02-12-2009, 10:28 AM
Hi tigermom,
I'm so sorry about all you lost and especially that which can't be replaced. With that much value, it would be worth filing a homeowner's claim.
Now not to sound unsympathetic, but there has been a sign at Ahalanui telling people about the theft problem for years ... and I would NEVER go there with anything of value in my car, never ever. I just don't understand why anyone would.
When I lived in California I got windows smashed and stereo stolen twice, friends had cars stolen and off to chop shops, had my neighbor's car stolen out of the driveway at 3 am, NEVER considered car safe unless locked in a garage. At least here my stereo hasn't been targeted. Did I get anything back in California, or any assurance anyone would try? Absolutely not, forget it, with your car you're on your own.
I have gotten hit here, in Hilo. It's not just Puna. That was three years ago. That theft crippled me for a month because both sets of my prescription glasses were in the car and taken. They were no good to anybody but me, but they were worth $500 to me, as one pair were prescription Revo's. Oh, I got hit in my own driveway, talk about feeling violated. My bad, I had gotten complacent and wasn't alarming my car because my driveway was quite a ways in off the street.
The police take a report so you can file insurance. End of story. Violent crime is always lower priority than property crime. Property crime involving break-ins to dwellings and structures trumps auto vandalism.
My DIL lost her wallet, her laptop with all her baby pictures of her son in digital form, irreplaceable, and her camera, while at a party at Pohoiki. Totally her fault for being a space cadet, but the police certainly were not going to be checking pawnshops. That was up to her.
Hawai'i is a great place but when it comes to thieving lowlifes it isn't paradise. It's much worse than any other rural place I've lived, more like living on the edge of the inner city. When you live near poverty and you are affluent in comparison, you are at risk, and expecting the police to change Puna into Belair or Beverly Hills with lots of enforcement is not likely to happen.
Be vigilant, always, no "we just want to relax." Scum never sleeps when given a golden opportunity ...
Again, I'm totally empathetic, but you are one of many many many victims who has just joined an old club and I think it's unrealistic to think that now it's happened to you there will be a movement to put an end to it. There's too little funding, no money in the budget, and let's face it, the police deal with this all the time and they don't raise false hope because they know the drill.
I'm so sorry about all you lost and especially that which can't be replaced. With that much value, it would be worth filing a homeowner's claim.
Now not to sound unsympathetic, but there has been a sign at Ahalanui telling people about the theft problem for years ... and I would NEVER go there with anything of value in my car, never ever. I just don't understand why anyone would.
When I lived in California I got windows smashed and stereo stolen twice, friends had cars stolen and off to chop shops, had my neighbor's car stolen out of the driveway at 3 am, NEVER considered car safe unless locked in a garage. At least here my stereo hasn't been targeted. Did I get anything back in California, or any assurance anyone would try? Absolutely not, forget it, with your car you're on your own.
I have gotten hit here, in Hilo. It's not just Puna. That was three years ago. That theft crippled me for a month because both sets of my prescription glasses were in the car and taken. They were no good to anybody but me, but they were worth $500 to me, as one pair were prescription Revo's. Oh, I got hit in my own driveway, talk about feeling violated. My bad, I had gotten complacent and wasn't alarming my car because my driveway was quite a ways in off the street.
The police take a report so you can file insurance. End of story. Violent crime is always lower priority than property crime. Property crime involving break-ins to dwellings and structures trumps auto vandalism.
My DIL lost her wallet, her laptop with all her baby pictures of her son in digital form, irreplaceable, and her camera, while at a party at Pohoiki. Totally her fault for being a space cadet, but the police certainly were not going to be checking pawnshops. That was up to her.
Hawai'i is a great place but when it comes to thieving lowlifes it isn't paradise. It's much worse than any other rural place I've lived, more like living on the edge of the inner city. When you live near poverty and you are affluent in comparison, you are at risk, and expecting the police to change Puna into Belair or Beverly Hills with lots of enforcement is not likely to happen.
Be vigilant, always, no "we just want to relax." Scum never sleeps when given a golden opportunity ...
Again, I'm totally empathetic, but you are one of many many many victims who has just joined an old club and I think it's unrealistic to think that now it's happened to you there will be a movement to put an end to it. There's too little funding, no money in the budget, and let's face it, the police deal with this all the time and they don't raise false hope because they know the drill.