# Do you leave your car doors unlocked? Cops will lock 'em for you. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 19, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151 "2011-10-19T15:29:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/21 "2011-10-19T21:53:29Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > If the vehicle is unlocked because there is nothing to steal from it anyway means your own duty of care to your possessions could be called into question by your insurance company. You could just play the Jedi Mind Trick with the insurance company: would they really be able to tell that the doors were unlocked if it gets stolen? ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/22 "2011-10-19T21:59:53Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > You could just play the Jedi Mind Trick with the insurance company: would they really be able to tell that the doors were unlocked if it gets stolen? If there’s no detectable damage to the car and the thief gets caught and tells the police that the car was unlocked, you might get in trouble. Other than that, I don’t think there’s any way the insurance company could tell the difference. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/23 "2011-10-19T22:04:42Z")
I’m trying to understand what imminent hazard or duty would legitimize police touching and _opening_ cars that are otherwise legally parked, in order to lock doors that the owner chose not to lock. ---
**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:** [October 19, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/24 "2011-10-19T22:15:43Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > the thief gets caught and tells the police that the car was unlocked, you might get in trouble. THey are going to believe the _thief?_ Oh, wait, insurance companies. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/25 "2011-10-19T22:38:32Z")
> [@Al\_Bundy](#): > > I never leave my truck unlocked and out of sight.They can defecate in it If you lock your4 vehicle doors to keep folks from taking a dump, you really need to move. IMHO. Seriously. I’ve stepped in deer or rabbit shit, but damn! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/26 "2011-10-19T22:40:32Z")
Good luck with **my** driver’s side door. It can only be locked by key. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/27 "2011-10-19T22:55:18Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Good luck with **my** driver’s side door. > > It can only be locked by key. Same with mine. I don’t usually lock it if there isn’t anything in it worth stealing. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/28 "2011-10-20T00:44:34Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Thieves are not considerate enough to canvas the scene in order to steal from you in the kindliest way possible. They’re just gonna smash your window, rummage through your glove box, then take the pennies from beneath your floor mats. Honestly, thieves are generally lazy cowards. They’ll take the path of least resistance. Smashing a window is loud and attracts attention, opening a door does not. I read the police blotter in my local paper, the vast, vast majority of thefts from vehicles mention the car being unlocked, or there being no visible damage to the car. Your local conditions may vary… ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/29 "2011-10-20T01:08:07Z")
I never leave mine unlocked, not even in my own driveway, just to dash inside. My friend the ex-car thief has told me that leaving it unlocked is like leaving a big ‘steal me’ sign on it. She said she’d even change her mind and steal an unlocked car just on principle. Alternate-reality GTA principle, but your car is still gone. And now the police have to go through the trouble of looking for it, which is why they don’t like them to be unlocked. Ta Dah! ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/30 "2011-10-20T01:45:00Z")
WTF? Don’t cops have better things to do? How does their insurer feel about potential claims that the police broke or stole something in one of the cars they entered? I live in the functional equivalent of Mayberry, USA, and generally don’t even lock my house, much less the car. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/31 "2011-10-20T23:14:57Z")
This is really dumb. I used to have a car where the door locks didn’t work. If someone locked the door while I was out and about. Well I guess I walk 10 miles plus or so home. ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/32 "2011-10-20T23:22:02Z")
If you try to open my truck’s locked door, the alarm goes off. I wonder what joe policeman does when that happens. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/33 "2011-10-22T16:01:50Z")
I lock all vehicles, but even I think it’s rather stupid. The very people who often keep their doors unlocked also don’t carry their door key or even keep their keys in their car. Leaving the note was fine. But locking is just going to upset people. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/34 "2011-10-23T00:04:22Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Huh. I’ve had my car broken into three times. All three times, the doors were unlocked. Once it was my fault, twice somebody else’s. My conclusion is many thieves would simply move onward to another easy target instead of drawing attention by smashing a window.N On the car I had prior to the Kia (a Chevy Cavalier I owned for only three years, versus eleven for the Kia), I had door windows broken out twice to facilitate attempted theft. I kept that car religiously locked (mainly because the locks were reliable in freezing weather! 😃 ) but drew my own conclusions regarding how much damage someone would be willing to inflict to ransack a car. ---
**Author:** ![ecseas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ecseas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ecseas)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/35 "2011-10-23T00:43:08Z")
It’s illegal in a lot of places in Australia. [http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/drivers-face-fines-for-unlocked-cars-20100517-v7db.html](http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/drivers-face-fines-for-unlocked-cars-20100517-v7db.html) I see the point. It takes few seconds to check if the car is locked, and then lock it (though, I don’t understand how they are locking them…) compared to hours/days spent investigating a theft. Unless it’s physically impossible/impractical to lock your car, why not? The police can tell if your car was broken into, usually. ---
**Author:** ![Systemshocker573](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@Systemshocker573](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Systemshocker573)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/36 "2015-11-28T04:47:53Z")
I drive a Monte Carlo (LIKE ANYONE WOULD STEAL IT) It HAS some mechanical issues with it… 1. I CAN’T remove the key from the ignition IF I do, the pins in the ignition fall and it would be a b\*\*\*\* to put the key back in unless I use a few paperclips to pry it up to insert my key (while I admit it’s a awesome anti theft device, it’s a pain in the ass to repeatedly work the paperclips to put the key in) so I just leave the key in the ignition. F\*\*\* IT 2. Once I start driving for a LONG period of time, my engine gets SUPER hot and if I should “CARELESSLY” switch the engine off, I’m going to be stuck…and it will take anywhere between 5 to maybe 8 hours for the engine to cool down so I can start driving again. THESE are non mechanical issues but further steps to make sure I’m a few steps ahead of them. 1. I take my registration and insurance card with me in my back pocket when I leave my car…HAHA good luck telling the cop that you own the car. 2. the local law enforcement community KNOW me and KNOW the kind of car I drive so IF someone were to steal my car and they don’t wave to the cop, they WILL give chase. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/37 "2015-11-28T04:59:21Z")
I wouldn’t be surprised if those same cops search through those cars for drugs and whatnot in the glove compartment, then they could just lay out it in the floorboard and say it was in plain sight, sounds like an excuse to perform illegal search and seizure to me. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/38 "2015-11-28T05:19:45Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > Police in Massachusetts look for unlocked vehicles and lock them: > > [http://autos.sympatico.ca/auto-news/9972/left-your-car-open-police-lock-it-for-you](http://autos.sympatico.ca/auto-news/9972/left-your-car-open-police-lock-it-for-you) > > I’d be PISSED. I leave my Jeep doors unlocked because a) there’s nothing worth stealing in it and b) I’d rather if some a-hole wants to break in they simply open the door rather than break a window. I never, ever leave my keys, purse or anything of value in the vehicle. > > Your thoughts? What do they do if the vehicle in question is a convertible with the top down? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/39 "2015-11-28T05:45:08Z")
> [@Systemshocker573](#): > > I drive a Monte Carlo (LIKE ANYONE WOULD STEAL IT) > > **It HAS some mechanical issues with it…** > > 1. I CAN’T remove the key from the ignition IF I do, the pins in the ignition fall and it would be a b\*\*\*\* to put the key back in unless I use a few paperclips to pry it up to insert my key (while I admit it’s a awesome anti theft device, it’s a pain in the ass to repeatedly work the paperclips to put the key in) so I just leave the key in the ignition. F\*\*\* IT > > 2. Once I start driving for a LONG period of time, my engine gets SUPER hot and if I should “CARELESSLY” switch the engine off, I’m going to be stuck…and it will take anywhere between 5 to maybe 8 hours for the engine to cool down so I can start driving again. > > **THESE are non mechanical issues** (Bolding mine) I’ll bite, are these mechanical issues or not? ::: Scratches head::: How could the inability to put the key in the ignition be anything but mechanical, unless of course you are Michael J Fox. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151/40 "2015-11-28T05:53:43Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > (Bolding mine) > > I’ll bite, are these mechanical issues or not? > ::: Scratches head::: > How could the inability to put the key in the ignition be anything but mechanical, unless of course you are Michael J Fox. Psssst… He listed that under the “mechanical” heading. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-leave-your-car-doors-unlocked-cops-will-lock-em-for-you/600151.md?page=3)