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Original poster

Someone marked my car last night? Target?

77 replies

Moniq123 · 20/12/2023 14:33

Hi all,

Woke up this morning to XX4 marked on the passenger side of my car. It wasn't there yesterday so must have been marked sometime in the night. A bit weirded out considering most of the day it's just myself and 3 kids, hence the "4". DH goes to work in the early am and back late in the evening. What do you think it is? Am I overthinking?

I called 101 for advice and they said if anything happens to call 999& also put a chair behind the front door to block anyone coming in.

Someone marked my car last night? Target?
OP posts:
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6
Lifeasiknowitisout · 20/12/2023 16:36

Moniq123 · 20/12/2023 16:30

Thanks for all your messages. It's a Range Rover and we're in London so the most stolen car here. I've wiped off the markings now. It was done sometime in the night as it wasn't there last night. I also doubt it would be kids (considering was a Tuesday night + last day of school today)

Probably someone who objects to people driving 4x4 on London.

Theres plenty of them, clearly fairly easy to steal if they are the most stolen vehicle. They don’t need to mark yours and come back for it.

MorningSunshineSparkles · 20/12/2023 16:39

It’s common for kids to draw on filthy cars round here, just be glad it wasn’t a dick drawing.

Els1e · 20/12/2023 16:55

I must be naive. I thought it was symbolism meaning “kisses for” and then ran out of space.

BébéCadum · 20/12/2023 17:07

These signs...weird but probably true I think.
A few years ago my DM told me about a spate of burglaries near her house and by coincidence I had just heard about these signs so I looked, street side at her 6ft walls, the gates: found nothing at all. Back inside the property, right next to the front door and well below eye level, there was the 'alarmed' marking. We would have never noticed it if we hadn't been looking for 'something'. And yes her house was/is alarmed to the teeth. I don't think it was kids or a playful workman somehow.
But he ho, each to their own.

Newyearnamechangehere · 20/12/2023 17:09

BébéCadum · 20/12/2023 17:07

These signs...weird but probably true I think.
A few years ago my DM told me about a spate of burglaries near her house and by coincidence I had just heard about these signs so I looked, street side at her 6ft walls, the gates: found nothing at all. Back inside the property, right next to the front door and well below eye level, there was the 'alarmed' marking. We would have never noticed it if we hadn't been looking for 'something'. And yes her house was/is alarmed to the teeth. I don't think it was kids or a playful workman somehow.
But he ho, each to their own.

Edited

But why would they need a marking? Don't alarms have a box on the wall?

CornishPorsche · 20/12/2023 17:09

BébéCadum · 20/12/2023 17:07

These signs...weird but probably true I think.
A few years ago my DM told me about a spate of burglaries near her house and by coincidence I had just heard about these signs so I looked, street side at her 6ft walls, the gates: found nothing at all. Back inside the property, right next to the front door and well below eye level, there was the 'alarmed' marking. We would have never noticed it if we hadn't been looking for 'something'. And yes her house was/is alarmed to the teeth. I don't think it was kids or a playful workman somehow.
But he ho, each to their own.

Edited

And yet those "signs" are complete tripe. Even Marlboro cigarette packets used to have that "symbol" on it. It's not an unusual shape or design, so I wouldn't read anything at all into it.

BébéCadum · 20/12/2023 17:12

I don't know what they need exactly, since I'm not a burglar, but there's a difference between having the box on the wall and having a working alarm, and also having a working alarm and actually using it, I guess?

Nicknacky · 20/12/2023 17:12

BébéCadum · 20/12/2023 17:07

These signs...weird but probably true I think.
A few years ago my DM told me about a spate of burglaries near her house and by coincidence I had just heard about these signs so I looked, street side at her 6ft walls, the gates: found nothing at all. Back inside the property, right next to the front door and well below eye level, there was the 'alarmed' marking. We would have never noticed it if we hadn't been looking for 'something'. And yes her house was/is alarmed to the teeth. I don't think it was kids or a playful workman somehow.
But he ho, each to their own.

Edited

Do you honestly think housebreakers are hiding a symbol in order to identify a house to break into?

Think about it for a second. In the days of Google street view, cameras etc a housebreaker is going to say to their housebreaking mate “John, I’ve found the perfect house to burgle, just look for the hidden symbol, I know it would have been easier to give you the “What Three Words” which would take you right to it, but this seemed like more of a challenge!”

PostmansKnock · 20/12/2023 17:13

It makes no sense at all that people write signs on houses and card to go back to later. Why don't they just drop a pin on google maps. Or say 'Susan, there is a car I'd like you to steal at 17 Badger Terrace, it's a ford so highly prized'.

How is writing in the dirt going to help people identify cars to steal?

K4tM · 20/12/2023 17:15

Lol. Think my house would marked ‘nothing worth stealing’. Unless they wanted the yappy neurotic rescue Pomeranian. Wait … perhaps that was a sign from the water company I saw on the pavement?

1967Kitherly · 20/12/2023 17:18

Signing/marking is absolutely a thing, I thought it was well known! They will have someone scout out a house/car so the people who actually steal them know where to go. I mean it would be stupid to text someone and say yes burgle number 14 as it would be traceable.

Nicknacky · 20/12/2023 17:19

1967Kitherly · 20/12/2023 17:18

Signing/marking is absolutely a thing, I thought it was well known! They will have someone scout out a house/car so the people who actually steal them know where to go. I mean it would be stupid to text someone and say yes burgle number 14 as it would be traceable.

Where have you heard it’s a thing?

And there are plenty of ways to send messages to people that aren’t traceable.

CornishPorsche · 20/12/2023 17:21

1967Kitherly · 20/12/2023 17:18

Signing/marking is absolutely a thing, I thought it was well known! They will have someone scout out a house/car so the people who actually steal them know where to go. I mean it would be stupid to text someone and say yes burgle number 14 as it would be traceable.

And yet it's complete nonsense. And yes, they have those messages on their phones or use encrypted apps etc. It's not hard. Why would they bother scoping out and the rely on spotting a crappy piece of scribbling in the dust or mud on the side of a car? Does that maen if it gets a wash is safe?

festivetinseling · 20/12/2023 17:22

Why would crooks make a mark on a car they want to steal when it has a perfectly good number plate they can identify it by? Confused

BébéCadum · 20/12/2023 17:23

CornishPorsche · 20/12/2023 17:09

And yet those "signs" are complete tripe. Even Marlboro cigarette packets used to have that "symbol" on it. It's not an unusual shape or design, so I wouldn't read anything at all into it.

Show quote history

So you say, but how do you know that?
Was it he proverbial kid, climbing a 6ft wall, just to draw that small mark, just for the heck of it? If it was meant as a joke, it would have been clearly visible, surely? You really had to look for it, it wasn't meant to be noticed.
I mean I have no absolute proof of what it was, but it was there, inside a private property and it shouldn't have been, so what what do you think?

1967Kitherly · 20/12/2023 17:23

@CornishPorsche @Nicknacky I’m in London and have always heard it? Happend to my aunt recently as it goes!
You can google it and there are plenty of articles.
I have no idea why they do it, its stupid to me also! but they just do?? They are thieves they are not logical

Nicknacky · 20/12/2023 17:24

1967Kitherly · 20/12/2023 17:23

@CornishPorsche @Nicknacky I’m in London and have always heard it? Happend to my aunt recently as it goes!
You can google it and there are plenty of articles.
I have no idea why they do it, its stupid to me also! but they just do?? They are thieves they are not logical

Edited

So you have no idea if it is a thing then?

Its you that’s saying it is a thing, can you provide links to the stories that you know about?

Newyearnamechangehere · 20/12/2023 17:26

So, thinking this through then.

Gang A is made up of professional burglars and professional scouts? The scouts randomly leave markings and somehow let the Gang know they've done acacia avenue last Tuesday if they want to take a look? And then the burglars remove the markings when they are done?

Nicknacky · 20/12/2023 17:26

1967Kitherly · 20/12/2023 17:23

@CornishPorsche @Nicknacky I’m in London and have always heard it? Happend to my aunt recently as it goes!
You can google it and there are plenty of articles.
I have no idea why they do it, its stupid to me also! but they just do?? They are thieves they are not logical

Edited

What happened to your aunt?

Ive dealt with more thieves than you can ever imagine over the years, this is not a thing.

Kinneddar · 20/12/2023 17:27

😂😂😂

Yeah that's exactly how burglars communicate. Most burglaries are opportunist. They dont go around marking the pavement - regardless of what Google may say. It's an urban myth

CaptainMyCaptain · 20/12/2023 17:29

BébéCadum · 20/12/2023 17:23

So you say, but how do you know that?
Was it he proverbial kid, climbing a 6ft wall, just to draw that small mark, just for the heck of it? If it was meant as a joke, it would have been clearly visible, surely? You really had to look for it, it wasn't meant to be noticed.
I mean I have no absolute proof of what it was, but it was there, inside a private property and it shouldn't have been, so what what do you think?

Show quote history

If they had to get over a wall and find it in a place not normally visible what use would it be?

1967Kitherly · 20/12/2023 17:31

Nicknacky · 20/12/2023 17:26

What happened to your aunt?

Ive dealt with more thieves than you can ever imagine over the years, this is not a thing.

Show quote history

Her car got stolen along with 3 of her neighbours. There were “markings” near her house but who knows if it was related. I’m not sure why you are so upset about me believing this marking thing, if you don’t then great! I’m not agreeing that what they are doing is in anyway logical or smart I’ve have just always heard about it!
Added some screenshots from a quick google- again it might be a load of old shite but it’s not unheard of

Someone marked my car last night? Target?
Someone marked my car last night? Target?
Someone marked my car last night? Target?
Nicknacky · 20/12/2023 17:36

1967Kitherly · 20/12/2023 17:31

Her car got stolen along with 3 of her neighbours. There were “markings” near her house but who knows if it was related. I’m not sure why you are so upset about me believing this marking thing, if you don’t then great! I’m not agreeing that what they are doing is in anyway logical or smart I’ve have just always heard about it!
Added some screenshots from a quick google- again it might be a load of old shite but it’s not unheard of

Show quote history

😂 So you honestly believe that thieves made a mark on a tree to steal cars?

Im not upset at all. Why assume someone on the internet is upset because they have disagreed with you and asked you to provide a link to what you said? You did also think messages would be traced and were wrong about that.

BTW, Police officer for 21 years, detective for 12.

it’s not a thing. Houses are targeted, absolutely. No doubt about that. But marks are not made on nearby trees or on pavements. If that was the case then they would remove the mark so no one knew about their cunning ploy.

AIstolemylunch · 20/12/2023 17:36

The only markings that turn up at my house, and do genuinely put the fear of god into me, are the *VM one on the pavement outside my house.

Criminals communicate on telegram and signal et al btw

CornishPorsche · 20/12/2023 17:37

How do I know? I was a Detective for a decade and still bang up criminals in another job now. I worked a burglary unit for years as a PC. It. Is. Not. A. Thing

I work in intelligence and I'm very experience in dealing with all sorts of the general criminal population.

If you want to talk in gibberish as a crim, you use code on the phone - calls through whatever app or medium, text messages, messages on WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Signal, Telegram and you talk in Roadman speak / use a second language interspersed with code names for the drugs you're dealing / items for sale / violence / weapons etc.

Markings on walls and cars make you way too vulnerable to being spotted for graffiti, found in possession of spray paint which is a big no no etc.

They do, however, think their phones are impenetrable. Have a Google for Operation Venetic...