# Things that thieves aren't likely to steal **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505 "2013-10-28T23:48:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/21 "2013-10-29T03:06:51Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > A friend of mine’s husband has an ancient VW bus that barely runs. She’s been trying to get him to sell it for years, but he won’t. She left it sitting out on the streets of Portland unlocked, with the keys in the ignition, for a week. Nobody took it. > > So, a VW bus. Is it still there? I’ll take it. 5 hours of work on a kitchen-table engine rebuild and a very tidy profit can be realized. Even with the rust, assuming it’s not past the point of no return, it can be sold for a few thousand. The real key is the floorpan with VeeDubs. My car is a manual. While it is not entirely theft-proof, it’s certainly less likely to be stolen. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/22 "2013-10-29T03:22:46Z")
> [@toofs](#): > > Books. You might be surprised. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/23 "2013-10-29T03:37:12Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > An outhouse. Obviously, you don’t live anywhere that has a tradition of bonfires. Where I grew up, bonfire night was a big deal at least into my lifetime (haven’t lived there in decades, and haven’t been there for a visit at that time since leaving), and outhouses were still around into my parents’ childhood. And from the stories, I suspect Bonfire Night was the biggest reason late adopters finally got indoor toilets. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/24 "2013-10-29T03:41:01Z")
I don’t think they’re stealing car radios anymore since most are disabled when the power source is removed. And, as far as books…guilty as charged :o ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/25 "2013-10-29T04:39:04Z")
A couple of years ago, I left my motorcycle, a 1985 Honda Rebel 250, on the street with the key in the ignition. When I came back the bike was… still there. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/26 "2013-10-29T05:46:37Z")
I think i still have a library book somewhere that i originally borrowed in the 70s. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/27 "2013-10-29T06:44:44Z")
> [@toofs](#): > > Books. Apparently atlases are a frequent target for thieves - enough so that libraries now limit access to them. Stealing an entire book is difficult. And there’s not much market for a single page of text. But thieves found that you could ask to look at an old atlas in a library, cut out a few maps, return the atlas to the librarian who wouldn’t realize it was missing some pages, and then sell the antique maps for a good price. Once libraries realized this was happening they began checking their old atlases and found that hundreds of them had been vandalized this way. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/28 "2013-10-29T08:39:45Z")
Internal organs - despite all the urban legends. Suicide bomber vests. Although that would be pretty funny. Fanatic: “Now, die foreign scum!” \*\ \\* Fanatic: :dubious: :eek: :smack: > [@davidm](#): > > Dentures My mother’s were stolen once; they were in her purse. ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/29 "2013-10-29T14:09:15Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Anvils. I’m not so sure about that. Have you priced those things recently? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sentrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@sentrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sentrix)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/30 "2013-10-29T14:17:52Z")
there was a weirdo running around manly in sydney near my place who had a panty fetish. never bras. he raided clothes lines for them, got arrested eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/31 "2013-10-29T14:51:06Z")
A cello. I remember reading a story on a musicians forum about a cellist whose instrument was snatched by some random thug while he was walking down the street. He yelled: “Hey! It’s not a guitar!”. The guy stopped, hesitated, dropped the cello and ran away. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/32 "2013-10-29T16:38:55Z")
> [@toofs](#): > > Books. That does NOT apply to college textbooks, however. Those things are worth their weight in gold, damn-near literally. If your backpack gets stolen, you can be absolutely positive that your textbooks will be gone when/if it turns up. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/33 "2013-10-29T17:29:00Z")
> [@toofs](#): > > Books. Want to bet? I work at a university. Textbook theft is a serious problem and we very strigently advise students never to leave their books unattended in the library. There is a reason the bookstore asks for I.D. at buyback. Sorry didn’t see Diceman’s post. ---
**Author:** ![Turpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Turpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/34 "2013-10-29T17:40:05Z")
Clothes. You see abandoned sweaters and hoodies and such near bus stops, playgrounds, etc. all the time and it seems like nobody ever picks them up and say “Hey! A free sweater!” I had a yard sale once. When I was all finished with it, I left the stuff outside with a sign that said “FREE”, referring to all the stuff I couldn’t sell. Among the stuff left over was a pair of Greek marionettes, a few stuffed animals, and a huge pile of clothes. I didn’t sell a single article of clothing at that yard sale, nor apparently could I give them away. So I doubt anyone would ever steal them. I still don’t know if people generally don’t like used yard sale clothes, or if my clothes in particular were so heinous that no one would touch them. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/35 "2013-10-29T18:48:21Z")
The cat’s litter box. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/36 "2013-10-29T19:19:33Z")
> [@botfly](#): > > there was a weirdo running around manly in sydney near my place who had a panty fetish. Great typo! ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/37 "2013-10-29T19:25:47Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > My mother’s [dentures] were stolen once; they were in her purse. Who steal my purse steals trash. But just try and take my reputation. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/38 "2013-10-29T19:36:47Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Great typo! Typo? ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/39 "2013-10-29T19:44:59Z")
A sack of barber hair ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-thieves-arent-likely-to-steal/672505/40 "2013-10-29T19:46:18Z")
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