# Do People Still Steal Car Radios? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 16, 2016, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174 "2016-03-16T16:50:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/21 "2016-03-17T21:12:17Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > I don’t think your second reason holds water. Home 8-track tape recorders were not terribly uncommon. I used to produce 8-track mix tapes myself for use in the car. I know that home 8 track recorders were around, but, IIRC, by the time they were starting to become common, cassettes were taking over in a big way. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/22 "2016-03-18T13:15:34Z")
Nowadays they steal the catalytic converter – They aren’t even locked inside the car. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/23 "2016-03-19T02:59:26Z")
Talking about 8-track players: my first fancy car stereo system (in 1976) was a Craig 8-track player (just the player, not a radio). The nice part about it was it could slide out of a holder, mostly so you could take it with you for theft prevention. You could buy spare holders that the player could slide into. I built a nice case for the spare holder, found a 12-volt power supply at Radio Shack, and presto, used the same 8-track player in my college dorm room. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/24 "2016-03-19T03:31:32Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > Talking about 8-track players: my first fancy car stereo system (in 1976) was a Craig 8-track player (just the player, not a radio). The nice part about it was it could slide out of a holder, mostly so you could take it with you for theft prevention. You could buy spare holders that the player could slide into. I built a nice case for the spare holder, found a 12-volt power supply at Radio Shack, and presto, used the same 8-track player in my college dorm room. G-d bless Radio Shack, it is no more. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/25 "2016-03-19T04:59:08Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > G-d bless Radio Shack, it is no more. ☹ Radio Shack was an above-ground pool of Suck. Good riddance! ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/26 "2016-03-19T06:16:01Z")
Tell me - now that Radio Shack is gone, where DO I find “radio/electronic” solder? For kids interested in circuits - especially those circuits NOT on chips, where the Hell are they going to find tools/components/supplies? Oh well, the Chinese can do it cheaper anyway, right? Jobs and “the Woz” will not be replicated soon. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/27 "2016-03-19T13:00:38Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Radio Shack was an above-ground pool of Suck. Good riddance! They sold electronic parts before they became a cell phone store. Before the last one I knew off went out of business, I went to buy a 24 VCT transformer. The guy didn’t know what I was talking about. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/28 "2016-03-19T13:03:24Z")
Just the other day, I ran out of desoldering braid. It was a long drive to a place that had it. Didn’t want to wait for mail order. The old Radio Shack (before they started cutting back on the hobbyist stuff) was something I went to almost monthly. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/29 "2016-03-19T13:16:52Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Radio Shack was an above-ground pool of Suck. Good riddance! They sold electronic parts before they became a cell phone store. Before the last one I knew off went out of business, I went to buy a 24 VCT transformer. The guy didn’t know what I was talking about. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/30 "2016-03-19T21:33:33Z")
How many here know what a “crystal radio” is? Hint: it used a cat’s whisker. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/31 "2016-03-19T21:53:06Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > For kids interested in circuits - especially those circuits NOT on chips, where the Hell are they going to find tools/components/supplies? There’s a ton of stuff online, of course. Fry’s Electronics also has a very reasonable hobbyist electronics section. Better than RS ever had in the past 3 decades, at any rate. Makerspaces are becoming more common by the year and they provide many of the basic tools. ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/32 "2016-03-19T21:54:45Z")
Understand that people will steal anything. I knew a guy who’s house got broken into and they actually stole his deodorant…yes his used deodorant stick among other things of course. When I first started dating my wife, she had her dildo stolen from her closet. And to top it off, I did have someone enter my car, pull everything out of my glove box, laid out carefully on the seat. Spare change gone, my empty lunchbox gone, the stock jack for the spare tire in the trunk gone and…yes this is stupid…my windshield wipers gone. Yes they took my freaking windshield wipers. People will steal anything. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2016, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/33 "2016-03-19T23:28:19Z")
In 2008, someone caused a little over $200 in glass damage to my car in order to steal a generic single-disc CD player that had been purchased brand new for $99 in 2000. ---
**Author:** ![heartsplayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d9b06d/32.png) [@heartsplayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heartsplayer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/34 "2016-03-20T00:05:12Z")
I’ve never had a CD player or radio stolen from any of our cars… and that’s the way it’s staying. Though having said that, we’ve kept with the stock radios/players as they have all been pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/35 "2016-03-20T00:36:55Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > There’s a ton of stuff online, of course. Fry’s Electronics also has a very reasonable hobbyist electronics section. Better than RS ever had in the past 3 decades, at any rate. > > Makerspaces are becoming more common by the year and they provide many of the basic tools. What if something fails and you need a part now? ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/36 "2016-03-20T00:49:09Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Radio Shack was an above-ground pool of Suck. Good riddance! There are still Radio Shacks around, but now they’re cell phone shops. Back in the 70s and 80s, Radio Shack had really decent car stereo stuff. Their speakers were fine. They were overpriced, but when they went on sale (which they did a couple times a year) they \*really \*went on sale. I assembled a couple of excellent-sounding car systems using Optimus speakers. Crutchfield is still with us, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/37 "2016-03-20T00:53:36Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > What if something fails and you need a part now? Again, Fry’s–if you have one near you. They’re few and far between outside of California, though. I needed a ULN2003A as a replacement for a fried one on a repair job. Fry’s had it–I can’t recall RS ever having the kind of selection that would make that happen. Next best is Amazon next-day shipping. Not too bad if you have Prime. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/38 "2016-03-20T00:56:54Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Again, Fry’s–if you have one near you. I never heard of it until this thread. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/39 "2016-03-20T02:02:34Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I never heard of it until this thread. 🙂 Just to clarify, they are talking about [Fry’s Electronics](http://www.frys.com/), not [Fry’s Food Stores](https://www.frysfood.com/). You might notice that until recently, they used virtually the same logos. Charles Fry owned the grocery store chain but then sold it (it has passed through several hands and now belongs to Krogers). He split the money with the kids who used their share to open the electronics stores. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174/40 "2016-03-20T02:04:44Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > Just to clarify, they are talking about [Fry’s Electronics](http://www.frys.com/), not [Fry’s Food Stores](https://www.frysfood.com/). You might notice that until recently, they used virtually the same logos. Charles Fry owned the grocery store chain but then sold it (it has passed through several hands and now belongs to Krogers). He split the money with the kids who used their share to open the electronics stores. there aren’t any Fry’s Electronics or Fry’s Food Stores where I live. I was aware of Fry’s Electronics because of where I’ve traveled, but they’re darn sure not ubiquitous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-steal-car-radios/749174.md?page=3)