I received an early Christmas Present

[ezgoing]

If you remember, I posted about my Garmin 126 unit being stolen from my truck a month or so back. I spend the last three weeks in Chicago visiting my grandchildren and left my truck parked in my driveway.

When I went to use the truck on Sunday I noticed that the driver-side rear seat was down. This was unusual as I always leave the back seats up as I carry things in that area.

So I got out of the truck and opened the rear door. To my shock and extreme surprise, my stolen unit was laying on the back seat. While I was shocked at its return I was extremely happy since my insurance company was only going to pay me $1000 for the stolen unit. So this was a very nice early Christmas present.

Since I can not imagine an adult returning something he stole, I am assuming that the thief was a teenager in the neighborhood whose parents made him return the stolen fishfinder. Since the truck was locked when he stole the fishfinder and was locked when he returned it I assume he must have bought one of those devices that allow you to unlock vehicle doors.

But I am extremely happy that the thief gave me an early Christmas present by returning the fish finder to me.

[SuperDave336]

Now that’s gotta be a rare thing to have something returned. Very glad it was but scary at the thought they can just unlock and do whatever whenever.

[ezgoing]

Now that’s gotta be a rare thing to have something returned. Very glad it was but scary at the thought they can just unlock and do whatever whenever.

That is why I was shocked. I have never had anything that was stolen from me returned by the thief that stole it. That is why I now think it was a neighborhood teenager that stole it. Before I thought it had been stolen while I was at my doctor's office or while I was at Costco. I did not dream it was stolen while the truck was parked in my driveway.

You can buy tools now that will unlock a locked vehicle door within two minutes now. I saw this demonstrated a couple of years back when I locked my keys in my car. AAA came out and had the door unlocked within a couple of minutes. They insert the device in the door frame midway up the window and pump an attached pump to inflate it. This opens the door wide enough for them to insert another tool into the car and open the lock.

I hope the parents took the tool away from him/her after they returned all the stolen property.

My home in Texas had security cameras all around the house, with nice signs stating there were security cameras. This new house will have them the first week of January. It would have had them this week but I couldn't find anybody to install them this week.

[Retired2Fish]

Glad that your unit was returned (very unusual IMHO). If the thief can unlock the door at will, security is a real issue.

[ezgoing]

Glad that your unit was returned (very unusual IMHO). If the thief can unlock the door at will, security is a real issue.

Google "unlock car door". You will find a wide variety of tools from $12.00 that will allow you to unlock any locked vehicle door. Plus there are a lot of YouTube videos to train the thief in the use of tools to unlock car doors.

And the trunk is also unsafe since they just need to open the car door to get to the trunk release.

I am now taking my more expensive fishing equipment into the house instead of leaving it in truck or car.

[Hatchetjack]

Wow! Happy you got your Garmin back. It’s possible the thief used a jiggler key to open your door. They are relatively cheap and fairly easy to obtain. I had my truck ransacked a few years back and I KNEW it had been locked. The police officer that took my report told me about them, I had never heard of such a thing. It’s a crazy world anymore.

[slowhand]

What make and model of truck?

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[ezgoing]

What make and model of truck?

Sent from my SM-T500 using Crappie.com mobile app

2022 Ford F 150. But from what AAA told me when they unlocked my previous car, they can unlock most vehicles using the bladder type device.

[SuperDave336]

I’ve seen that bladder device. Seems it would warp your door some.

[slowhand]

2022 Ford F 150. But from what AAA told me when they unlocked my previous car, they can unlock most vehicles using the bladder type device.

The reason I asked was the Dodge Ram has been hit hard recently after a entry hack went thru the teen community. The factory has a "feature" built into the software that allows the door to be opened if the keys are locked inside. A lot of owners had been leaving a spare fob in the truck, thus the sensor detects it. A quick 3 or 4 digit factory set sequence on the door's keypad will unlock it. And with the spare fob inside, it will start up and the kids drive away.

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