Who's putting the mini liquor bottles on my car? Update post #35

[crs1881]

A strange things have started happening in the last few weeks.

My apartment building has an indoor parking garage underneath, and this is where I park my car. There is also some construction going on in the garage so workers are in and out throughout the day.

What's been happening, when my car hasn't been out of the garage for a day or so, is that I'll come down to find that someone has stuck, open end down, an empty mini liquor bottle (always Crown Royal) on my car's aerial. There is a garbage can nearby (~10 feet). So either this person is lazy or thinks they are being funny. I should also point out that my parking space is right next to the door that leads to the elevators so there will be a lot of foot traffic going by my car. I starting to wonder what my fellow residents are starting to think of me.

Another, less frequent, but I suspect its related, thing is finding that someone has jabbed an empty candy bar wrapper underneath my driver's side door handle, where it can't be seen. I've had to start sticking my keys up under there before opening the door just in case this time it's something hazardous (today a candy wrapper, tomorrow something sharp and pointy?).  Something also I have to point out is that both times I've gotten the candy wrapper treatment my car has been parked with the driver's side next to a pillar with another car close alongside meaning someone walking through there would have to squeeze through. So someone is going out of their way to walk into the narrow space between the cars just to stick a candy wrapper in my door handle.

Did I mention the ongoing construction? The workers have a little closed off area where they store their tools and where they take their lunch break. Maybe one of them is drinking on the job and thinks they're being funny.

In any case its starting to become annoying when you have to check your car for liquor bottles, candy wrappers, and other possible acts of minor vandalism before going anywhere. I'm also starting to worry that this may escalate to actual damage or even sabotage.

What do the people here think?

Tom

[Outdoor Girl]

I would report it to building management and to security, if there is security for the parking lot.  I agree with you that the potential is there for this to escalate.

[CrochetFanatic]

It sounds like someone might be acting juvenile and messing with you, but I'd be nervous too.  I don't suppose there are any security cameras in the area?

[MrTango]

Report it to management.  If, within a few days it hasn't stopped, report it to the police.

It's vandalism.

[Wulfie]

POD talking to your landlord. They may have camera's on the area that will show who is doing it.

[jmarvellous]

I would report it too. People paying laborers do not look kindly on them drinking on the job.

An aside: what is a car "aerial"?

[Twik]

The radio antenna.

[doodlemor]

POD talking to your landlord. They may have camera's on the area that will show who is doing it.

Report this immediately.  There's a good chance there is a camera nearby, since this is near the elevator.

I POD all of the advice.

[gramma dishes]

I would quite definitely report it to building management.  I would also ask them to keep you informed as to how they intend to/are handling it.  I agree with previous posters that there is a pretty good chance that there might already be a camera in place at that location.  Management should be able to pull up any images if you report immediately.

If no results are apparent, I would go to the crew foreman and have a talk with him.  Emphasize that you don't know for certain that this is being done by someone in his crew, but that it gives the appearance of that since it had never happened before this construction work began.  You might even ask him/her to kind of keep an eye on your car and let you know if he/she sees someone else doing it -- another tenant, for example.

If none of that works, I'd definitely call the police.  Even though so far nothing has been damaged and no one has been injured, this is still vandalism.

[2littlemonkeys]

Yup, report it.

And I wouldn't worry too much about what people think of you.  When I walk to the bus and see empty bottles littering stoops, I think "Good grief, you'd think people would have the common decency to take their empties with them when they're done loitering." and not "Good grief, the Johnsons are certainly enjoying themselves lately!"

[MrsO]

Unless someone has a vendetta against you, I think the chances of this escalating to anything dangerous are highly unlikely. I wouldn't even call it vandalism. It's littering at worst.

Seriously, don't call the police over this. They have better things to do.

[TootsNYC]

Yup, report it.

And I wouldn't worry too much about what people think of you.  When I walk to the bus and see empty bottles littering stoops, I think "Good grief, you'd think people would have the common decency to take their empties with them when they're done loitering." and not "Good grief, the Johnsons are certainly enjoying themselves lately!"

Yeah, I can't imagine peopel thinking, "Gee, the driver of that car must have drunk the bottle that was placed on his antenna." I would *always* assume that it was put there by some hanyak.

[Carotte]

I'd go with notifying your building management, so that there is a paper trail of those accidents, who knows, maybe other tenants have had candy wrapper surprises too.
The paper trail would help you if it ever escalate and you need to file a report with your insurance for vandalism or something.

[msulinski]

A strange things have started happening in the last few weeks.


Another, less frequent, but I suspect its related, thing is finding that someone has jabbed an empty candy bar wrapper underneath my driver's side door handle, where it can't be seen. I've had to start sticking my keys up under there before opening the door just in case this time it's something hazardous (today a candy wrapper, tomorrow something sharp and pointy?).  Something also I have to point out is that both times I've gotten the candy wrapper treatment my car has been parked with the driver's side next to a pillar with another car close alongside meaning someone walking through there would have to squeeze through. So someone is going out of their way to walk into the narrow space between the cars just to stick a candy wrapper in my door handle.

Did I mention the ongoing construction? The workers have a little closed off area where they store their tools and where they take their lunch break. Maybe one of them is drinking on the job and thinks they're being funny.

In any case its starting to become annoying when you have to check your car for liquor bottles, candy wrappers, and other possible acts of minor vandalism before going anywhere. I'm also starting to worry that this may escalate to actual damage or even sabotage.

What do the people here think?

Tom

I'm not 100% sure I understand the layout, but could it be that you are parked very close to the car next to you? Maybe the car's owner has a hard time getting in the car and is "getting back at you" by stuffing the candy bar wrapper under your door handle?

[sweetonsno]

Unless you have ongoing problems with another tenant, I doubt it's malicious or likely to escalate. It is most likely someone trying to be "funny." While that obviously does not make it acceptable, I think you can let go of any concerns for your safety. I also think you can stop worrying what the neighbors think. Nobody is going to think that you're littering all over your own car.

That said, the proper course of action is to contact building management and ask them to keep you informed. I would not approach the construction workers. Let management do that if they suspect that a construction worker is responsible.