Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Words To The Wise

Two Uptowners pass along warnings to others:
  • "On Sunday night, one of my fellow tenants at 46XX N Magnolia had their car broken into. Here's the kicker: the car was located in our carport. Apparently they climbed the fence in our back alley and picked the lock to the individual garage (or it was open, I'm not sure about that) and stole the garage door opener along with various electronics (iPod, CDs, etc). Just a warning for others who have detached garage spaces in their alleys: please make sure you are locking your cars AND the doors to your garage. A determined thief is going to steal something, we just don't need to make it easier for them to do so."

    UU Note:  If someone steals the garage door opener, it probably means they plan on coming back and hitting the rest of the cars there.  Have your code changed if it happens to you.
  • Another reader passes along that Lincoln Towing is quickly snagging cars that park in the long-abandoned KFC at Buena and Broadway.  The property is in foreclosure and he doubts that the owner still has a contract for patrolling the lot, but Lincoln continues to grab cars of those who park there.  Don't let it happen to you!

7 comments:

  1. Last summer our garages were broken into in the 4400 block of Malden. All of the cars that had their doors locked had their windows broken to gain access into the car. Those that were unlocked, didn't have their windows broken. The police advised us not to lock our cars in our own garages. It makes sense, but old habits die hard.

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  2. My car was broken into two weeks ago (marine drive). I think it was cased for a while before being broken in to because the job of removing the stereo system was really clean. No wires were cut (like other break ins I experienced in the past) and the equioment removal was super clean.

    No one gives a crap anymore. No one is doing anytng to clean things up around here. There is a ton of talk, but no action.

    Sorry kids, but I have taken steps to leave Illinois completely. Im excited to live near a real beach without having to wade through trash and gangs to get to it.

    I won't have to walk down the street and have to figure out who is wearing what color, and if I need to think about ducking stray bullets in my neighborhood, and I wont have to deal with Helen Shitler or Mayor Douchebag Daley's poor decisions and corrupt bullshit.

    I feel sorry for those who have to stay (unless Michael Carroll gets elected as alderman). I am lucky enough to live wherever I want, and the North side of Chicago no longer appeals to me.

    So until I leave, I will keep posting sarcastic remarks and share the photos I take, but hopefully it won't be long until Im outta here!

    :-D

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  3. Wow thanks for the info about the KFC lot. I have often parked there on my way out of town to grab ice or a diet coke for the road at 7/11. I thought that leaving my hazzards on would be enough in a lot that has not been used in about 4 years. Wonder if they try to tow the Police Cars that park there to go and grab a cup of joe at 7/11 on a daily basis.

    I realize towing in Chicago is just a big money grab. But I wonder if the towing company needs to prove they have a contract for the property your car is parked at before they can demand any payment.

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  4. The north side has really gotten worse over the years and I also know that most of the neighbors are all talk and no action when it comes to crime around here. I sure am glad I live on a high floor and own my own indoor parking space or I would be getting the hell out of here too. Many cars parked outside by Montrose and Clarendon are always having them broken into.

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  5. Well it's certainly all about revenue collection, in terms of towing and tickets. Driving to and from work on LaSalle, the ticketers and towers are out in force.

    Regarding garage break ins......we've had our alley gate repaired twice, as a result of the local thugs using crowbars trying to pry open the alley gate.
    If some idiot is inclined to 'tag' a tree.....the sky's the limit up here.

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  6. Moos - I used to work at a towing company's office (NOT LINCOLN), and the way it works is this:

    If there's a sign on the property, that is "proof" that a contract exists. The sign is SUPPOSED to be removed within 24 hours of the cancellation of the contract, but this is one of those "honored in the breach" regulations.

    If there's no sign, there's (theoretically) no contract, and you can contest the towing (with the lot owners, local authorities, etc.) AFTER you pay for the release of the car. You see, most of these companies have a deal with the driver where he (Almost always a "he") gets paid by the office up-front for his effort, and the "fine" that you pay is then credited as a back-door reimbursement. If you are successful in contesting the tow, you probably will get back only a percentage of what you paid, because part of that money was already given to the driver who hauled your car "in good faith."

    Yeah, the system stinks, which is one of the reasons I don't work in the towing business anymore.

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  7. Gotta agree with themooshisloose, and in fact, I beat him out of the hood (but still own in my old place there). Yes, the neighborhood has gotten pathetic. People need to step up and take action. I had not one, but two nicknames from the local gangbangers because they knew me and knew that any time I came around and they were up to something, the cops would be 5 minutes behind. Guess what, they stopped dealing and doing anything when I was around! And my block was actually problem free for my last year or so (probably because I was such a bulldog pain in their ass and also because I got all of my neighbors very familiar with dialing 911). We just didn't stand for it.

    If anyone reading this lives in that building on the SE corner of Magnolia and Wilson, get off your hands and start dialing!!! I'm not necessarily going to recommend my method (I've even confronted some in the middle of the night with a hockey stick - they left in a real hurry), but I can't believe your building lets so much activity happen on that block!!!

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