UKC

Had to come down to Heathrow last night. Staying at the Thistle hotel, with my car parked in their well lit car park no more than 20ft from a bedroom window directly user a light. Woke up this morning went to my car, window put through, boot ransacked and stuff knicked

Called auto glass (under insurance) and was told would be with me by 12. 12 came and went, 2pm they have turned up. Now waiting another hour whilst it is fixed. Missed the meeting I came down for. Won't be back in the Peak till 7-8 and already annoyed I have to come here again next week.

I would rather have paid some smack head 50 quid than gone through all of this hassle but deep down I wish I had caught the thieving toe rag and kicked their head in

In reply to BoulderyDave: bugger, why alarm not go off?

In reply to andrew breckill:

Even if it had, the problem with car alarms is everyone ignores them because they go off for no reason so often.

In reply to balmybaldwin: In reply to balmybaldwin: exactly. It went off but was ignored. The arses used a brick so it has damaged the paintwork a bit as well.

The fact it was directly under a light no more than 50 yards from reception is highly worrying too.

In reply to BoulderyDave: that's bad man, would have hoped it woke someone up. In my experience the night porter will have been asleep in the back office.

In reply to andrew breckill: it is quite a large hotel and being for Heathrow there are busses every twenty minutes coming through the car park (which has barriers). Crazy that nobody heard or saw anything. Perhaps the thieves don't care if they get spotted as they know it is very unlikely they will get much in a way of sentence.

In reply to BoulderyDave:

Where's your compassion?!

In reply to BoulderyDave:

Slight side note. I saw on a "live action cop chases" show, some lads in Manchester stole a pensioners car and got a £40 fine.

I overstayed my 24hour, £20 parking ticket by a few hours in Manchester and got a £50 fine.

Sigh

In reply to JimboWizbo: personally I would give heroin away free to addicts. Much better they kill themselves than break into my house or car.

Treatment programmes would be available too. People always say that this would lead to more smack head but it is total nonsense. We had far less addicts when it was treated as an illness that a doctor could medicate for.

In reply to ThunderCat: my compassion would be limited to only cutting one arm off (I will be more liberal again tomorrow)

In reply to BoulderyDave: My sympathies for your situation, but could the same not be said for anywhere? You are still likely to get your window put through at the Stanage car park. I suppose the moral of the story is don't leave stuff in your car.

In reply to EeeByGum: Where I live is not like that. I have left all sorts in my car and, stupidly, left it unlocked, never had a thing taken. It is sad that we seem to accept that this is the norm in certain parts of the country.

In reply to EeeByGum:
I have left wallet/phone on display in my car parked in the rd light district of Sheffield several times with no problems

In reply to BoulderyDave:

Sounds a bit grim. Worth taking the train down next time?

In reply to BoulderyDave:

Unlucky mate.

I am sure in true UKC form some muppet will be along soon to lecture you on how it is just 'stuff' that can be replaced and that getting angry over it is clearly a sign of your immature emotional attachment to material items and how people in third world countries face daily challenges that dwarf your loss.

In reply to BoulderyDave:

That's pants mate. I detest going to London.
Went last week to visit the wife's sister overnight in Shepherds Bush, came out in the morning, car keyed very deeply all along both sides, along the bonnet and the boot. (a Fiat 500 cabriolet) a note on the windscreen saying, "you shouldn't be driving a homo's car.

All on CCTV. I asked him if the CCTV station was monitored, yes he said but we just monitor and record, we don't do anything. Asked why they didn't ring the police, they did, the police asked if the vandals were still there, no, so the police said, ok drop us the footage and wait until it is reported!

Makes my blood boil.

In reply to andic:

How did you pay then?

In reply to BoulderyDave:

You only get crime in London of course.

In reply to Denni:

At least the person/people who did that won't be at peace with themselves, no homophobe is.

Thier bad feelings will follow them around like a cloud, or a bad smell.

In reply to Denni: that is shocking. At least mine could be repaired and the items can be replaced.

In reply to BoulderyDave: PS thanks for the messages of support fellow UKCers. Made me feel better whilst sitting round waiting for it to get repaired

In reply to denni

To be honest - and I know it shouldn't be like this but... - it's all about where you park. Shepherds Bush is a hole. On the other hand I leave a quite pricey vehicle on the street in Putney and haven't had a problem since doing so (over a year now).

In reply to Cú Chullain:

I'm also surprised no one has commented on their utter disgust at BD's head kicked in comment.

E

In reply to Timmd:

I soooooooo f*cking doubt this Tim.

E

In reply to Enty:



Deep down they won't be at peace or at ease, i've met a few and none of them have been. Honestly.

I'm not saying one should have sympathy for them mind you, in that if they're being an arse one needs to put them right, just that people at ease with thier sexualities generally don't dislike gays and lesbians.

I challenge you to find somebody who is who does. ()

In reply to BoulderyDave:
Sorry to hear this. It must have been awful for you but Heathrow isn't London.

In reply to Enty:

Im disgusted. Its clearly an ineffective approach to the matter that will have minimal result in the bigger picture.

He should kick their head OFF, not IN. Less temporary.

In reply to BoulderyDave:

I really, really sympathize with you. I've also had a car window senselessly smashed in [nothing to steal luckily] and it still hurts/ bothers me years later - mainly, the complete mindlessness of it.

In reply to Cú Chullain:

Sorry I took so long......it's just a f*cking car, get over it.

And yes I have watched someone break into my own car powerless to do anything about it and guess what I was thinking at the time?
O
Some of the reactions on here make it sound like your mum just died of cancer. Some perspective please people.

Sorted

In reply to Father Noel Furlong:


Why were you powerless to do anything about it?

In reply to Cthulhu:

I phoned the police but I wasn't about to challenge them if that's what your hinting at?

What I really like is that no one has come along to express disgust at anyone's comments and so some people have had to imagine them, just so they can get annoyed. Classic.

In reply to MonkeyPuzzle:
All I can say is "welcome to London" Can't stand the place, or more specifically the people myself. Going to start a whip round to turn the M25 into a moat. Keep the bastards in.

In reply to Father Noel Furlong:

Wasn't hinting at anything, really, just wondering under what circumstances sometime would be actually powerless to intervene.

In reply to Enty:

Aye.. I'm not a fan of the 'broken Britain' concept.. but its true in London.. many youths are hugely disenfranchised.. detached from society.

I was in a takeway in a rough part of London, suddenly the atmosphere turned a bit, I was laughing a joking with these lads who were trying to sell me coke, suddenly they turned the light off and tried to lock the door.. but somehow, despite being hammered I realised what was going and made a run.. they chased me but luckily they weren't too quick..

In reply to BoulderyDave:

I've had a car or van in London for around 12 years, and lived in all sorts of neighbourhoods and never had any problems with break-ins or theft.

A few times in Hackney, I've even left the van unlocked with my phone/ wallet on the front seat and its never been touched.

It's the luck of the draw, car crime happens everywhere. It's not a London thing.

Sorry to hear about the break-in!

In reply to charlieslater:

Why thanks.

Fwiw, I've found living in London feels much safer, most of the time, than living in provincial English cities.