s Toyota 4 Runner was vandalized. One night, about two years ago, someone crawled underneath it and stole the catalytic converter and the muffler. We were getting ready to leave in the morning and we turned it on IT ROARED like I had never heard it roar before. Luckily her insurance covered the theft. The mechanic in SD who worked on it said that this sort of theft was common with Toyota 4 runners as the exhaust system is not welded on.

Another incident happened last year when a neighbor left her IPOD on the passenger seat over night and some guy passing by early in the morning picked up a brick and put it through the window to get their greedy hands on the IPOD. She told me that her insurance covered the damage as well.

I would say parking on my street is about 90% safe.

[Chiquito]

"I would say parking on my street is about 90% safe."

10% unsafe is pretty bad IMHO. That means your car only gets robbed or vandalized 36.5 times a year. I never had a problem in Playas but many of my neighbors did.

Always park in a guarded area no matter where you are. That one time you do have a problem can really ruin your day. Don't risk it if you have the option.

[vagabundo]

If you have secure parking then use it. Otherwise park as close to your house or apartment as possible. I had my old pos beater stolen after parking it on the street in Playas for about 2 years without incident.

[Miggiesmallz- TEXMEX]

Then, I would say it is 98.7 percent safe in front of my house.

[galvezis]

My parking space fits up to 5 cars...I tend to park my two cars outside though...I've actually had 2 cars stolen here in TJ but it was never in my house in playas...it was always at my dad's house in "El Jibarito"...

Why park my cars outside? For one thing they are parked directly outside of my bedroom window and they are pretty secured. I do park one of them inside when I'm away for the weekend or something like that.

My two other cars were stolen because they were prone to being stolen! They were both Honda Civics and they were both "fixed up" so they caught a lot of attention...the two cars I have now are regular vehicles...an suv and a sedan...nothing special about them...yet!!!

[jdcs167]

I have an 06 Armada and I park it in my driveway with a fence that closes. Its not secure as anyone can view it and come and open it if they wanted to, but i havent had problems with it yet (knock on wood). My wife left it unlocked once overnight because "she taught she had locked it". I used to park it on the street when I just moved to Tj and never had a problem with it. For the most part it stays in the driveway all the time except on the weekends when I take it out. I try not to drive it to much around TJ as I have been pulled over quite a few times for no reason. I think its because its a big black SUV with tinted windows. I dont think the Federales are to fond of these types of vehicles. My other car (daily driver) I park on the street an 01 saturn I havent had problems with that either except for the occasional ball hitting it from the kids playing in the neighborhood. I did find a post-it that I matched with graffiti marking on a few walls around the neighborhood with, I dont know why they just put it on a post-it and stuck it to the car though ? WEIRD.

[sdc]

Yeah the "SECURE" parking I had at my apartment building gated and gaurded...resulted in my cars being stolen 3 times inside of a year and half....Unless you have a locked garage...nothing is "secure"

[drchoi]

i know two personal friends who had their cars stolen in last 3 month in residentural neighborhoods...

one had mexican auto insurance but only for libility and other one is working with his insurance american insurance company and so far, no money was paid to insurer..

for many people , with out the car, they can not get it around...

[otayBill]

Yeah the "SECURE" parking I had at my apartment building gated and gaurded...resulted in my cars being stolen 3 times

Was it one of the government sponsored INFONAVIT buildings? I noticed a lot of those have gates that are broken or never closed. Or they have a guard house with no guard.

[Tj Jack]

I park in the street in front of my house and the other night someone stole my catylytic converter

but other than that over the years started living here off and on in 1974 I have had 1 car stolen and one car broken into for stuff I left in the car

[sdc]

No it wasnt' the INFONAVIT buildings.....

[zunigan]

We have a high fence with gate and can park 2 cars inside. We have never parked on the street as everyone said not to. I do notice however that many of our neighbors have 2-3 cars and park at least one on the street, including one cop who parks his police car outside at night.

[SaborMexicana]

I dont park my car on the street at any place I lived. When we first move here we live in an apartment in Denver that had not too many parking places for the cars. The last people who come home every day have to park in the street. The car of my husband was stolen and it was only 50 feet from our apartment! Somebody stole the stereo from my car a few weeks later. That was one of the reasons why we were very happy to move out of Denver.

[Scooby]

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :shock: :shock: :shock: :!: :!: :!: -----OMG, SOME OF YOU ARE ASKING FOR PROBLEMS ----- :!: :!: :!: :shock: :shock: :shock: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I'm actually quite surprised that nobody here has mentioned some basic safeguards. Having a good steering wheel lock (as pictured below) and an alarm (with a visible LED) are almost always essential tools for a car theft deterrant. What do they cost -- less than $150, right ? What's your car costs plus the major inconvenience of the loss of your car to theft ? Yeah, peeeeeanut$. Even a junker is valuable to us if we depend on it. If the car thief is a pro, he can likely steal most any car. Most though are more opportunistic in which the more security obstacles placed in front of them, the odds are that they will pass on to an easier car. Some of this was addressed previously on these boards:
CRIME in TJ
http://www.tijuanabl...php?p=2910#2910
Car Stolen
http://www.tijuanabl...topic.php?t=566

For those of us living in TJ with really expensive vehicles, I would think that car theft should be the least of concern.
Kidnapping seems much more a likely threat to those who show excessive displays wealth that most can never afford.

[Chivas3]

Yeah the "SECURE" parking I had at my apartment building gated and gaurded...resulted in my cars being stolen 3 times inside of a year and half....Unless you have a locked garage...nothing is "secure"

damn! You lost 3 cars in a 1 1/2 year? Nothing is safe their.What area was it in? So when you guys go shopping in Tijuana for food etc the cars are not safe? scary stuff

[pinchecabrona]

For those of us living in TJ with really expensive vehicles, I would think that car theft should be the least of concern.
Kidnapping seems much more a likely threat to those who show excessive displays wealth that most can never afford.

This is a very good point.