| Author | Message | ||
     Jean Citizen Username: Happyhouse Post Number: 9 Registered: 8-2004 |
Warning for all of those who park at the train station. Yesterday, our car was broken into in the South Orange Train Station parking lot between the hours of 7am and 9pm (the parking lot by SOPAC). These guys must have been there a while trying to steal the car. The doors were locked and windows closed when we left the car. They managed to remove the drivers side lock, get the windows down and bust the ignition trying to get it started. We were unable to put the key in the ignition when we found it. They didn't take anything. It has been a huge hastle and an expensive one. Had I known better, I would have used my Club lock and they wouldn't have bothered. So for anyone who has a car that someone would love to drive away in, get a Club if you are going to leave it at the train station. A car alarm apparently doesn't work well enough for the police. I thought security there was better than it is. Oh well. | ||
| Politicalmon Citizen Username: Politicalmon Post Number: 222 Registered: 9-2005  |
Join the club - we've had 3 cars damaged at the commuter lot in SO over the last 5 years. They attempted to break into our Honda - damaged the door locks and were unable to gain access - A $500 out of pocket expense - then over a 2 month period someone was using a screw gun and puncturing tires - we had 2 tires patched and eventually replaced - And lastly a couple weeks ago we someone removed the designated model numbers at the rear of our Volvo - they must have removed it with a pen knife. In any event here is a perfect example of why we should have a simple IP based video camera monitoring the lots at the train station so the SOPD can monitor in real time from their headquarters. | ||
| Matt Foley Citizen Username: Mattfoley Post Number: 759 Registered: 6-2004  |
At least have one of those imposing Parking Authority Stormtroopers stationed at that lot all day. | ||
| red_alert Citizen Username: Red_alert Post Number: 314 Registered: 3-2005 |
This should be a motivator to get the security cameras working or reinstalled. People won't come to SOPAC if they fear their car will be damaged or stolen. Protecting the lots is an investment in SOPAC. | ||
| Nuff Sayid Citizen Username: Parkingsux Post Number: 464 Registered: 6-2005  |
Where will they park who come to SOPAC? I dunno..... Do they know? Does SOPA know? I dunno..... Newsflash... 3 months to go; 14 million in the hopper and counting... ready or not, here we go...  | ||
| Matt Foley Citizen Username: Mattfoley Post Number: 762 Registered: 6-2004 |
SOPAC parking issues? This is not a problem for the South Mountain Valet Co. LLC. For a nominal fee they will park and retrieve your vehicle while you attend SOPAC functions. One may rest assured that all cars under our care will be stored in a safe and supervised environment. For an investor prospectus and full disclosure please PL me. | ||
| Mergele Citizen Username: Mergele Post Number: 422 Registered: 7-2003  |
Motivator, red_alert? Unlikely if history is anything to go by... Don't get me wrong, having one's car vandalized is a royal pain and not an insignificant expense. But incidents like this one appear to be pretty common in that lot. Choose your parking space wisely, and focus on deterrence - anything to cause the would-be thief to pass your car by... a club, etc. Mine was stolen from that lot about 2 years ago and I have been exceedingly cautious ever since. | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 737 Registered: 6-2005 |
Well they are getting a state-of-the art caterer's kitchen at SOPAC. State-of-the-art security in the parking lot might have made more sense. And why can't NJ Transit bear some accountabilty here since they own the lot. We need to start keeping statistics on crimes committed there and shouldn't the BOT make a case for the need for security? A few incidents during a movie or event will be the kiss of death for SOPAC as easily as their lack of a business plan. | ||
| cmontyburns Citizen Username: Cmontyburns Post Number: 1924 Registered: 12-2003  |
Just curious, is anything NOT sopac's fault? They don't even own the parking lot, folks. And who's responsible for all the other car breakins in town? Let me guess: Students who illegally attend Columbia High School? If you want to live where your car won't be broken into, you'll have to move to a bad neighborhood. | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 23756 Registered: 6-2001  |
Exactly the point, cmontyburns. Why does Bill Calabrese constantly talk about the 800 parking spots available to SOPAC? Where are those, pray tell? | ||
| Soparents Supporter Username: Soparents Post Number: 2542 Registered: 5-2005  |
bets, I thought you were bilingual - don't you speak Southoranglish? SOPAC 800 parking spaces....means there are 800 parking spaces in town The majority of residents are overwhelmingly in favour of......means everyone is in favour of something, so there you go.... (it might be the colour of the flowers in their garden, or the flavour of the coffee at DD, but they are in favour of something.) I have big, BIG news for you at the next BOT meeting... means just shut up and get off my back We are very concerned about Beifus........ means, we are concerned that you are on at us about Beifus | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 23757 Registered: 6-2001 |
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| EAB Citizen Username: Elizabethann Post Number: 85 Registered: 1-2005 |
We need much more police patrolling. Cars are getting stolen left and right all over SO and Maplewood! I just hope everyone if filing police reports. We gotta put the heat on the beat! This is so unexceptable for the amount of taxes we pay here.  | ||
| red_alert Citizen Username: Red_alert Post Number: 315 Registered: 3-2005 |
Motivator for working cameras. Yes. I am feelilng optimistic today. Now for some realism. There is another valet service in town. The "valets" take your car, drive it up the avenue at about 80mph and park it typically wrapped around a telephone poll in the towns east of here. You don't need a ticket or receipt, and in some cases there's a police escort following your car. That should also take care of the police patroling suggested above. | ||
| Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro  Post Number: 3685 Registered: 5-2004  |
"Cars are getting stolen left and right all over SO and Maplewood!" It's amazing there are any cars left!!! A bit of hyperbole? What is the rate of stolen cars in SO/M as compared to other towns in Essex county? | ||
| newtoallthis Citizen Username: Newtoallthis Post Number: 293 Registered: 2-2003 |
Speaking of our Parking "attendant." He had his car parked near SOPAC as usual this AM with the engine running. No problem...only he was standing under the train overpass and drinking a coffee while his car sat empty and idled..... | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 819 Registered: 1-2006 |
The man is a gentleman, and if you have a problem, you can point it out to him. Maybe you want to enter a stifling car today, apparently he didn't. jd | ||
| newtoallthis Citizen Username: Newtoallthis Post Number: 294 Registered: 2-2003 |
Will do. I totally understand the need to not enter a stifling car. But I don't know that leaving a vehicle idling without anyone in it is the solution. | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 825 Registered: 1-2006 |
tell him, was my point. he may not read mol. sorry dave. dave, dave, ...... daisy, daisy, daisy..... jd | ||
| joel dranove Citizen Username: Jdranove Post Number: 826 Registered: 1-2006 |
I will tell him. Brave me. jd | ||
| Old and Gray Citizen Username: Pastmyprime Post Number: 404 Registered: 2-2005 |
FYI the club is useless...they used to punch the locks on them, and now they just cut the steering wheel and slip it off. Face it if you have a low level luxury car your at risk of a car theft...No one has tried to steal my Mercury Mountaineer...Ever. But then again, you can't be the envy of your neighbor or equal to him or her without driving a lexus, audi, acura, MB, or BMW. |
