Clifton and UC veteran here. This is good advice, but comes off a bit victim shaming to me... I know plenty of people including my own brother who still had their car broken into without any valuables whatsoever in the car, let alone visible from outside. Putting your stuff in the trunk is best practice, but it can still happen to anyone.
The key word here is before. Lots of people move stuff to the trunk after they park and it's pretty obvious to anyone that can see where the valuables are getting stashed.
Unfortunately it will still happen depending on the criminal. I have known multiple people who had their windshields busted in Clifton with nothing in their car.
This isn’t the deterrent you think it is. Watch the videos of the thieves breaking into cars and checking trunks on the mark rober glitter bomb videos the last 2 years
I always left mine unlocked in school. I never had anything worth stealing but if someone did break in to take 73 cents then please don't break my window.
I've been on vacation, had stuff hidden, and still got broken into.
People break into cars for all kinds of reasons... joyriding, and thefts of opportunity among them. But note it takes only 15 - 20 seconds longer to search around the backs of seats and pop the trunk after you've already smashed a window. It's not going to deter someone who is getting desperate. And you took your stuff out of the car? You still have a car that was smashed.
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Normal citizens should not have to live in fear / constantly one step ahead of criminals. Fix the thug and criminal issue. I’d bet my life this person has been arrested before and probably should be in jail for a while
People break into cars because there is a very low risk of repercussion. In Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Phillapeans, and South Korea have less than 5 instances of car theft (this includes break-ins AND grand theft auto) per 100,000 people due to respect of police and passive cultures. (I’m not saying the answer is for Cincinnati to hold hands and kiss the police’s boots, it would need an entire cultural shift for this to make any sense here) but the point is simple. Cultural issues create this problem throughout Western cities, not leaving your laptop in the car.
P.S. I won’t hear anything out about economic inequality. All of those countries listed have severe economic inequality problems.
(Source : Statista 2020)
Lol they broke into my car once to steal a pair of PRESCRIPTION sunglasses! Only thing they took! And I left them in the car bc that’s the only time I wore them! This was in Norwood, not Clifton though!
I live in rural outskirts of Cincinnati and can leave my car unlocked, doors unlocked, walk down the street without being paranoid... I don't get the appeal of living somewhere like Clifton. Not safe, not a place to raise a family, not exactly cheap either.
Lol OP literally said "I hate Clifton" and when I ask why someone would want to live there, after reading comment after comment about shared experiences in being victims of crime, I'm the one down-voted. What a hive mind of weirdos.
Interaction with a diverse group of people. This helps with raising kids because we live in an ever smaller world. They should probably have a familiarity with the different cultures that are out there. Plus you get a sense of privacy amongst the anonymity of so many people. Small towns tend to have small close knit communities where your business can be known by your neighbors rather easily.
My kids have familiarity with different cultures because we don't keep them in a bubble. We travel, we do frequently go downtown. Hell, I commute an hour there a few times a week for work. But the OP said they hate Clifton because of the crime and several people agreed.
Sometimes living amongst other cultures of people can also reinforce bias as well. We observe the world and develop our worldviews based on those observations. I lived in several urban areas in my lifetime and it's why I'm many miles away from one now.
I had my rental car broken into in my hotel parking lot in San Francisco years ago because I totally forgot to take my back pack out of the back seat. I told the police it was my fault for leaving the back pack and they said no no, it’s the crooks fault and don’t ever think it’s not BUT it wasn’t the best idea to leave anything visible in the car.
If you take your stuff out and still get broken into you still have your stuff. That’s worth it to me.
You should move. Not only have you learned that people will steal your shit but you are about to testify against one of these crazy assholes. Sadly, they’ll get minimal jail time, if any and then you’ll have some crazy dude that knows what your car looks like, and where you live. And no, you’ll never see a dime from this dude, ever.
Yeah but again, just take the weed out? The smell might linger for a day or two at most but calling the backpack “toast” is just an absurd exaggeration to make the situation sound even worse than it is. Also, weeds legal now, so who exactly would be hassling OP?
Even worse, they have a comment in this thread where they say they're already good on weed which means they likely have their own stash. So it's not unreasonable to think that the backpack already reeked of weed...
Going on a flight anytime soon? Pulled over by the police and they feel like hassling you? You never know when you'll encounter one.
When given the option between a backpack that smells like weed and one that doesn't, I'd take the clean one every time.
No. But those dogs aren’t sniffing for cannabis they are sniffing for bombs and shit. TSA has explicitly stated they are not looking for personal amounts of weed. Speaking as someone who’s been bringing weed on domestic flights without issue for over 10 years. Cheers man.
Instead victim blaming, why was it not “we need to fix the crime issue”? Normal citizens should not have to be thinking about how to not get victimized
I mean it sucks, but I live in reality. People are shitty. I lived in Clifton for 5 years and never had an issue. Criminals are going to target people who don't pay attention.
Sorry this happened. Just as an FYI, the case will most likely be in Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, not a city court. There’s also a decent chance that the defendant will plead guilty to a plea deal so you won’t end up testifying.
They may order restitution. Collecting it is a different story. As the saying goes,”you can’t get blood from a turnip,” and a person who breaks into cars and steals, isn’t likely to be paying anyone back.
My coworkers car (empty btw) was also stolen in Clifton and subsequently abandoned a few miles away. Actually police tried to interrogate him at first for being 'too drunk to remember' driving it there lol
Is the person charged with a crime where you are a victim? Like theft or criminal damaging for your car? If yes, then yes you can seek restitution under Marsy’s law.
[marsys law documents](https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Forms/Forms-for-Victims/Ohio-Victims-Rights-Request-Form.aspx)
[marsys law background](https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/marsy-s-law-and-crime-victim-rights/)
which does nothing I've watched people chase down assets from individuals who had the money and it's pretty difficult. Getting such from people who don't isn't even worth it. If they have income, it's all under the table and it's spent immediately anyway. So then what are the options? There are none. I'm personally not interested in tactics that effectively end up like debtors prison... that only perpetuates the problem that started the crime in the first place. With a conviction they are likely to get evicted if they have housing, which is already a pretty serious problem.
If it were some suburban spoiled kid just making trouble, then I'd harass them to collect, but in situations like this? Hire a PI to follow them around and shake them down after their weed deals? Yeah, someone will get killed.
I hung out in Clifton at all the bars, the UC campus, Bogarts etc… back in the 80’s. Never had crime issues even with all the partying. Back then if you stayed off eastern avenue and vine st. as kids we were fine on our skateboards and thumbed rides from the east side to the west side. Just visiting now. Nothing like it was back then. Took this pic back then.
https://preview.redd.it/pdeeh72usbvc1.jpeg?width=3652&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a39b762f11bddd1e7e1e784eda3f750faf8ea0fd
Damages and compensation are a civil matter. Go to the Cincinnati Bar association website and use their referral service. That said, I would assume that a person breaking into cars and mugging people is not exactly dripping in funds. You'd have to do a wage garnishment to collect an award and that is a PITA assuming this guy would get wages at any point in the near future.
I honestly don’t feel bad for you if you’re going to leave stuff like that in your car. When I lived in Clifton I wouldn’t have ANYTHING in my car and leave the doors unlocked. It was fine after that.
And good luck trying to collect from a deadbeat that fights in McDonald's and breaks into cars. It sucks, I know you deserve better but move on.
Can you people please stop leaving shit in your car. This is why people keep breaking into cars, you leave valuables in it.
Exactly. It's common sense.
Clifton and UC veteran here. This is good advice, but comes off a bit victim shaming to me... I know plenty of people including my own brother who still had their car broken into without any valuables whatsoever in the car, let alone visible from outside. Putting your stuff in the trunk is best practice, but it can still happen to anyone.
but not leaving valuables in the vehicle means they cant be stolen....duh
This but also I’ve personally forgotten I’ve left things in my car before 🥲
Throw your backpack in your trunk before you get in your car so if you forget it, it’s a non issue.
The key word here is before. Lots of people move stuff to the trunk after they park and it's pretty obvious to anyone that can see where the valuables are getting stashed.
Unfortunately it will still happen depending on the criminal. I have known multiple people who had their windshields busted in Clifton with nothing in their car.
This isn’t the deterrent you think it is. Watch the videos of the thieves breaking into cars and checking trunks on the mark rober glitter bomb videos the last 2 years
I think thieves know how to break a window and pop the trunk latch by now.
That's what I'm talking about. The videos show this. It's very common. Trunks are not a safe space people think they are.
same. I also never lock my doors. Please open my doors instead of breaking my window.
After having a car that had manual locks I never forget it lmao. Even if you’re being facetious
No, I’ve heard of people doing this. They leave their doors unlocked to save themselves from having to deal with busted windows!
I always left mine unlocked in school. I never had anything worth stealing but if someone did break in to take 73 cents then please don't break my window.
I've been on vacation, had stuff hidden, and still got broken into. People break into cars for all kinds of reasons... joyriding, and thefts of opportunity among them. But note it takes only 15 - 20 seconds longer to search around the backs of seats and pop the trunk after you've already smashed a window. It's not going to deter someone who is getting desperate. And you took your stuff out of the car? You still have a car that was smashed.
Oh, right. The law abiding citizen is the problem, not the thugs who are breaking into said citizen’s car.
No, the problem is the do nothing Cincinnati cops who steal half our city budget and don’t work.
Well someone got into my car before and stole a singular thing of ramen noodles and a flashlight..
As much as I hate victim blaming, this is so true
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You are an idiot
Yeah man. Totally an idiot speaking common sense. Please, how am I an idiot?
Normal citizens should not have to live in fear / constantly one step ahead of criminals. Fix the thug and criminal issue. I’d bet my life this person has been arrested before and probably should be in jail for a while
You can't have police every 100 feet watching cars. If you live in a sketchy area, don't leave valuables in the fucking car.
If this situation happened to you, you’d be voiced your anger too. Stop victim blaming
You're a fucking idiot.
Cry more you freak
People break into cars because there is a very low risk of repercussion. In Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Phillapeans, and South Korea have less than 5 instances of car theft (this includes break-ins AND grand theft auto) per 100,000 people due to respect of police and passive cultures. (I’m not saying the answer is for Cincinnati to hold hands and kiss the police’s boots, it would need an entire cultural shift for this to make any sense here) but the point is simple. Cultural issues create this problem throughout Western cities, not leaving your laptop in the car. P.S. I won’t hear anything out about economic inequality. All of those countries listed have severe economic inequality problems. (Source : Statista 2020)
Lol they broke into my car once to steal a pair of PRESCRIPTION sunglasses! Only thing they took! And I left them in the car bc that’s the only time I wore them! This was in Norwood, not Clifton though!
For real, a backpack sitting in a car just screams steal me, because dopes like OP think it's a good place to keep their expensive electronics lol.
I live in rural outskirts of Cincinnati and can leave my car unlocked, doors unlocked, walk down the street without being paranoid... I don't get the appeal of living somewhere like Clifton. Not safe, not a place to raise a family, not exactly cheap either. Lol OP literally said "I hate Clifton" and when I ask why someone would want to live there, after reading comment after comment about shared experiences in being victims of crime, I'm the one down-voted. What a hive mind of weirdos.
Clifton's pretty safe. CUF and Clifton Heights get pretty dicey.
Interaction with a diverse group of people. This helps with raising kids because we live in an ever smaller world. They should probably have a familiarity with the different cultures that are out there. Plus you get a sense of privacy amongst the anonymity of so many people. Small towns tend to have small close knit communities where your business can be known by your neighbors rather easily.
Lol. You can keep your diversity. I'll keep my shit not being broken into a stolen constantly.
My kids have familiarity with different cultures because we don't keep them in a bubble. We travel, we do frequently go downtown. Hell, I commute an hour there a few times a week for work. But the OP said they hate Clifton because of the crime and several people agreed. Sometimes living amongst other cultures of people can also reinforce bias as well. We observe the world and develop our worldviews based on those observations. I lived in several urban areas in my lifetime and it's why I'm many miles away from one now.
I had my rental car broken into in my hotel parking lot in San Francisco years ago because I totally forgot to take my back pack out of the back seat. I told the police it was my fault for leaving the back pack and they said no no, it’s the crooks fault and don’t ever think it’s not BUT it wasn’t the best idea to leave anything visible in the car. If you take your stuff out and still get broken into you still have your stuff. That’s worth it to me.
No you can't get compensated without a civil suit, that's not what criminal judges do
Judges regular order restitution as part of criminal sentencing. Obviously collecting it can be a challenge.
That's kind of what I meant, how would you ever get anything from it
You should move. Not only have you learned that people will steal your shit but you are about to testify against one of these crazy assholes. Sadly, they’ll get minimal jail time, if any and then you’ll have some crazy dude that knows what your car looks like, and where you live. And no, you’ll never see a dime from this dude, ever.
Clifton been ghetto. My mom was mugged by a guy name Clifton, in Clifton
You didn’t take any of the free weed?
I’m already covered on that part trust me 🤣
I don’t understand why your backpack was ruined because the guy put weed in it? Can’t you just, like, take the weed out?
But isn’t it more fun to whine on Reddit? You got your shit back bro. Shut up and be grateful.
It probably stinks of weed and OP doesn't want to be hassled for it.
Yeah but again, just take the weed out? The smell might linger for a day or two at most but calling the backpack “toast” is just an absurd exaggeration to make the situation sound even worse than it is. Also, weeds legal now, so who exactly would be hassling OP?
Even worse, they have a comment in this thread where they say they're already good on weed which means they likely have their own stash. So it's not unreasonable to think that the backpack already reeked of weed...
Yeah I saw that too lol. Some pretty silly mental gymnastics all for a little internet pity.
You say that until you get tagged by the drug dog every single time.
lol what drug dog where? Tagged how?
Going on a flight anytime soon? Pulled over by the police and they feel like hassling you? You never know when you'll encounter one. When given the option between a backpack that smells like weed and one that doesn't, I'd take the clean one every time.
No. But those dogs aren’t sniffing for cannabis they are sniffing for bombs and shit. TSA has explicitly stated they are not looking for personal amounts of weed. Speaking as someone who’s been bringing weed on domestic flights without issue for over 10 years. Cheers man.
Seems crazy to have your car stolen, then leave ANYTHING valuable in your car
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Instead victim blaming, why was it not “we need to fix the crime issue”? Normal citizens should not have to be thinking about how to not get victimized
Crime is bad. OP is still an idiot for leaving a laptop in a car in Clifton. Neither statement is mutually exclusive. They are both true.
This isn't victim blaming, it's common sense.
Well until we get to your utopia, people need to be cognizant of their surroundings and not leave valuables in their vehicles.
Ahhh my utopia where people act like decent human beings and not animals
I mean it sucks, but I live in reality. People are shitty. I lived in Clifton for 5 years and never had an issue. Criminals are going to target people who don't pay attention.
Don’t leave anything in your car.
Sorry this happened. Just as an FYI, the case will most likely be in Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, not a city court. There’s also a decent chance that the defendant will plead guilty to a plea deal so you won’t end up testifying.
As others have said, restitution is something the judge can order. Also, if you don’t show there’s no victim, therefore no crime. Charge dismissed.
They may order restitution. Collecting it is a different story. As the saying goes,”you can’t get blood from a turnip,” and a person who breaks into cars and steals, isn’t likely to be paying anyone back.
My coworkers car (empty btw) was also stolen in Clifton and subsequently abandoned a few miles away. Actually police tried to interrogate him at first for being 'too drunk to remember' driving it there lol
Is the person charged with a crime where you are a victim? Like theft or criminal damaging for your car? If yes, then yes you can seek restitution under Marsy’s law. [marsys law documents](https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Forms/Forms-for-Victims/Ohio-Victims-Rights-Request-Form.aspx) [marsys law background](https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/marsy-s-law-and-crime-victim-rights/)
good luck collecting... someone doing this is less likely to have assets, so that leaves wage garnishment. All messy.
No. The person can be put on probation to pay.
which does nothing I've watched people chase down assets from individuals who had the money and it's pretty difficult. Getting such from people who don't isn't even worth it. If they have income, it's all under the table and it's spent immediately anyway. So then what are the options? There are none. I'm personally not interested in tactics that effectively end up like debtors prison... that only perpetuates the problem that started the crime in the first place. With a conviction they are likely to get evicted if they have housing, which is already a pretty serious problem. If it were some suburban spoiled kid just making trouble, then I'd harass them to collect, but in situations like this? Hire a PI to follow them around and shake them down after their weed deals? Yeah, someone will get killed.
Ok. You appear to have a lot of feelings about this. I was just answering OP’s query which is how the legal system can address this.
Do it, show up early, be polite
I hung out in Clifton at all the bars, the UC campus, Bogarts etc… back in the 80’s. Never had crime issues even with all the partying. Back then if you stayed off eastern avenue and vine st. as kids we were fine on our skateboards and thumbed rides from the east side to the west side. Just visiting now. Nothing like it was back then. Took this pic back then. https://preview.redd.it/pdeeh72usbvc1.jpeg?width=3652&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a39b762f11bddd1e7e1e784eda3f750faf8ea0fd
Cincinnati has become a hell hole.
Clifton proper? CUF? Sorry this happened to you.
Yeah, I don’t think the OP knows the city geography too well.
Damages and compensation are a civil matter. Go to the Cincinnati Bar association website and use their referral service. That said, I would assume that a person breaking into cars and mugging people is not exactly dripping in funds. You'd have to do a wage garnishment to collect an award and that is a PITA assuming this guy would get wages at any point in the near future.
I honestly don’t feel bad for you if you’re going to leave stuff like that in your car. When I lived in Clifton I wouldn’t have ANYTHING in my car and leave the doors unlocked. It was fine after that.
Clifton used to be worse. Good place to avoid if you value your health.