When New York City locked down in March, by mid-April, auto thefts soared 63 percent.
It’s a trend. And as the global economy dives deeper, car thefts will continue to rise.
Without having experienced it, you probably cannot come close to fully understanding the immediate terror, helplessness, hopelessness, and subsequent depression coupled with future fear of leaving one’s home and driving anywhere, that many who have been victimized by carjackers have felt and lived with.
As I see it, we have deteriorated into a useless, whining, disgraceful society of hand-wringing victim-types, with a law enforcement mission directed at curtailing domestic spats, ticketing those who drive without their seatbelts fastened, and arresting honest business people (“small business entrepreneurial types” please note) for perhaps not having closed down their businesses or not demanding they and those who patronize those businesses wear a face mask. All in order to defeat the World Enemy: Covid-19!
Carjacking is one manifestation of violent crime that is, not surprisingly, increasing as we sink deeper and deeper into economic despair.
And again, the deeper the “Greatest Depression” goes, the higher the crime rate skyrockets.
Steal a Horse, Steal a Car?
In that very sensible period and place in America’s history, for some reason labeled the “Wild West,” those who stole a man’s horse were, when caught, hanged.
It was more than just in the movies, it was a fact of life. If a man came upon some scum attempting to steal his horse, he shot him. End of problem.
Either way, the criminal act of depriving a person of his crucially-needed transportation (or attempting to deprive him of it) was permanent.
Horse thieves never lived to become recidivists. Hanging and gunfire tended to bring a swift and certain end to the 1800’s equivalent of today’s car thief or “jacker.”
In Seattle, WA (a kind of mecca for the scurrilous bipedal garbage who steal people’s transportation), it is only after seven convictions that one of these dirtbags finally is sentenced to a jail term. And it’s a lenient jail term. No firing squad, stoning, hanging, or gas chamber.
Am I actually suggesting a carjacker/auto thief should be put to death? You’re goddamn right I am!
Consider the plight of someone desperately needing to drive a loved one to an emergency room in the middle of the night, only to discover his vehicle is not there. Or the young woman with her child, suddenly facing some bastard with a gun, demanding the key to her car. Or the businessman or student, stopping to get gas for his car and finding himself the victim of one or more rodents who steal his vehicle, leaving him unable to get to work or to school, and being hamstrung possibly for weeks, unable to use his customary means of transportation (which cost and costs him a nice chunk of money on top of his other living expenses).
Yes. I think carjackers and car thieves should be hanged.
Or… better still… stopped (literally) dead in their tracks by armed would-be victims who deal with them exactly as they deserve.
In the real world of self-defense, people who will fight for their lives know overconfident unarmed car thieves who believe they can scare and intimidate some citizen into passively surrendering his vehicle can often be dropped neatly on the pavement where they stand by some no-nonsense blows of unarmed combat.
In any case, I would like to provide you with suggestions about vehicle security.
Some of these suggestions are identical to those we are taught in professional evasive, counterterrorist driving courses:
- Do not stop your vehicle if you are in the process of driving it. A vehicle that pursues you and signals for you to pull over must never be obeyed (unless, of course, it is clearly a police vehicle). Keep your vehicle moving! In every instance of a successful attack – even by trained terrorists – the attackers were successful only after they stopped the target vehicle.
- If, when you are driving, you see a roadblock ahead (other than a law enforcement roadblock), put your vehicle in reverse, back up, turn around, and get outta Dodge! Do not assume that an unruly or any other mob will clear a way for you so you can pass. Get away fast. Never mind what the inconvenience is, how much time you lose, or whatever; just avoid contact with a mob or gang by getting out of that situation, fast.
- If, when you are driving, you suddenly are swarmed by marauding individuals who are hostile and intending to stop your vehicle – in a situation you could not see coming/could not avoid – step on the gas and GO! You don’t want to be taken from your car or truck and beaten to death, in addition to losing your vehicle.
- Whenever you get into your vehicle, lock the doors, first thing. Always keep your vehicle doors locked. Car jackings and deadly attacks have occurred when motorists were stopped at red lights without locked doors.
- If you come on an accident in the road or see someone being victimized, do not stop! Drive on and call 911. Unfortunately, scumbags have been known to take advantage of good Samaritans by setting up ploys to stop and entrap them. Don’t take a chance.
- If you find yourself being followed, do not drive home. Drive to a police or fire station and keep your hand on the horn while driving. Yes, I know: this could attract the police. Exactly what you want to do!
- Never stop or slow down for strangers or roll your window down for a stranger who approaches your vehicle. Drive!
- Always, always, always, always, always be “situationally aware” – alert! –whenever you are behind the wheel. No reading, no eating, no cell phone conversations, no fixing your hair, and no head-turning while deep in a conversation with a passenger. Discipline or admonish your child later, not while driving.
- Whenever you stop for gas, keep the door of your vehicle locked and the windows rolled up. Even if you will “only be a minute” going inside the station to pay, follow this rule. You do not want to discover, as you drive off down the road, an unwelcome “passenger” who pops up from behind with a knife or a gun. This has happened.
- Consider the use of a tracking device for your vehicle.
- Get gas as soon as your vehicle’s tank is half empty; and get it in broad daylight at a clean, known, safe gas station.
- Ladies: Purchase a large-size man’s hat and leave it on the dashboard over the wheel when you park your car. Freaks who seek to target women will assume the car is being occupied by a man.
- Don’t leave valuables in your car when you park. Lock each door and always keep windows completely rolled up when parked for the night, when shopping, for a visit, etc.
- Hopefully this one is obvious: Never leave the engine running, even for a few seconds, in order to do anything, no matter how “little time” you anticipate taking. This advice is important for all who use a vehicle for delivery purposes (pizza, groceries, etc.).
- You should have your license plate number memorized.
- Whenever you bring your vehicle in for servicing (oil change, etc.) empty out your glove compartment and keep the contents in a bag with you while the vehicle is being serviced. Proof of insurance, registration, anything you normally keep there. Leave only the vehicle key in the ignition at a service station. Never leave any attached keys.
- If you possess a CCW (concealed carry weapon) and carry a handgun lawfully when driving, I strongly recommend a cross-draw holster while driving. A shoulder holster is a good alternative. Either one permits speediest possible accessing of your weapon ready-to-go, if it is needed. Note: I personally have found cross-draw holsters and shoulder holsters to be the most comfortable and practical for real-world carry and employment, in general.
- There are devices that enable you to press a button and activate loud-sounding, very realistic “gunshot” noises. I don’t know the best places to purchase these or the most reliable models… but they sure are a great idea. I think anyone could see the potential benefit of having one of these installed.
Stay safe. It’s up to you.
by Bradley J. Steiner