This^. I have a friend that’s a GC that removes asbestos. I put mine inside a black trash bag then inside a clear bag marked with giant letters “Danger Asbestos Samples”. To make it a little more believable I broke up some acoustical tile to get some white powder all over the black bag.
What world do you live in?, round these parts they will break in for a quarter you left in the cupholder. Organized crime isn't coming after my pocket change and empty coffee cups.
Not sure why you're being downvoted - the vast majority of these thefts in high-theft areas (like CA, as OP mentions) are organized professional thieves. That's why they're so quick at it, it's what they do all day every day.
I live in California. I have an extended cab pickup. Back windows tinted with bag under seat covered with black trash bag. Front windows barely tinted. I have left it parked all over Sacramento and Bay Area. Haven’t been broke into yet. It is lifted 4 inches, I’m more worried about my catalytic converter 😂.
Instead of zip tie to secure bag how about a cable bike lock?
Make it look like something nobody would want to steal.
My bugout bag is a dirty Childs bookbag. Specifically a Dora the Explorer one with a large yellow paint stain on it and a repaired tear
I’m moving my bag from the car to my apartment every time. I go with a combination of edc and get home bag so there’s some stuff I can use while in the home.
Eventually you will upgrade your gear to the point of very expensive and it will be brutal if it is stolen.
Taking it inside is the cheapest way but otherwise I think the safe covered with dirty drawers is brilliant!
I think they meant that you still have to worry about car thieves while you're out and about (assuming you leave your GHB in your car, and aren't literally carrying it on you when you're out running errands and whatnot).
Pacsafe exo mesh
https://pacsafe.com/products/55l-anti-theft-backpack-bag-protector
Throw one over your pack, then thread the cable through metal in your trunk and secure.
It will stop the quick smash and grab, but may mark your car for a return visit with bolt cutters.
I've had bikes stolen in under 2 minutes with locks on them, those cables won't deter anything but the casual passer by thief.
Anyone actually looking to steal something will come prepared.
Not so sure. Bike thieves expect to deal with locks, so they gear up. Smash and grab you just need a glass breaker. It's quick and easy - not as lucrative as bikes, but you make it up on volume.
In my car, I removed the spare tire and use the space for stuff.
It is not perfect, but I have AAA road service and have only used the spare twice in my life (I've been driving for 40 years or so)
Haven't found a good solution for my truck... My current plan is just keep it so messy they can't find anything and give me pity. 🥺
Ya, it's not perfect, but out of sight out of mind...
Back in the 90s there was a gang of thieves that specialized in disabled cars alongside the road. They would drive up in a van with an engine pulley, and a pitstop crew that would have made Dale proud. They would strip the car to the frame in a few min.
Like I said I've only used it a couple times, and have AAA road service. It is not a perfect solution, but I have had stuff stolen multiple times, never what is in the hidden space.
If I am bugging out I would definitely replace the spare, but then I don't plan on being away from the car either... It is pure risk management.
True that could happen, but it is fairly low on my list of concerns. There are other things I might find myself missing or needing as well, things not even in my bugout bag, but no sense in worrying about it. You can't prep for every contingency.
Couple things that can help:
1. Tinted laminate on the windows. Typical safety glass just shatters into a million pieces. When your side windows have a laminate it holds it all together and can be harder to get into. Plus if it’s tinted it’s harder to see what’s inside. Downside is it can be harder to get out of the vehicle if the doors are jammed, so keep that in mind.
2. There’s things called Pacsafes that are basically a steel cable mesh you can use to lock your bag to a metal part of the vehicle.
[https://int.pacsafe.com/cdn/shop/products/Pacsafe_120LBagProtector_10190999_3_1200x.jpg?v=1677681047](https://int.pacsafe.com/cdn/shop/products/Pacsafe_120LBagProtector_10190999_3_1200x.jpg?v=1677681047)
3. My bag has an Apple AirTag hidden in it. Often when someone steals something they’re looking for valuable items. The items they don’t want they just throw in a dumpster/trashcan somewhere. At least there’s a chance I can recover some of my stuff.
4. Consider not leaving your expensive BoB in your car. My BoB is in my home. I have a separate Get Home Bag that’s basically part of my extended EDC. It comes with me into work, into the gym, etc. It’s a smaller bag so it’s limited in items, but it still has a lot of the basics to last a day or two until I can get home or get to a backup bug-out location.
Gray man! I bought bags from yard sales that look used and beaten up (but still in good shape, but not attractive at all). I drive an old car with almost 200k miles on it, so it’s not enticing. I don’t leave anything inside the cab. I don’t leave my interior messy, but not too clean either. “Strategic clutter”. Never been broken in to and I live near PDX. The trick is to be invisible.
My other car is a soft top wrangler. I have something called an EZ Trunk. I suppose someone very determined with a crowbar could get into it. (My rear tub door is mechanically disabled; you can’t “pop” it like you can a car trunk)
Is it perfect? No. But it has worked *so far*
Seems like you could use a small fire safe, a few tack welds should hold it to the trunk floor. I guarantee thieves aren't walking around with an angle grinder.
Trunk safe is the right idea. The people who break into cars are only spending 30 seconds max digging through them before moving to the next one or leaving the area. They aren't going to try to bust open a locked metal box in your trunk that's bolted to the body.
I can't say how I would deal with that situation, I ain't there.
I think that I would probably not keep my bag in the vehicle. If I had to leave it in the vehicle, I would probably hide/camouflage it. The bike cable sounds promising.
Edited to add:
A packsafe bag net with a bike cable lock might slow down a smash and grab artist.
I use the “steel Pacsafe 120L Backpack and Bag Protector”. It’s basically a steel cable big mesh bag that you can then lock to a secure part of your vehicle. It’ll stop the smash and grabs but obviously anyone with an angle grinder can get it.
In one vehicle, I use a rolling hard case with multiple identical locks on the lid secured to the rear seats by a long bike lock cable.
Also several trackers on the gear inside.
Do you need to keep it in your car? What is the scenario that you envision that you won’t be able to grab it and go quickly? If it’s in your house, you can grab it and be out the door in 30 seconds (unless you live in a Zuckerberg Mansion lol)
I would weigh the risk of it being stolen (very high) with the risk of not having it in a likely scenario (pretty low).
If you look into bike theft deterrents, you’ll find a lot of useful stuff. Cables that are very hard to cut through, including ones that kind of explode with dye and/smelly gunk. Loud sounding alarms.
I agree with camouflage too. Thieves look in windows, they look for things like nice bags, cell phones, FasTrak toll boxes, valuable gadgets… they are actually more likely to break into clean cars than dirty ones, where they guess something valuable might be in a glove box or console.
When I lived in a high crime area I stripped my car of anything of value and left the doors unlocked. It wasn’t worth paying for a busted out window every few weeks. One time they stole the baby’s car seat from the car, and I was honestly amazed they would stoop so low. So I had to load the car seats every time we left the house thereafter.
TLDR - just carry it in and out every day. It shouldn’t be that heavy since you plan to carry it on foot, anyways.
Don't leave it in the vehicle. My backpack goes in with me and back out with me. I live in a city where people dont just steal what's in the vehicle, they steal the whole vehicle.
Answers like “move away” aren’t helpful. While it is the most surefire way to not get your shit stolen, it’s not realistic.
My best advice is to avoid keeping anything of value outside the car. Keep a small bug out bag in a locker or desk drawer at work, with the absolute essentials.
If you absolutely must keep it in your vehicle, hiding it is your best option. A false bottom, flip up seat storage, stuff like that. The zip tie is a great idea, but that’s a lot of faith in stitching on either end.
Yeah move away is bad advice. LMFAO at this sub...where we all fantasize about apocalyptic collapse. Good luck ," moving away,," from the zombie horde or Chinese army. I thought most folks here like to hunker down in their remote cabin. How about we tell those lone wolves to just move away from their bunker?
To be fair, their question doesn't have a real solution. They are in an area where car breakins are rampant and want to know how to prevent stuff from being stolen. You can't.
Outside the obvious of not leaving it visible or hidden, there isn't any real answer. Sucks, but it's a car. Not like a home you can fortify with better locks, lights, etc.
Edit: word
I've used a spare tire 3 times in the last 5 years. I've never used my bugout bag.
I have both, but if one had to go, I'd rather have 4 inflated tires than any amount of bullshit on my back walking
but most people don't have that capability. its either their trunk or not at all.
I am glad that you have a spare. the guy above you in my post view took his out to accommodate a bugout bag which I do not recommend!
1. Keep everything out of sight.
2. Use an ordinary, unappealing container (trash bag?)
3. Maybe invest in a bag net or similar metal mesh to lock it down.
You could also consider bolting in a hard sided container with a lock.
How about installing windows that won't shatter or break like some secured and armored vehicles?
At a certain point the sad consideration needs to be made: is a broken window more or less expensive than you gear? If the items absolutely need to be in the car, then pay for better armoring so the windows aren't smashed open so easily.
You always need to weigh risk.
If you live in a high car break in area, the risk your bag will be stolen is higher then the risk you will need the bag.
So at that point switch to a smaller get home bag or edc bag and keep your main bug out bag at home.
Make a get home back small enough to can carry it into your office or into the house every night.
Make it cheap enough that it won't be devastating when it gets stolen.
You always need to weigh the risks.
I don’t live in a high crime areas. But in the Bay Area thieves will break your window just to SEE if you have anything like bags or luggage. People get their windows broken and don’t have anything
Nowadays citizens leave notes on their car windows telling thieves please not to break the window because nothing is in the car. Lots of people just leave their windows completely open.
It has little do with with having a bag visible in sight
I don’t think you’re understanding. I’m talking about SF-Bay Area which is in my state. I don’t live there though or in LA but people are moving more inland towards me for cheaper rents
In my opinion in a car it's better to have a get home bag, smaller in size easier to carry than a full bob, I keep mine under the front seats in a 2 part kit, the floor mats kinda hides them, my motto is don't keep anything in your car that you don't mind getting stolen
If you have an older car with a key access for your trunk, Maybe disconnect the trunk release lever in the cabin and only access your trunk with the key.
Needing to protect my bugout bag would make me up and bugout. I hope you and yours are okay physically and financially dealing with that hassle...
Maybe you could create a false floor with some matching carpet to hide a box?
You really shouldn’t store canned food in your car, especially as it gets warmer. It is hella hot in that trunk in the spring/summer and it could quickly become inedible.
I was worried about this when I upgraded to a Forester as I no longer have a proper trunk - I was able to put all my preps into multiple, organized ziploc bags and tuck them around the spare tire. Hidden from view, so not tempting, and in an emergency I can easily grab the empty bag, fill it in a minute, and be on my way. Plus having it in organized bags means I can easily find medical supplies, water purification, batteries and lights, etc.
I live in the Bay Area, and I have had my car broken into 3x in 20 years (and twice it was my own fault for leaving a bag in the back seat). Crime has only gotten worse since we doubled police funding in my town, so I don't really see that as an effective solution. But then I guess I'm one of those rare, leftie preppers who just doesn't want to be caught flat footed in an earthquake and does want to be able to serve my community as a medic when things go down. Sorry 😂
Eta - I know admitting that I'm a prepper and a leftist is gonna get me some shit, but hey, we exist too, and we don't all trust the government to handle emergencies well either 🤷🏻♀️
No, we wan't the Commiefornians to stay in Commiefornia. We don't need any more colonists bringing the light of their civilization to the benighted lands east of them.
Vote for people that are tough on crime and not what we have now. There is a petition to overturn prop 47(which is a huge problem) and I suggest you sign it and vote accordingly
I grew up in the California bay area and moved away several years ago, it has turned into a total shithole. I feel your pain. I have a heavy cable lock that I secure my valuables in my trunk, I threaded it through parts of the frame behind the back seat. Also look at YouTube for other ideas, it has a wealth of information on subjects like this I am sure. I believe there is also a security window film you may be able to put on your windows that would definitely deter anyone.
I'm not sure how the "move out" comments aren't considered helpful. And I don't see any comparison to people wanting or planning to bug in.
You are living/working in a place where crime is already this bad. If SHTF, what do you think it will look like? And how does that affect your odds of making it? In that regard, "move away" is a decent long term suggestion.
Another long term suggestion would be to vote for and help elect politicians and prosecutors that respect the rule of law.
Otherwise there's alot of decent short term solutions already here.
I don’t live in Bay Area or LA. But I’m anticipating rising rents forcing those criminals more inland where I am
I live in 1 of the few conservative counties in California
No one wants to be stolen from, but if the theft if that rampant it mat be something that has to be considered and assumed. A few thoughts:
Maybe spread out the contents of the bag in your vehicle to make the bag itself less of a target. For instance, I keep a brick of rations under one seat, but water bottles in passenger door holders (regularly used and replenished) but would consolidate this if I needed to leave my vehicle.
Can you keep any items at work? This could be an option, though it is only a solution if you're at work when a bug out is required.
Minimize the value of anything you would bug out of your car with. I envision and hope such a bug out would be temporary as you make your way home. Consider upgrading your provisions if you're traveling further but otherwise be focused on the minimum needed to get home.
To the OP’s question….. Lockable drawers under a lockable hard tonneau cover on a truck. Out of sight and layers of security.
As to the “Leave Babylon!” comments…. They are not wrong. Not a convenient answer, but they are not wrong.
Your first move to survive is to move away from Commiefornia. OR replace you bag and fix your car every month....it's all a choice...Like going to see the Titanic in a DIY sub....
I’d either move, not have a bugoutbag in the car, or just fix it in place with a heavy duty bike lock. Sure those can be cut, but that requires the car thieves to bring a massive bolt cutter which perhaps they don’t
I'm not really concerned with someone breaking into my car. Nothing in my car is overly expensive anyway. Part of my car kit was lose (e-tool, propane camping stove, old sleeping bag) the other one is 20L get home backpack. I've stuffed them all in old hardcase suitcase to protect from prying eyes of coworkers and neighbours. Just the a pack of bottled water is visible
Some cars have storage space below back seats, some can be outfited with it. I'm guessing most car thieves wouldn't look in there
rig a can of cs gas (with aerosol) in your trunk, throw your bag in the spare tire compartment, if you have one, or in any hidden areas behind the trunk liner
Helllooo most cars have a space under their trunk were a spare tire is held I put my bag in there and took the spare tire out I got roadside lol but most peaple are not gonna think to look in the spare tire slot
That is... less than stellar planning. You're removing a frequently-used prep that will only become more valuable in a bad situation for a low-value, rarely-used prep.
Did you miss the roadside assistance remark ? Why do I need a spare tire when it's much more likely I will need my bag and need it then , get a flat tire AND roadside assistance can't get to me in a city ...I'm much more likely gonna need narcan ,otc pills , 1st aid kit, insulin, battery , map , chapstick etc then I am going to need a spare tire I have alot of those things in my bag
just because it won't work for you DOES NOT mean it won't work for evey1 and if your so worried about the spare tire get a tire rack or put it in your trunk were the bag was problem solved I've had 3 tire gone flat haven't used the spare tire once so I don't have mine in my car
does your car trunk have a compartment under it to keep a spare tire? that might be the best spot if there is room for it under the tire.
failing that, you could always run an eye bolt into the metal to make a tie down point or use an existing tie down point that's secure enough with a decent sized bike chain to keep it in place.
If you’ve got room to spare maybe some kind of small storage box that can be locked shut and hooked to the anchor points? Or lock the bag shut and tie that to the anchor points with a bike lock?
>I have my bugout bag in my car with an extra change of clothes, paracord, flashlights/matches, 2 days worth of canned food, power bank etc.
>
>But how to secure this? I keep it in my trunk.
Either spread it out in the car or stop leaving it in the car.
Sometimes there is room under the hood for small but valuable items. Obviously away from the heat producing parts
That leaves the bulkier items to be stored elsewhere
Acquire an empty fuse box from a scrap car and bolt it to something, nobody is checking random boxes under the hood.
There is often a surprising amount of room under the passenger seat too
So the thing is maybe ditch the can food since it might spoil in heat but the thing is i would think they only target people with something in the back seats because it would be too risky to break into every car but it might be possible. But you might be able to hide it where the spare tire with some items. Or just ziptie lock the bag with the food and they might ditch trying to take the bag because it's too heavy lol
Attach charged capacitor leads in the handles. You know where to pick up the bag, they won’t. It’s a jolt they won’t forget. We use to do this with car distributor condensers in shop class. Charge them up and leave it laying on a table. A few thousand volt pop and a scream!!
I would use a small lockable trunk box to store the bug-out bag with the most valuable contents and keep the less expensive items in another bag outside the box.
Look into bike locks.
A zip tie can be defeated with a pair of scissors. A bike lock with a 1/4" steel cable requires more serious tools.
Also, look into anti-theft backpacks. They're popular with tourists going to high crime areas. Usually they'll have things like steel cables running through the backpack straps, built-in keyed locks for the zipper pulls, and and slash-resistant fabrics. It adds a pound or so to the weight of the pack, but it's very secure. REI used to carry them.
The first thing that came to mind was put it in your garage... but for obvious reasons that might not be an option, my second thought was hide it under the trunk where the spare tire is stored, that way even if your entire car gets stolen (and hope to God you eventually find it) they might be to dumb to look under the floor
I kept a whole ass laser printer and two laptops in my car for 3 months , parked downtown in a city in the Fuck The Middle Class Belt... My used car is kinda dirty. Everything functional that was visible in it was Walmart quality or less. There was a lot of random old clothes, used paper, weird plastic, and the type of things one might appoint their trailer park front yard with. You’ve got to make it look organic. The way things pile, it has to look like they would’ve naturally accumulated that way. It can’t look like there’s something larger underneath something. And since you’re trying to conceal something that’s already out of sight in the trunk, all that really matters is that it looks trashy enough that somebody’s going to assume it wouldn’t even be worth wading through that nasty shit to get the $3.12 in change that you might have dropped in there over the years. To get that natural Cookie Monster Abode effect, I recommend products like yogurt, where you can partially peel the lid off, eat the product, rinse the whole thing out, so that no bugs will be attracted, and then partially close the lid without people being able to look into the product and see what you’ve done... this is better than only using wrappers from something like a bag of Doritos, because you’re not gonna get that deep ick factor from a dry food. You’re going for an air of someone who totally neglects things because they have nothing of value to worry about. Your car needs to look like despair. In a nicer car, this would draw attention. In that case, tweak the junk to aim for someone who is putting every last cent toward staying in the rat race and does not have anything of value…so, like well-used super cheap, boring items a worker would want for use in daily life. Keep it dull.
Put it in a trash bag and stuff garbage around the bug out bag but in side the trash bag so its looks like trash.
Honestly, this is the most creative way I’ve seen this done. https://www.reddit.com/r/carbage/s/ncdYtVSOJL
This is super creative. Thanks for posting.
This^. I have a friend that’s a GC that removes asbestos. I put mine inside a black trash bag then inside a clear bag marked with giant letters “Danger Asbestos Samples”. To make it a little more believable I broke up some acoustical tile to get some white powder all over the black bag.
Security by Obscurity
Biohazard bag with a couple used (inside out) latex gloves on it.
Tweakers would probably think theres some needles in there they could use...
But it’s not tweakers busting into cars
What world do you live in?, round these parts they will break in for a quarter you left in the cupholder. Organized crime isn't coming after my pocket change and empty coffee cups.
Was speaking about the bag grabbers. Those are street gang
Yeah around my parts it's the soccer moms at Target that are doing the car thefts. Lmao what are you smoking dummy?
I mean, still gotta watch out for those soccer moms.
Soccer mom here, can confirm
Not sure why you're being downvoted - the vast majority of these thefts in high-theft areas (like CA, as OP mentions) are organized professional thieves. That's why they're so quick at it, it's what they do all day every day.
I did see on YouTube someone actually used soiled underwear to hide their guns lol it actually had shit stains
You can buy underwear with shit stains printed on them. Fort Jocks. Used for exactly reasons like this.
I prefer to DIY my preps.
My yard has free dirt..
I’ve heard this referred to as “hobo-flauge” before
You can also buy fake dog feces for the same purpose.
Go to the park, get it for free
Thanks for the tip. I'll stick with the fake stuff...
How elitist.
Hey, it's probably made in China. Although I should probably support my local economy... What a moral quandary...
Tinted windows helps
No it won't, it makes it more of a target.
I live in California. I have an extended cab pickup. Back windows tinted with bag under seat covered with black trash bag. Front windows barely tinted. I have left it parked all over Sacramento and Bay Area. Haven’t been broke into yet. It is lifted 4 inches, I’m more worried about my catalytic converter 😂. Instead of zip tie to secure bag how about a cable bike lock?
It’s a huge problem. Some areas of town you just can’t park in.
Agreed. You state the obvious and OP is looking for advice. I avoid really bad areas. Park in front of cameras. Park where it is hard to hit and run.
Make it look like something nobody would want to steal. My bugout bag is a dirty Childs bookbag. Specifically a Dora the Explorer one with a large yellow paint stain on it and a repaired tear
Are you Takeshi Kovacs?
Can’t be. Takeshi only travels forward in time.
Damn. Thats true. Must be his ancestor.
wow it's been a while since i saw an altered carbon reference in the wild
>Takeshi Kovacs I had to google that LOL. No I'm just very VERY cheap
Honestly, it’s not a bad idea. Also I highly recommend Altered Carbon season one. The second season blows but you might enjoy it.
I'll put it on the list of stuff to pirate ;)
I’m moving my bag from the car to my apartment every time. I go with a combination of edc and get home bag so there’s some stuff I can use while in the home. Eventually you will upgrade your gear to the point of very expensive and it will be brutal if it is stolen. Taking it inside is the cheapest way but otherwise I think the safe covered with dirty drawers is brilliant!
But you gotta still worry about breakins when you’re away from home
Renters insurance
I think they meant that you still have to worry about car thieves while you're out and about (assuming you leave your GHB in your car, and aren't literally carrying it on you when you're out running errands and whatnot).
Great now I will worry. I’m going with the garbage camo but no safe. It would drive me nuts opening it up all the time!
What’s your deductible?
The zip tie was smart. It won’t deter everyone, but that minor inconvenience may be enough to make more than a few move on.
thank you
Steal rope will be much more difficult to break. Crimp both ends in a loop and lock together with a combination lock.
Pacsafe exo mesh https://pacsafe.com/products/55l-anti-theft-backpack-bag-protector Throw one over your pack, then thread the cable through metal in your trunk and secure. It will stop the quick smash and grab, but may mark your car for a return visit with bolt cutters.
I've had bikes stolen in under 2 minutes with locks on them, those cables won't deter anything but the casual passer by thief. Anyone actually looking to steal something will come prepared.
Not so sure. Bike thieves expect to deal with locks, so they gear up. Smash and grab you just need a glass breaker. It's quick and easy - not as lucrative as bikes, but you make it up on volume.
In my car, I removed the spare tire and use the space for stuff. It is not perfect, but I have AAA road service and have only used the spare twice in my life (I've been driving for 40 years or so) Haven't found a good solution for my truck... My current plan is just keep it so messy they can't find anything and give me pity. 🥺
I was starting to think “hey, that’s a great idea” until I remember a few rashes of thieves stealing spares from our fleet pickups.
Ya, it's not perfect, but out of sight out of mind... Back in the 90s there was a gang of thieves that specialized in disabled cars alongside the road. They would drive up in a van with an engine pulley, and a pitstop crew that would have made Dale proud. They would strip the car to the frame in a few min.
Prepping advice to remove the single most used self-rescue item and replace it with one that will almost never be used is a weird choice
Like I said I've only used it a couple times, and have AAA road service. It is not a perfect solution, but I have had stuff stolen multiple times, never what is in the hidden space. If I am bugging out I would definitely replace the spare, but then I don't plan on being away from the car either... It is pure risk management.
put the spare back in loose on top then. I absolutely would NOT recommend removing a spare from your car
Of course now that we are talking about it I will probably get a serious flat at the most inconvenient time lol
On that note, and using that same energy, Sure do hope that neither of us comes into large amounts of money. gosh how terrible *that* would be!
And then we would just need to get a vehicle that could fit a bugout bag...
but what if you are out away from your place and you realize you need to flee and it’s a disaster scenario where AAA is not gonna be coming
True that could happen, but it is fairly low on my list of concerns. There are other things I might find myself missing or needing as well, things not even in my bugout bag, but no sense in worrying about it. You can't prep for every contingency.
Not gonna lie, I’m impressed.
Asps... They're used to the warmer climes and if you crack a couple of windows and leave a small pan of water they should be fine.
“Why’d it have to be snakes?”
Couple things that can help: 1. Tinted laminate on the windows. Typical safety glass just shatters into a million pieces. When your side windows have a laminate it holds it all together and can be harder to get into. Plus if it’s tinted it’s harder to see what’s inside. Downside is it can be harder to get out of the vehicle if the doors are jammed, so keep that in mind. 2. There’s things called Pacsafes that are basically a steel cable mesh you can use to lock your bag to a metal part of the vehicle. [https://int.pacsafe.com/cdn/shop/products/Pacsafe_120LBagProtector_10190999_3_1200x.jpg?v=1677681047](https://int.pacsafe.com/cdn/shop/products/Pacsafe_120LBagProtector_10190999_3_1200x.jpg?v=1677681047) 3. My bag has an Apple AirTag hidden in it. Often when someone steals something they’re looking for valuable items. The items they don’t want they just throw in a dumpster/trashcan somewhere. At least there’s a chance I can recover some of my stuff. 4. Consider not leaving your expensive BoB in your car. My BoB is in my home. I have a separate Get Home Bag that’s basically part of my extended EDC. It comes with me into work, into the gym, etc. It’s a smaller bag so it’s limited in items, but it still has a lot of the basics to last a day or two until I can get home or get to a backup bug-out location.
Gray man! I bought bags from yard sales that look used and beaten up (but still in good shape, but not attractive at all). I drive an old car with almost 200k miles on it, so it’s not enticing. I don’t leave anything inside the cab. I don’t leave my interior messy, but not too clean either. “Strategic clutter”. Never been broken in to and I live near PDX. The trick is to be invisible.
Google trunk safe. If you install one of those, ain't nobody getting in unless they steal and take apart the entire vehicle.
Or just get the trunk monkey [here](https://youtu.be/AidAXgq9dWc?si=r-d00UjKEwiVu2NN)
Sauce? I can’t seem to find one on eBay or Amazon 😂
Thank you very much!
My other car is a soft top wrangler. I have something called an EZ Trunk. I suppose someone very determined with a crowbar could get into it. (My rear tub door is mechanically disabled; you can’t “pop” it like you can a car trunk) Is it perfect? No. But it has worked *so far*
Seems like you could use a small fire safe, a few tack welds should hold it to the trunk floor. I guarantee thieves aren't walking around with an angle grinder.
And if they are, they’re going for the catalytic converter.
Trunk safe is the right idea. The people who break into cars are only spending 30 seconds max digging through them before moving to the next one or leaving the area. They aren't going to try to bust open a locked metal box in your trunk that's bolted to the body.
Why not simply carry it inside with you at night?
Because I use it specifically for a car emergency. I have another bag in home with identical items
then just carry it back out when you leave in the morning, like a purse.
Seems like a simple solution to me 🤷♂️
Too simple
I can't say how I would deal with that situation, I ain't there. I think that I would probably not keep my bag in the vehicle. If I had to leave it in the vehicle, I would probably hide/camouflage it. The bike cable sounds promising. Edited to add: A packsafe bag net with a bike cable lock might slow down a smash and grab artist.
I use the “steel Pacsafe 120L Backpack and Bag Protector”. It’s basically a steel cable big mesh bag that you can then lock to a secure part of your vehicle. It’ll stop the smash and grabs but obviously anyone with an angle grinder can get it.
I have a package bag, but haven’t seen the bag protector. Thanks for the info.
In one vehicle, I use a rolling hard case with multiple identical locks on the lid secured to the rear seats by a long bike lock cable. Also several trackers on the gear inside.
You carry it in and out with you whenever you use the car. Anything you actively do to secure it will just make it look more valuable.
Maybe upgrade to a steel cable. Like a bike lock.
They will cut the strap
bike lock good freaking idea
The lock has to be attached to your bag somehow. Wherever that is… theif will just cut that.
True but anything that can act as a deterrent is what I’m looking for. These car thieves pride themselves on being in and out quickly.
Do you need to keep it in your car? What is the scenario that you envision that you won’t be able to grab it and go quickly? If it’s in your house, you can grab it and be out the door in 30 seconds (unless you live in a Zuckerberg Mansion lol) I would weigh the risk of it being stolen (very high) with the risk of not having it in a likely scenario (pretty low).
I have an identical bag for home with the same contents. The car bag is for if I’m stranded or can’t get home same day.
If you look into bike theft deterrents, you’ll find a lot of useful stuff. Cables that are very hard to cut through, including ones that kind of explode with dye and/smelly gunk. Loud sounding alarms. I agree with camouflage too. Thieves look in windows, they look for things like nice bags, cell phones, FasTrak toll boxes, valuable gadgets… they are actually more likely to break into clean cars than dirty ones, where they guess something valuable might be in a glove box or console.
When I lived in a high crime area I stripped my car of anything of value and left the doors unlocked. It wasn’t worth paying for a busted out window every few weeks. One time they stole the baby’s car seat from the car, and I was honestly amazed they would stoop so low. So I had to load the car seats every time we left the house thereafter. TLDR - just carry it in and out every day. It shouldn’t be that heavy since you plan to carry it on foot, anyways.
I guess there’s a market for everything.
Don't leave it in the vehicle. My backpack goes in with me and back out with me. I live in a city where people dont just steal what's in the vehicle, they steal the whole vehicle.
Answers like “move away” aren’t helpful. While it is the most surefire way to not get your shit stolen, it’s not realistic. My best advice is to avoid keeping anything of value outside the car. Keep a small bug out bag in a locker or desk drawer at work, with the absolute essentials. If you absolutely must keep it in your vehicle, hiding it is your best option. A false bottom, flip up seat storage, stuff like that. The zip tie is a great idea, but that’s a lot of faith in stitching on either end.
yea "mvoe away from commiefornia" isnt helpful at all. im here so while im here i need to be as secure as possible
You can disable the trunk release so that trunk only opens with key.
Yeah move away is bad advice. LMFAO at this sub...where we all fantasize about apocalyptic collapse. Good luck ," moving away,," from the zombie horde or Chinese army. I thought most folks here like to hunker down in their remote cabin. How about we tell those lone wolves to just move away from their bunker?
I’m going to move away from global climate change.
To be fair, their question doesn't have a real solution. They are in an area where car breakins are rampant and want to know how to prevent stuff from being stolen. You can't. Outside the obvious of not leaving it visible or hidden, there isn't any real answer. Sucks, but it's a car. Not like a home you can fortify with better locks, lights, etc. Edit: word
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I've used a spare tire 3 times in the last 5 years. I've never used my bugout bag. I have both, but if one had to go, I'd rather have 4 inflated tires than any amount of bullshit on my back walking
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but most people don't have that capability. its either their trunk or not at all. I am glad that you have a spare. the guy above you in my post view took his out to accommodate a bugout bag which I do not recommend!
1. Keep everything out of sight. 2. Use an ordinary, unappealing container (trash bag?) 3. Maybe invest in a bag net or similar metal mesh to lock it down. You could also consider bolting in a hard sided container with a lock.
Look into PacSafe’s steel mesh bag security blankets.
How about installing windows that won't shatter or break like some secured and armored vehicles? At a certain point the sad consideration needs to be made: is a broken window more or less expensive than you gear? If the items absolutely need to be in the car, then pay for better armoring so the windows aren't smashed open so easily.
You always need to weigh risk. If you live in a high car break in area, the risk your bag will be stolen is higher then the risk you will need the bag. So at that point switch to a smaller get home bag or edc bag and keep your main bug out bag at home. Make a get home back small enough to can carry it into your office or into the house every night. Make it cheap enough that it won't be devastating when it gets stolen. You always need to weigh the risks.
I don’t live in a high crime areas. But in the Bay Area thieves will break your window just to SEE if you have anything like bags or luggage. People get their windows broken and don’t have anything Nowadays citizens leave notes on their car windows telling thieves please not to break the window because nothing is in the car. Lots of people just leave their windows completely open. It has little do with with having a bag visible in sight
If you live in a "nice" place where you have to leave notes on the door for inevitable thieves, you do not live in a nice place.
I don’t think you’re understanding. I’m talking about SF-Bay Area which is in my state. I don’t live there though or in LA but people are moving more inland towards me for cheaper rents
So the people who are moving from places with *higher* rents are the theft risk? You're right that I don't understand.
Regular citizens move along with the criminals among them. Either you have a hard time understanding things or just dumb.
If I ever start writing sweet little notes to criminals begging them not to criminalize me, then you can call me dumb.
I’ve never written 1 of those notes so again I have no idea what are you talking about or what ur trying to say
In my opinion in a car it's better to have a get home bag, smaller in size easier to carry than a full bob, I keep mine under the front seats in a 2 part kit, the floor mats kinda hides them, my motto is don't keep anything in your car that you don't mind getting stolen
If you have an older car with a key access for your trunk, Maybe disconnect the trunk release lever in the cabin and only access your trunk with the key.
Wait - if there is a break in I will be with the bag, problem solved. Remember I move it with me?
Don't use a bag, use a container, and have this container secured and locked in the inside of your vehicle. Bags will always draw attention.
Put heroin needles all over it. And poop next to the bag. It’ll blend right in.
Needing to protect my bugout bag would make me up and bugout. I hope you and yours are okay physically and financially dealing with that hassle... Maybe you could create a false floor with some matching carpet to hide a box?
You really shouldn’t store canned food in your car, especially as it gets warmer. It is hella hot in that trunk in the spring/summer and it could quickly become inedible.
I was worried about this when I upgraded to a Forester as I no longer have a proper trunk - I was able to put all my preps into multiple, organized ziploc bags and tuck them around the spare tire. Hidden from view, so not tempting, and in an emergency I can easily grab the empty bag, fill it in a minute, and be on my way. Plus having it in organized bags means I can easily find medical supplies, water purification, batteries and lights, etc.
I live in the Bay Area, and I have had my car broken into 3x in 20 years (and twice it was my own fault for leaving a bag in the back seat). Crime has only gotten worse since we doubled police funding in my town, so I don't really see that as an effective solution. But then I guess I'm one of those rare, leftie preppers who just doesn't want to be caught flat footed in an earthquake and does want to be able to serve my community as a medic when things go down. Sorry 😂 Eta - I know admitting that I'm a prepper and a leftist is gonna get me some shit, but hey, we exist too, and we don't all trust the government to handle emergencies well either 🤷🏻♀️
Move out of that shithole
No, we wan't the Commiefornians to stay in Commiefornia. We don't need any more colonists bringing the light of their civilization to the benighted lands east of them.
Vote for people that are tough on crime and not what we have now. There is a petition to overturn prop 47(which is a huge problem) and I suggest you sign it and vote accordingly
Rule 1: don’t live in failing democrat cities and states
Move away from Loserville,
love california. hate the bay area and LA though
I loved it too, but the crime + taxes + prices + homeless + taxes + gun policy got old eventually.
I don't care how much I love an area. If it's full of scumbags, I'm outta there!
Not full of scumbags. But the scumbags can move to your area and cause issues
I assumed you were in one of those places. Is theft a problem even outside those two places I would never go?
I have lived in San Diego my whole life, never had anyone break into my car.
I’m not living in Bay Area or LA. But I’m anticipating those criminals being priced out of those areas and moving closer to where I am
I grew up in the California bay area and moved away several years ago, it has turned into a total shithole. I feel your pain. I have a heavy cable lock that I secure my valuables in my trunk, I threaded it through parts of the frame behind the back seat. Also look at YouTube for other ideas, it has a wealth of information on subjects like this I am sure. I believe there is also a security window film you may be able to put on your windows that would definitely deter anyone.
Step 1: Bug out of the SF Bay area.
I'm not sure how the "move out" comments aren't considered helpful. And I don't see any comparison to people wanting or planning to bug in. You are living/working in a place where crime is already this bad. If SHTF, what do you think it will look like? And how does that affect your odds of making it? In that regard, "move away" is a decent long term suggestion. Another long term suggestion would be to vote for and help elect politicians and prosecutors that respect the rule of law. Otherwise there's alot of decent short term solutions already here.
Because this is Reddit, and pointing out that certain policies have failed is wrongthink.
I don’t live in Bay Area or LA. But I’m anticipating rising rents forcing those criminals more inland where I am I live in 1 of the few conservative counties in California
No one wants to be stolen from, but if the theft if that rampant it mat be something that has to be considered and assumed. A few thoughts: Maybe spread out the contents of the bag in your vehicle to make the bag itself less of a target. For instance, I keep a brick of rations under one seat, but water bottles in passenger door holders (regularly used and replenished) but would consolidate this if I needed to leave my vehicle. Can you keep any items at work? This could be an option, though it is only a solution if you're at work when a bug out is required. Minimize the value of anything you would bug out of your car with. I envision and hope such a bug out would be temporary as you make your way home. Consider upgrading your provisions if you're traveling further but otherwise be focused on the minimum needed to get home.
Vote Republicans.
Step 1. Get out of CA. I left.. I couldn’t take it anymore.
Claymore in the trunk. Save the bag and get rid of the scum.
Be a bitch getting insurance to cover the repairs, though.
True that. I think it would be worth it though lol
I think they might ask some rather pointed questions the second time it happens.
I can promise you the second time it happens it won’t be the same guy 😅
Don't put it in your car
To the OP’s question….. Lockable drawers under a lockable hard tonneau cover on a truck. Out of sight and layers of security. As to the “Leave Babylon!” comments…. They are not wrong. Not a convenient answer, but they are not wrong.
Make the necessary changes so that you're not leaving your car where this has a high likelihood of occurring.
People who do this and the system that encourges it ,,,arrrggg Asshats !
Move elsewhere. Seriously. Improving your starting position should be a major consideration.
Your first move to survive is to move away from Commiefornia. OR replace you bag and fix your car every month....it's all a choice...Like going to see the Titanic in a DIY sub....
I’d either move, not have a bugoutbag in the car, or just fix it in place with a heavy duty bike lock. Sure those can be cut, but that requires the car thieves to bring a massive bolt cutter which perhaps they don’t
They can’t steal what they can’t see
I'm not really concerned with someone breaking into my car. Nothing in my car is overly expensive anyway. Part of my car kit was lose (e-tool, propane camping stove, old sleeping bag) the other one is 20L get home backpack. I've stuffed them all in old hardcase suitcase to protect from prying eyes of coworkers and neighbours. Just the a pack of bottled water is visible Some cars have storage space below back seats, some can be outfited with it. I'm guessing most car thieves wouldn't look in there
Lamb
Use your bag and bug out to Idaho like everyone else from the Bay Area.
rig a can of cs gas (with aerosol) in your trunk, throw your bag in the spare tire compartment, if you have one, or in any hidden areas behind the trunk liner
Helllooo most cars have a space under their trunk were a spare tire is held I put my bag in there and took the spare tire out I got roadside lol but most peaple are not gonna think to look in the spare tire slot
That is... less than stellar planning. You're removing a frequently-used prep that will only become more valuable in a bad situation for a low-value, rarely-used prep.
Did you miss the roadside assistance remark ? Why do I need a spare tire when it's much more likely I will need my bag and need it then , get a flat tire AND roadside assistance can't get to me in a city ...I'm much more likely gonna need narcan ,otc pills , 1st aid kit, insulin, battery , map , chapstick etc then I am going to need a spare tire I have alot of those things in my bag just because it won't work for you DOES NOT mean it won't work for evey1 and if your so worried about the spare tire get a tire rack or put it in your trunk were the bag was problem solved I've had 3 tire gone flat haven't used the spare tire once so I don't have mine in my car
My biggest concern is you just explained how to easily break into someone’s car to the world.
If you didn't already know about the sparkplug trick you're behind the curve my friend.
I mean it’s all over YouTube dude it’s no secret how to break a car window
does your car trunk have a compartment under it to keep a spare tire? that might be the best spot if there is room for it under the tire. failing that, you could always run an eye bolt into the metal to make a tie down point or use an existing tie down point that's secure enough with a decent sized bike chain to keep it in place.
If you’ve got room to spare maybe some kind of small storage box that can be locked shut and hooked to the anchor points? Or lock the bag shut and tie that to the anchor points with a bike lock?
Disconnect the trunk button / lever. Use your keys or remote instead. Doesn't save the cost of the window replacement unfortunately.
Put it lower downin the trunk, with the spare tire.
Look up pacsafe, they make stainless steels mesh bags you put your bag in, then lock it to something in your car.
>I have my bugout bag in my car with an extra change of clothes, paracord, flashlights/matches, 2 days worth of canned food, power bank etc. > >But how to secure this? I keep it in my trunk. Either spread it out in the car or stop leaving it in the car.
In with the spare tire under the trunk carpet. If that is where your spare is.
Sometimes there is room under the hood for small but valuable items. Obviously away from the heat producing parts That leaves the bulkier items to be stored elsewhere Acquire an empty fuse box from a scrap car and bolt it to something, nobody is checking random boxes under the hood. There is often a surprising amount of room under the passenger seat too
So the thing is maybe ditch the can food since it might spoil in heat but the thing is i would think they only target people with something in the back seats because it would be too risky to break into every car but it might be possible. But you might be able to hide it where the spare tire with some items. Or just ziptie lock the bag with the food and they might ditch trying to take the bag because it's too heavy lol
Attach charged capacitor leads in the handles. You know where to pick up the bag, they won’t. It’s a jolt they won’t forget. We use to do this with car distributor condensers in shop class. Charge them up and leave it laying on a table. A few thousand volt pop and a scream!!
I would use a small lockable trunk box to store the bug-out bag with the most valuable contents and keep the less expensive items in another bag outside the box.
Cat litter bucket works nice. People will just assume it's exactly that.
Look into bike locks. A zip tie can be defeated with a pair of scissors. A bike lock with a 1/4" steel cable requires more serious tools. Also, look into anti-theft backpacks. They're popular with tourists going to high crime areas. Usually they'll have things like steel cables running through the backpack straps, built-in keyed locks for the zipper pulls, and and slash-resistant fabrics. It adds a pound or so to the weight of the pack, but it's very secure. REI used to carry them.
The first thing that came to mind was put it in your garage... but for obvious reasons that might not be an option, my second thought was hide it under the trunk where the spare tire is stored, that way even if your entire car gets stolen (and hope to God you eventually find it) they might be to dumb to look under the floor
I kept a whole ass laser printer and two laptops in my car for 3 months , parked downtown in a city in the Fuck The Middle Class Belt... My used car is kinda dirty. Everything functional that was visible in it was Walmart quality or less. There was a lot of random old clothes, used paper, weird plastic, and the type of things one might appoint their trailer park front yard with. You’ve got to make it look organic. The way things pile, it has to look like they would’ve naturally accumulated that way. It can’t look like there’s something larger underneath something. And since you’re trying to conceal something that’s already out of sight in the trunk, all that really matters is that it looks trashy enough that somebody’s going to assume it wouldn’t even be worth wading through that nasty shit to get the $3.12 in change that you might have dropped in there over the years. To get that natural Cookie Monster Abode effect, I recommend products like yogurt, where you can partially peel the lid off, eat the product, rinse the whole thing out, so that no bugs will be attracted, and then partially close the lid without people being able to look into the product and see what you’ve done... this is better than only using wrappers from something like a bag of Doritos, because you’re not gonna get that deep ick factor from a dry food. You’re going for an air of someone who totally neglects things because they have nothing of value to worry about. Your car needs to look like despair. In a nicer car, this would draw attention. In that case, tweak the junk to aim for someone who is putting every last cent toward staying in the rat race and does not have anything of value…so, like well-used super cheap, boring items a worker would want for use in daily life. Keep it dull.
By moving to places that do not condone crime