Toledo robberies prove again why ''victim zone'' exclusions are a very bad idea
Toledo Blade
July 10, 2003
Toledo police have a message for drivers and their passengers: Don’t leave valuables in vehicles.
In the last two days, detectives received 15 reports of thefts from vehicles in West and South Toledo with items taken ranging from purses and wallets to golf clubs and computers. Even a King James Bible was snatched in the incidents, which total thousands of dollars in loss and damage.
About half the thefts were to out-of-state vehicles, especially those parked at motels. Others occurred while people were in restaurants or bars, Sgt. Chris Delaney said.
Click on the "Read More..." link below for more of the story, and OFCC PAC Commentary.
The thieves are breaking windows, busting locks, and even cutting convertible tops to get inside vehicles. The thefts, which started heavily about two weeks ago, have occurred during various times of day. However, thieves often targeted the vehicles at motels during the overnight hours and those at restaurants and bars during dinner hours, the sergeant said.
Police recommend people put their valuables in the trunk. Women should carry their purses or put them in the trunk before they get to their destination because thieves will watch as they tuck them under seats.
OFCC PAC Commentary:
If Am. Sub. HB12 were law today, the extended list of "victim zone" exclusions - places where license-holders are prohibited from carrying their firearms - would ensure that a long list of firearms were added to the list of stolen items.
The Toledo police department (on the record as opposing concealed carry reform)are even admitting what Gahanna Police Chief Dennis Murphy told Senators when he testified in May: criminals often observe people in parking lots, and target vehicles in which they see the owner stowing valuables. Thus, Am. Sub. HB12's "victim zone" list would create a situation where criminals could easily observe persons disarming and locking their firearms in their vehicles, all because of a provision that was intended to improve safety, but will in fact have the opposite effect.
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