Is a GPS on the window really a theft risk?

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tgray, Jun 19, 8:36am
I just bought my wife a GPS Tom Tom, but she refuses to attach it to the windscreen because she says someone might break in and steal it.
She says it will only be attached to the window when she needs it.
I say a basic GPS is not a theft issue and she should just leave it on there and use it and not worry about it.
What do you think?

gmphil, Jun 19, 8:43am
not worth much but the broken window glass wot a nite mare
wife knows best on this one

easygoer, Jun 19, 8:47am
Anything on view of value in a vehicle is a target for the opportunist thief, as above the cost to repair a broken window is the problem, I leave nothing on view to tempt them

ignition328, Jun 19, 9:15am
$2 coins in sight are a theft risk, to be frank its whatever car at the time a scumbag comes through has the most appealing thing. If no one else has anything good then yeah they will take it. Friend got busted into and they took a packet of biscuits.

I keep mine in the glovebox, not cause it's worth anything but because my window is pain to replace, once this year is enough.

skull, Jun 19, 9:25am
I leave mine on the window all the time, always have, always will. Nothing has happened since about 2004 when I got my first one. There is nothing so useless as a GPS in the glovebox when you need to use it. I might feel differently if I was regularly parking in unsafe places though.

trade4us2, Jun 19, 9:27am
I unclip mine, it only takes seconds.

supernova2, Jun 19, 9:28am
I know of a Lada that was broken into. The only thing stolen was the ashtray. Some people truly have sad lives.

2sheddies, Jun 19, 9:33am
Absolutely it is. Scumbags will pinch anything not nailed down. $10 mobile phones still get swiped. Those who value their possessions and can't afford to keep replacing stolen items, not to mention damage to vehicle, put them out of sight.

scarey65, Jun 19, 9:56am
gps are cheap now so aren't worth pinching

bit like cd players cheap as cheaps

I guess hot items are laptops and smart phs . good cameras

I don't use my tomtom I prefer the maps app on my ph

nzmax, Jun 19, 10:06am
I would ask myself. Would I leave the equivalent amount of cash in full view and expect it to still be there? No matter what a thief sells an item for, its 100% pure profit, a very good incentive really.

phalanax, Jun 19, 10:15am
Theft risk. yes. some idiots will flog anything. out of sight is best.

bumfacingdown, Jun 19, 8:19pm
Have to agree with this but how will tgray take to that, the wife being right?
A lot depends though, where is the car usually parked and what time of day is it parked their. In the garage at home most of the time a hell of a lot safer than parked in say Clendon for a weekend

skull, Jun 19, 8:27pm
If you park at Clendon for the weekend then it won't be the GPS at risk as much as the whole car.

bumfacingdown, Jun 19, 8:37pm
Even there it can depend on who you know

bill-robinson, Jun 19, 8:42pm
last time I used a GPS I just put it in the pocket in front of the gear lever and let it talk to me. no show, no distraction, and easy to use.

skull, Jun 19, 8:55pm
If most of us put our GPS in that position we would be listening to a continuous stream of "lost satellite connection" Hardly going to be a lot of help getting anywhere.

kazbanz, Jun 19, 9:05pm
tgray--Your wife is right . It IS a theft risk.
Its just a fact of life living in Auckland.
Sorry mate but I wouldn't be leaving anything in plain sight.

jmma, Jun 19, 9:08pm
This coming from a well trained Husband Lol (o:

pandai, Jun 19, 9:20pm
My Garmin fits quite nicely in the big pocket in my Accord, under the stereo, have never had any problems with reception at all. Only if I drive into a building or into a tunnel. I can close the pocket cover over it, but when open, very easy to see and to access.

floscey, Jun 19, 9:27pm
I still struggle with the WOF standards when you have a chip in your windscreen . If i place a 6" square GPS in the way this is somehow safer than a chip ?

bashfulbro, Jun 19, 9:30pm
Weekend ?. you mean an hour or two.

bjmh, Jun 19, 10:07pm
check out the Police cars on Road Cops etc. gps,radar,etc. not to mention internal projections from all the brackets. but yep a chip is a no no.

tgray, Jun 19, 10:50pm
I think the 'chip' is less to do with impaired visibility and more to do with the windscreen cracking without warning.

tgray, Jun 19, 10:51pm
Ok thanks guys. Bit of a mixed response but it seems my wife is right. Again.
Walks off. hands in pockets. eyes to the floor.

monsieurl, Jun 19, 11:16pm
I leave my $1000 V1 in my car and if i'm using the Tomtom i'll leave that up too, I have an alarm and insurance so if someone wants it that much they can have it.