To make it short and sweet, second night ever at the CAZ and I park my old beater in the back of the main parking lot, came back after a 14 hour session and someone had taken my radar detector and IPOD charger from my vehicle. Security was very responsive, professional and apologetic but unfortunately didn't have a clear view on tapes to identify the person. Moral of the story, use the Valet or don't be an idiot like me and leave your vehicle unsecured as Casinos don't attract the most moral of individuals.

sorry to hear about the loss. I generally feel safe about leaving my car in the California Casinos I go to since there are so many security cameras.
Did you leave your iPod more out in the open ? (like visible on one of the seats?).
I always cover up stuff with a towel or stick it under the seat so no one will think there is stuff in my car anyways...

Sucks that this happened to you but as you intimated it could happen anywhere. CAZ, imo, does a pretty good job w/ security. Cameras all over the place, lots of lighting and they have security patrols on bikes in the parking lots. Still, nothing is fool-proof.

Yeah, if you try to smuggle in a bottle of water they will be on you like a hawk to the slowest worm.

I carry stuff in under my hoodie all the time with no problems.

Overall I think the lot at CAZ is pretty safe. Sucks though OP, sorry about your loss.

Mark

Sorry to be dense but which card room is CAZ?

Casino Arizona

A few months ago someone ransacked my Jeep @ the Casino. They took a buck or two in change...

...and my Garage Door/Gate Opener. Knowing that I have plenty of documentation with my Name/Address in the Vehicle, I feared a Home Invasion or Ambush Attack. In retrospect I realize really should have called ahead to the Police.

how did they gain entrance into your car? I ask because Phoenix residents are notorious for keeping their doors unlocked.

Would you really valet your "old beater"?

I'm guessing he was in Detroit and not in Phoenix?

I would if I played mid stakes or higher.

Mark

Mine was Detroit, the OP was Phoenix.

did you not lock your car?

i never lock my car but then again i dont keep anything valuable in it and i dont think anyone is going to risk grand theft auto charges to steal a 2,000 dollar sedan

It's free...A couple bucks for a tip should be doable for anyone going to a casino.

The best place to park is the front lot next to the valet spot. Most people don't know that's open parking and it's only full at the very busiest times on a Fri/Sat night. If that's full I valet. I'm not parking in the dirt behind back for many reasons.

if you leave things like radar detector, Garmin, leather jacket etc in plain view in NYC its not a matter of if but when...probably the same deal in a big city like PHX...

This logic blows me away. It takes 5 seconds to lock/unlock a car. There's probably a million people in the US addicted to crack and meth... I don't see the point in not spending 5 secs to lock a car.

Easy - my car is worth >$1000. There is nothing of value stored in it, besides about $1.38 in change. I'd rather have my car rummaged than a broken window and my car rummaged. Plus, my door keys don't work so good - you have to jiggle them to get them to work in the lock. PIA.

Now, when I drove a car with real value OR if I actually have something of value in the current ride (items from shopping, radar detector) I lock up good.

This.

I drive a Jeep. A very nice Jeep (one of the new 4 Door Wranglers), but still a soft top. Anyone who has ever driven a soft top, especially a Jeep knows that if someone wants to get in your vehicle, they're going to do it. I'd MUCH rather have the Meth Head open an unlocked door and find nothing of value, than force the next level of loser thief to rip a several thousand dollar hole in my top or window - and still find nothing. I cannot tell you how many times I have returned to my vehicle and found that there had been a visitor - before and after acquiring the habit of leaving it unlocked.

Here is an example of what happened to me one time...

One night after I rehearsed with my bandmate, I decided to have a couple of beers at a place where we sometimes play. I parked down the street and schlepped my guitar and briefcase/laptop to the bar and settled in. After a few hours of listening to music and answering a few eMails, I decided I was done for the evening. I packed up and walked back up the street.

Pulled in at an angle behind my Jeep was a plain black sedan with both doors open - clearly an unmarked Police Car. My first thought was that I wasn't parked legally.

As I came closer, a plain clothes cop with a badge on a chain around his neck approached me: "Are you Mr RAC?"

For the first time I saw a skinny black guy with his hands cuffed behind his back leaning against a fence by my car.

"uh. Yessir, I'm Mr RAC"

"Is this your Jeep?"

"Yessir."

"Do you know this gentleman?"

"Nosir."

"So, he isn't your nephew? Because he told us this is his uncle's Jeep."

"Uh. Nosir. He isn't my Nephew."

Apparently as they came around the corner they witnessed him trying to get into my Jeep through the back window - he had unzipped it halfway. The cops asked me to verify that nothing was damaged nor missing. Nothing was. While we talked and they verified my identity one of the cops said: "Do you even bother to lock the Jeep?"

I said I didn't since I never left anything of value in it and didn't want to make someone cut their way into an empty vehicle. He turned to the "suspect" and said: "Hey genius, look over here - it isn't even locked - you were wasting your time" as he opened a door to mock him.

The other cop was sitting sideways with his feet hanging out of the cop car as he processed the guy. He was talking to the would be thief: "Hey man, you look like you're thinking about running. Just do me a favor and tell me which way you're gonna run so I don't have to guess. I hate that."

All in all a pretty funny scene especially compared to how it could have turned out. I didn't even have to press charges since the bad guy already had warrants.

...I did consider backing into the police car to have a really good story to post.

Years ago I had a brick thrown through my window left a duffle bag in the back seat by a disco in NYC. Now i make sure not to leave anything in sight like GPS or Cellphone etc have never had a problem since. Leaving anything in plain view is basically an open invitation for unsavory types looking for a quick score.

FYP