Safety reminder: victims of felony lane gang today at trailhead

[Karenanywild]

Ladies,

A friendly reminder of something we all know. Don't leave purses in your car.

We were victims of the Felony Lane gang today.

Google them and you'll learn all about them. They are nation wide. Here in Florida they are currently targeting trailhead parking lots and baseball park parking lots. They hit us and at least one other vehicle today. Luckily they took what they thought was my purse but was just a bag with a change of clothes. But, guilty, my purse was in the 'way back' of the SUV.

The people parked next to us weren't so lucky. Lost a bunch of cash, credit cards and all their ID. The cops warned them to cancel their cards immediately, they move fast and will drain their bank accounts and steal their identities.

For any Florida members on here, this happened at the Killarney trail head of the West Orange trail in Winter Garden. We now know the cops park there EVERY weekend because the gang is so active there. And, they still get cars. They have put cops hiding in the bushes, plain clothes officers all around the trailhead and they are still getting away with it.

The good news, had a great 45 mile ride and nobody got hurt. Window is all taped up for our early morning ride tomorrow.

K.

[ehirsch83]

I recently moved from Winter Park out to Colorado. People think I'm weird that I lock my doors when getting gas(I'm originally from South FL and they would steal purses out of cars at gas stations).

I do know that a few weeks ago a wallet got stolen out of a car parked at Windermere Elementary for the Sunday ride(they broke the window).

Only take what you need with you(debit card, id , insurance card) and carry them with you when you ride.

This also happened to my step mom at the gym a few years ago- they would sit and wait for women to walk into the gym without a purse and then smash a window and search under the seats.

[nuliajuk]

I've recently taken to putting a little cash and just my important documents (licence, health insurance card, safety training documents from work etc.) into a little plastic folding pouch that slips into my back pocket. Nothing gets left behind in the car that is important. I think I got the pouch with pink cards from an insurance company at some point in the past, but I'm sure it's possible to buy something like it.

[murielalex]

If I'm driving to meet people, I still only bring what I carry in a ziplock bag or two to put in my jersey pocket: cash, id, insurance info, cc card, and phone in one; if on longer rides, sunscreen, lip balm, wipes in a second).

[Irulan]

Property crime is rampant at trailheads around here. I leave nothing in the car.

[TrekDianna]

I had a friend who had all his camera equipment stolen from his car at the trailhead while he was using the porta-potty. Insurance covered it since he's a photographer, but now when he leaves his car to go take photos, he leaves the glove box open so they can see there is nothing in there and doesn't leave a single thing in the car.

[OakLeaf]

Insurance covered it since he's a photographer

... his insurance covered it because he paid for the business coverage and was able to deduct the premium as a business expense. That brings up an important point - many of us own bicycles worth much more than the included coverage for sporting equipment in our homeowners'/renters' insurance. So read your policy and decide whether it's worth springing for a rider (those can cost 10% of the value of the insured property per year). Comp coverage on my auto policy does NOT cover contents, don't know about anyone else's - that kind of thing varies quite a bit by state and by company.

[Karenanywild]

Just sad that we have to do these things and can't conveniently leave things in our car while we go for a ride. Makes me sad.

[ehirsch83]

... his insurance covered it because he paid for the business coverage and was able to deduct the premium as a business expense. That brings up an important point - many of us own bicycles worth much more than the included coverage for sporting equipment in our homeowners'/renters' insurance. So read your policy and decide whether it's worth springing for a rider (those can cost 10% of the value of the insured property per year). Comp coverage on my auto policy does NOT cover contents, don't know about anyone else's - that kind of thing varies quite a bit by state and by company.

Fully agree here- my DH is an insurance agent and this is one thing thing that he educates fellow cyclists on- along with normal clients on coverage (like homeowners- you would be amazed at how many people are under-insured on the important issues(cost to replace roof) and over insured on items that don't come into play... auto- PIP amounts,etc.

We have all of our cycling equipment on our renters insurance and we still only spend $25 a month for our policy.