Big Sister Is Watching: Alexandria Police Department ALERT

[CorpGovActivist]

This was just downright amusing.

A short while ago, I headed off to the bank. When I got to my vehicle, I found the following notice, on yellow card stock:

*******************************************************

Alexandria Police Department

ALERT

Officer <redacted> of the Alexandria Police Department checked your vehicle on 12-28-07 at 1100 hours.

The following item(s) was noted as an opportunity for a thief to steal your property.

<checkboxes next to each option below>

* Door(s) unlocked

* Window(s) open

* No visible security device

X Valuables in plain view

* Other

* Your vehicle appears to be secure ... keep up the good work!!

If you have any questions please call the Officer above at <redacted>.

Remember to secure your property and always report suspicious activity immediately.

*******************************************************

Valuables in plain sight? My Taco Bell wrappers? My fleece? Those documents I have sitting on the seat? The handy-dandy scraper/brush? (Yeah, I'd actually miss that, it's the best one I've ever found).

It's a secure, security-patrolled, access-controlled garage. What the heck was Officer Redacted doing checking my vehicle? Big Sister is watching, and I wouldn't place any bets on whether I make the Naughty or Nice list next year, but three days in to the Christmas 08 tally, and it's not looking good.

:rofl:

- Dave

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. I understand those taco wrappers are in huge demand these days

:rofl:

[CorpGovActivist]

3. My Drink of Choice Was Mountain Dew...

... you can depend on that.

Runs to the Border = Mountain Dew

Might as well save the Big Sister Keystone Clumsies that forensics test.

- Dave

[Thor_MN]

11. Hey, training materials for manufacturing jobs don't come cheap.

[CorpGovActivist]

21. They're Dearly Lost and They Dearly Cost When Lost, Too ...

... manufacturing jobs, that is.

Which candidate do you think has the best plan for aiding displaced workers as they re-train for new jobs, and/or which candidate do you think has the best comprehensive plan for preserving/expanding manufacturing jobs in the US?

- Dave

[Ian David]

2. The guy who took hostages at Hillary's campaign HQ complained about this, too.

The cops were doing the same thing in his little New Hampshire town as well.

[CorpGovActivist]

4. I'm Not Complaining; I'm Laughing about It...

... big difference.

- Dave

[piedmont]

5. Aren't they just making it easier for thieves by pointing out the cars with "security flaws?" nt

[CorpGovActivist]

14. Especially When the Notices Sit, Unremoved, for Days n/t

[Mabus]

6. Just be glad he didn't give you a ticket

for littering - in your own car.

:rofl:

[CorpGovActivist]

15. That's My Partner's Job!

:rofl:

- Dave

[CK_John]

7. Old Irish proverb, "I know where you live". n/t

[CorpGovActivist]

16. New Irish Proverb: "The pinhole cameras are motion activated..."

... "come right on in for your sneak and peek."

- Dave

[tkmorris]

8. I found one of those on my seat, IN MY DRIVEWAY

Pissed me right off. Some local cop came onto my property to check my vehicle, opened my door, and left a note inside. And that was all done for my benefit. Uh-huh, sure mate.

[JohnLocke]

9. Off-topic.

I love the image in your signature.

[CorpGovActivist]

19. Good Photoshop, Huh? n/t

[Cronus Protagonist]

10. Sounds like an unlawful search and entry

Talk to lawyer.

[CorpGovActivist]

20. It's Creepy to Think...

... that they're testing the doors, let alone leaving something behind inside.

"Your car is especially easy to plant evidence in," as a checkbox?

:sarcasm:

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

12. Mine Was Left on the Windshield n/t

[FreeStateDemocrat]

29. Wonder if he searched for drugs or drug paraphernalia for your protection?

[WinkyDink]

13. I lock my car doors. Glove compartment = ID plus garage-door opener.

Stolen = House (or at least, garage) break-in potential.

[Boojatta]

17. The vehicle itself is valuable and it was in plain sight.

Next time park somewhere else and leave the conspicuous parking spaces for the police.

[CorpGovActivist]

18. Didn't Spring for the Cloaking Device, Dang! n/t

[area51]

22. I got one of those notices in Houston. (n/t)

[CorpGovActivist]

23. Did You Look for the Halliburton, KBR, or "Blackwatermark" (TM) on the Page? n/t

[MountainLaurel]

24. Is this Alexandria, VA?

I think I've gotten one of those before as well when I was working in Old Town.

Quite frankly, I've always used trash as an antitheft device (or at least that's what I told Mr. Laurel when he complained about the state of my car). Who's going to want to steal a beater with granola bar wrappers, juice bottles, a couple of stray gloves, etc., anyway? It is rather creepy to think that they're taking such care to look into the contents of your car.

[CorpGovActivist]

25. 'Tis

Are you still in the area?

Do you think http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_laurel">mountain laurel (or true http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhododendron">rhododendron) grew on Dagobah? Yoda avatar rocks!

Mr. Laurel a neat freak? I've got one of those, and used to be one, until college cured me.

:rofl:

- Dave

[MountainLaurel]

27. Nah.

We moved to Maine last year because, after getting married, we realized we couldn't afford to buy a house anywhere closer than Frederick. Neither of us was interested in the 2-hour commute. Besides, we'd both been in the DC area for decades and decided we needed a change just about the time a position came open in Mr. L's field. Unfortunately, this hasn't been the place for us, and we're heading south next year for Mr. L to go to law school.

And to defend him, he's not a neat freak per se (you should see his desk), but thinks that if you have anything at all in your car you make it a target for thieves. Other than tennis balls (for the dog) and a muddy, ancient road atlas, nothing stays in his car overnight. Also, he never understood that because I had a longish commute for a time, I lived out of my car to some extent.

[CorpGovActivist]

30. Your First Winter in New England...

... requires a pre-frozen brain.

; )

Has he already been accepted? If so, where?

"(you should see his desk)"

:rofl:

If you *can* see his desk, he's doing better than I am at the moment (New Year's Resolution).

"Also, he never understood that because I had a longish commute for a time, I lived out of my car to some extent."

I completely feel your pain. When I take longish roadtrips to obtain documents (that I routinely leave in plain view on my front seat, drawing ALERTS), I tend to get sloppy too.

- Dave

[BreweryYardRat]

28. Heh, by that logic, I'm totally immune to auto theft.

The trash in the passenger floor-space of my car comes up to the seat.

Give it another month or so and it'll reach the bottom of the glove compartment.

[CorpGovActivist]

31. Your Own Private Archaelological Dig?

:rofl:

That's what my siblings and I used to tell our mom.

- Dave

[BreweryYardRat]

32. More like "Recyclables R'Us."

There's enough plastic in there (water bottles and coffee cups) to make a bench.

[CorpGovActivist]

34. That's a Good One!

Maybe we should've told our mom we were trying out composting.

:rofl:

- Dave

[kineneb]

33. me too

got a nice collection of junk/garbage/recycleables growing behind passenger seat and in the cargo area (sm. station wagon)... and yes, this being rural California, my shortest drive to "anywhere" is at least 45 min. so the car collects lots of stuff (coffee cups, soda bottles, various wrappers, dead mail)... sometimes I even clean it out, about once or twice a year...

I don't bother locking the doors while the car is in the driveway, so few people/cars go by that it really isn't necessary.

He/She who steals my car gets to clean it out. And dirt is a paint preservative.

[CorpGovActivist]

35. "And dirt is a paint preservative."

The good Lord knows when my vehicle needs a bath.

; )

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

26. What's Next? "Intelligence in Plain View?"...

... or citations for thinking too slowly? (Minimum speed limits crack me up.)

- Dave