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Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: laura discord ()
Date: April 14, 2008 06:01PM

I saw one of those ridiculous movable light-up highway billboard sorts of signs, black background with orange LED facing southbound on Fairfax County Parkway close to Braddock Road that read
"TURN OFF GPS
AND
LOCK DOORS."
That was Friday.

Saturday, there was another identical message posted in the median of Reston Parkway by Town Center.

Vaguely troubling, amirite?

Any idea to what they are referring? I found it extremely curious...

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d
Posted by: inkahootz ()
Date: April 14, 2008 06:05PM

d



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2010 08:36PM by inkahootz.

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: MaryPat ()
Date: April 14, 2008 06:49PM

I don't know if some people are just plain stupid or something.(putting it politely)

During lunch today, I spotted one of those new Accords in the mall parking lot.
On the front passenger seat, I saw a money clip with $20s, a Blackberry,
and a Canon SD790 digital camera.(I'm a camera-geek :) )

The windows were rolled down about two inches... no driver in sight...
It's like he/she was begging for someone to steal the stuff...

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: vaguely troubling ()
Date: April 14, 2008 06:54PM

laura discord Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I saw one of those ridiculous movable light-up
> highway billboard sorts of signs, black background
> with orange LED facing southbound on Fairfax
> County Parkway close to Braddock Road that read
> "TURN OFF GPS
> AND
> LOCK DOORS."
> That was Friday.
>
> Saturday, there was another identical message
> posted in the median of Reston Parkway by Town
> Center.
>
> Vaguely troubling, amirite?
>
> Any idea to what they are referring? I found it
> extremely curious...


I'm not quite certain why the signs are "ridiculous" as you claim.

And yes, it would seem as though lazy, absent-minded people who leave their expensive GPS units on their windshields need to be reminded that it may be a good idea to remove their expensive toys and lock their doors. Neglecting to do so usually invites theft and a subsequent police bashing thread on Fairfax Underground about how the police aren't doing their job by keen and insightful people who frequently know police work better than the police.

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: coffin ()
Date: April 14, 2008 07:14PM

I saw the same thing at FFX Co Parkway and Fair Lakes....and wondered what the hell it meant. So it's just a public service announcement?

My question is...is a turned off GPS less likely to be stolen that a turned on one?

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: AJ ()
Date: April 14, 2008 07:26PM

coffin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I saw the same thing at FFX Co Parkway and Fair
> Lakes....and wondered what the hell it meant. So
> it's just a public service announcement?
>
> My question is...is a turned off GPS less likely
> to be stolen that a turned on one?


The sign I saw said "Remove GPS and lock doors"

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: TheMeeper ()
Date: April 14, 2008 07:38PM

AJ Wrote:
>> The sign I saw said "Remove GPS and lock doors"

That is correct. Hard to see in this pic from the FFX Co Parkway, but the word "Remove" is still legible.
Attachments:
FFXCoParkway.jpg

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: O ()
Date: April 15, 2008 02:24AM

From fcpd site...

--The Fair Oaks District Station of the Fairfax County Police Department has called a meeting of residents, to discuss a growing problem that affects us all. In the past 10 weeks, the numbers of burglaries, thefts from vehicles and vehicle tamperings have increased. These increases are the highest among all the police districts in the county.

The meeting will be this Friday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m. at the Fair Oaks District Police Station, located at 12300 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway. First Lieutenant Ed O’Carroll, Assistant Commander of the Fair Oaks District Police Station and Second Lieutenant Chip Crawford, Supervisor of the Criminal Investigations Section, will address these problems and your Crime Prevention Officers will offer solutions that can reduce the occurrence of these crimes.

Maps with the area hot spots will be provided to you. By the end of the meeting, whether you have been victimized or not, you will be informed and prepared. You will understand the need for the community to join efforts with law enforcement in order to successfully win this battle.

The meeting will last approximately two hours depending on community involvement and questions. We look forward to meeting and speaking with you on these issues. Light refreshments will be provided.

If you have any questions, contact MPO Sophia Grinnan via e-mail at sophia.grinnan@fairfaxcounty.gov. Thank you!

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: Gravis ()
Date: April 15, 2008 03:39PM

shouldnt the police be... oh i dont know... going after these thieves? i personally would prefer they perform sting operations on thieves rather than on people walking into 7-eleven.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."095042938540

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: thinkbeforeyoutype ()
Date: April 15, 2008 04:31PM

yea i mean i dont really understand how the fairfax county police cant prevent GPS units from being stolen from cars at somewhere like tysons corner mall.

i mean it is only like the 7th biggest mall in america with 4 parking decks and other surface lots.

it should be easy for the 3 guys assigned to the ENTIRE mall to prevent all crime within it.

are you high gravis?

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: Chillin1 ()
Date: April 15, 2008 04:59PM

Gravis..

Maybe you should seek help for your anger issues with authority figures.

Or, maybe you secretly admire the Police…and,wish you had the balls to become an Cop...you know, get to wear a uniform….…and carry a big gun to compensate for your deficiency…??

The tiny dick problem….sorry,thats a cheap shot...but, I saw your picture before it was deleted. Is it really posted on your programming website?
Funny shit.

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: foolish man" ()
Date: April 15, 2008 05:17PM

The car with the money and blackberry almost sounds like a sting operation.

I know they suggest taking a cloth and rubbing off the spot the suction cup from the GPS makes when attached so thieves won't be drawn right away to the car.

Taking the GPS with you when you go in a store reminds me of removing the faceplate from the stereo system. People do it the first few times then get sick of the hassle and just leave it there.

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: Vince(1) ()
Date: April 15, 2008 05:21PM

Chillin1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gravis..
>
> Maybe you should seek help for your anger issues
> with authority figures.
>
> Or, maybe you secretly admire the Police…and,wish
> you had the balls to become an Cop...you know, get
> to wear a uniform….…and carry a big gun to
> compensate for your deficiency…??
>
> The tiny dick problem….sorry,thats a cheap
> shot...but, I saw your picture before it was
> deleted. Is it really posted on your programming
> website?
> Funny shit.


Gravis's real problem is that he still lives with his Mommy and Daddy...

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: Doug Hill ()
Date: April 15, 2008 05:36PM


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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: bdimag ()
Date: April 15, 2008 05:49PM

foolish man" Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The car with the money and blackberry almost
> sounds like a sting operation.
>
> I know they suggest taking a cloth and rubbing off
> the spot the suction cup from the GPS makes when
> attached so thieves won't be drawn right away to
> the car.
>
> Taking the GPS with you when you go in a store
> reminds me of removing the faceplate from the
> stereo system. People do it the first few times
> then get sick of the hassle and just leave it
> there.



definately sounds like a sting... and stings would work - considering a lot of people who steal that kind of stuff don't just do it once or twice..

and yea, i took the faceplate off like.. 4 times..

chameleon FTW... although that doesn't help w/ gps thieves :)

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: Gravis ()
Date: April 15, 2008 06:49PM

My dearest thinkbeforeyoutype,
   thank you for reading the first 12 words of my post. i know it was tough but it could have saved you a lot of effort writing a reply if you had read all 29 words. the irony is great considering your alias.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."095042938540

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: coffin ()
Date: April 15, 2008 07:41PM

Somebody ought to design a GPS that, if it's stolen, it calls you and tells you where it is. Then you could go kick the motherfucker's ass that stole it and get it back!

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: KeepOnTruckin ()
Date: April 15, 2008 10:26PM

O Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From fcpd site...
>
> The meeting will last approximately
> two hours depending on community involvement and
> questions. We look forward to meeting and
> speaking with you on these issues. Light
> refreshments will be provided.
>
> If you have any questions, contact MPO
> Sophia Grinnan via e-mail at
> sophia.grinnan@fairfaxcounty.gov. Thank you!


Free Food!

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: AlphaKat ()
Date: April 20, 2008 09:58PM

Thank you for posting this topic!

I saw one of these signs. It was on the Fairfax County Parkway heading toward Springfield, just after you get on the Parkway from Route 50 East, It's near Fair Oaks, but not so close that you'd associate it with any particular shopping center.

When I saw the sign I couldn't figure out what it was about, since I was in motion on a busy road. (If I hadn't had power locks--which not everyone does, after all--I couldn't have locked all 5 doors while driving. I don't have a GPS unit, so I didn't have to worry about turning it off with one hand while driving with the other.)

It was a little alarming to see this sign and not know what it was about. I was expecting a road block up ahead. (Why else tell people on the highway to lock their doors?)

Such signs would be better employed in shopping center parking lots. And media campaigns would work better too. Putting vague signs on major roadways isn't so useful, IMHO!

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: dark ()
Date: April 20, 2008 10:38PM

They should just outlaw GPSes, then they won't get stolen. The easy solution is often the best.

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: KeepOnTruckin ()
Date: April 21, 2008 07:30PM

but not always, for instance gun control

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: Mofo ()
Date: April 21, 2008 07:44PM

I always put mine in the glovebox, though I still have a huge suction cup hanging off my windshield. But seriously they should change the sings to "Don't be stupid and or you'll get your shit stolen."

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Re: Signs that say "turn off gps and lock doors"
Posted by: CauseItsTrue ()
Date: April 21, 2008 08:40PM

dark Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They should just outlaw GPSes, then they won't get
> stolen. The easy solution is often the best.

Or do it the NOVA way...GPS Tax.

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