I wish I knew too. When I was a typist for the Houston Police Department back in 1999, for about six months we had a spate of car burglaries in which the owner’s manual was either among the stolen property or sometimes the only thing stolen. I never found a pattern; it wasn’t always a particular make or model, high-ends and low-ends, new and old. Never could figure it out.
Harriet
Guys, this sounds exactly like something from a Scavenger Hunt. Some folks are pretty serious about these hunts and wouldn’t think twice about breaking into someones car (because the figure they have insurance). The fact they bypassed all the good stuff and grabbed an obscure item like an owners manual strongly suggests this. Bet I’m right! 
This just screams “senseless fraternity initiation prank” to me.
THE THEIF COULD GET THE VIN AND POSSIBLY GET THE KEY CODE. THEN WAIT TILL SHE FIXES THE CAR AND STEAL IT WITH NO DAMAGE.
THE THEIF COULD GET THE VIN AND POSSIBLY GET THE KEY CODE. THEN WAIT TILL SHE FIXES THE CAR AND STEAL IT WITH NO DAMAGE.
THE THEIF COULD GET THE VIN AND POSSIBLY GET THE KEY CODE. THEN WAIT TILL SHE FIXES THE CAR AND STEAL IT WITH NO DAMAGE.
THE THEIF COULD GET THE VIN AND POSSIBLY GET THE KEY CODE. THEN WAIT TILL SHE FIXES THE CAR AND STEAL IT WITH NO DAMAGE.
They’re looking for an extra valet key. There are transponder systems in modern cars that won’t allow you to start the car without a chip in the key. If the dealer left the valet key in the glove compartment, then the thief can simply take the manual (with the valet key), and come back and drive the car away…probably after you’ve had the window fixed!
Here’s the source article on car theft from Wired: http://tinyurl.com/g96we
Here’s a quote:
" For the past few years, Bay Area cops have pursued a ring of thieves that break into Hondas and Acuras with ?jiggle? keys ? keys with the teeth shaved down so they can turn the tumblers inside any car?s door lock. After the thieves gain access, they shuffle through the glove compartment and snatch the manual, where dealers ? unbeknownst to many car owners ? often leave an extra valet key."
Bill
How’s about this. A mostly honest thief and Ford Focus owner was selling their car. When asked for the owner’s manual, the dude said, “Sure, no problem, let me get back to you” Problem was, dude didn’t have one. So he went out and got one. Maybe that’s all, but cancel your cards anyway and get some kind of credit/identity watch service, just in case. You’ll most likely need it some day anyway. Good luck…
I agree that it is a SCAVENGER HUNT. My brother’s fraternity initiation in college included a scavenger hunt. They had to steal home plate from the Oakland A’s ballpark. Of course the pledges all went together on this fraternity scavenger hunt.
That is hilarious! I would have to a agree that an owners manual from a Ford Focus is only good as toilet paper.
That’s what we came up with over beers the other night. We thought not a gang but some sort of initiation in which you have to prove that you broke into a car but with minimal damage to the owner.
I think stealing the owners manual was a diversion for stealing.
Check to see if the AIR BAGS are still in the car.
Rod
Remember she said the car was parked near the church? My guess is that some kids, ditching Sunday school or after Bible studies, just did it for a lark. Also recall that ALL the doors had been manually unlocked; kids just being kids. Too late to dust all those locks for fingerprints???
Most people would not miss the manual and would not report it thinking they may have misplaced it … as mentioned a prank to see which cars how good they are to break in … just a test to see if it is worthwhile … or a crazy guy to cheap to buy it in a store or for an older car which was lost …
I don’t know why anyone would do this.
However, in 1996 my 1993 Ford Escort had the owner’s manual stolen out of it too. Nothing else was taken, just that. We never reported it to anyone, but it has always caused my wife and I to wonder.
Go Figure!!
Theory 1: they needed it. A friend once felt he needed to 5-finger a VW fan belt in the middle of the night when his broke in the middle of bumf*** as he was giving a friend’s 6-year-old son a ride home across the state. He left a big sign “Don’t drive til you replace your fan belt!” on the windshield and an envelope with $25. Weeks later, he went BACK and left more money!
Theory 2: 4 stoner teenagers broke in at night to sit, drink beer and smoke a few. They rummaged while they sat around, and one decided he needed the manual.
Scavenger hunt. This theory is supported by a) the victim met another woman who had the same thing happen to her; and b) all of the stuff in the car being rummaged through but left intact except for the manual suggests that the perpetrator(s) had a list of items and were looking for anything on the list, but found only the manual. I have to say I wouldn’t have expected scavenger hunters to commit a felony; that’s sad.
I have had owners manuals in the past that had the key code written in them…did this one?
T & R,
My last car dealer (in Virginia) advised me not to keep the manual in the car because some thieves saw an easy opportunity to make money selling the stolen manuals online. As you know, they can fetch between $30 and $75 to replace in a used car. If you keep it in the car, surely don’t leave it where it can be seen through the windows.
Happy Travels,
Dave