Some motorists sometimes find a tissue slipped into the exterior handle of their door. It is important to know what this means.
You may have already had an unpleasant surprise when picking up your car where you had parked it the day before or a few hours earlier. From the small scratch on the door to the vehicle placed on concrete blocks without its wheels, including the broken window or the crushed bumper, there is sometimes reason to blame the whole world. Especially since even if you are well insured, you almost always have to pay a deductible – often an amount in the three figures – not to mention the hours lost in the garage to have the damage repaired.
Some motorists also sometimes find their vehicle in normal condition except for a few small details, details which can however be very important. Like the windshield wipers being raised, which can have several meanings, the most common being that of the resident unhappy with the way you parked your car even if you respected the rules in force. Another detail, more discreet but very intriguing, should, however, instantly alert you if you see it on your car.
Drivers report having already found a Kleenex on the exterior handle of their vehicle. While this may seem like a prank played by children, it is not. On the contrary, it must be taken very seriously since it is a mode of operation used by car thieves, particularly when they operate in gangs. The handkerchief placed on the handle allows offenders to target the vehicles they wish to steal. If they ever notice during patrols, sometimes over several days, that the Kleenex is still in place, then the thieves conclude that the owner is not there and that the car is unattended. They will therefore be able to take action.
If this happens to you, in addition to removing the tissue from the handle as quickly as possible – which should be enough to keep the criminals away from your car – notifying the police can be useful, particularly to protect nearby vehicles. The number of car thefts in France amounts to several hundred per day, not counting aborted attempts. Knowing how to recognize the techniques used by organized gangs is a plus to minimize the risk of your car disappearing into thin air.