We don't live in Pleasantville anymore.

I say this because several years ago I bought a JVC CD player for my car. Being a more trusting person then, I would often leave the car doors unlocked and not take the player's face plate off so I could take it inside.

Dumb move on my part. I woke one morning and went to the car and found the player was gone, taken out by a thief or thieves who had no respect for my property but used my carelessness as their opportunity.

So, I bought a new CD player and this time I took the face plate with me where ever I went, sliding it into a shirt pocket.

Sometimes, however, I would still leave the car doors unlocked and guess what? They struck again, rifling through the car, prying open the glovebox so I had to use shoelaces to keep it in place. Taking the face plate off the player saved the new player this time, but I never did have the glovebox repaired, something very Spartan about keeping it closed with shoelaces, I guess.

Now, I keep car doors locked, take valuables inside and feel better. Some people I know remove all valuables and keep the doors unlocked so thieves aren't tempted to smash windows, a sad testament to the times we are living in.

I believe in the sanctity of private property. Thieves don't. What I'm about to say I say so because I've been there, been careless and given thieves an easy opportunity to take my stuff and go resell it or exchange it for drugs.

I aided and abetted their crime and that's what we all do when we leave valuables in our cars, we give criminals an open invitation, saying to them, “Hey, steal this iPod, steal my wallet, steal my cash, my GPS, my camera.”
No, it's not right that thieves steal, but is it right for us to give them that invitation? We don't live in Pleasantville anymore and I really don't think we ever have. Crime has been going on since caveman days when Grog saw Ugg had a better club and wanted it for himself.

The inventory of things that Joshua Wayne Turner allegedly stole from cars in the Sonic Drive-in area is enough to where you really want to get angry at the people who left the stuff in the car and have the cops charge them.

Remember, we're not living in Pleasantville and the economy is hard. Yes, there should be that sanctity of private property but there's not anymore. We're living under new rules where it's up to us to do something to safeguard ourselves.

That means not leaving $600 in cash in your vehicle, another $80 in another vehicle, your checkbook in another, your purse in yet another.

All the vehicles that Turner allegedly broke into were unlocked, there was no forced entry, but the 17-year-old allegedly broke an entry by opening those car doors and stealing. Why? We made it easy for him and others to do, we hung an open for criminal business sign on our property.

No, that doesn't excuse what he allegedly did and he should be punished for it. In the same breath, however, think about what it would be like if those who left their car doors unlocked faced aiding and abetting charges and had their mugshots plastered on the web and in print. We'd probably think a little differently then and be more careful.

Every time there's an incident like this cops will implore folks to take their valuables out of their vehicles, don't leave wallets in there, don't leave your purses and checkbooks, spare house keys and other items of importance.

I think deep down they probably think the same thing I do and wish there could be aiding and abetting charges filed against the ones who leave their valuables inside. They're not going to say that publicly, however, because they need to keep their jobs. As someone who has been a victim because of their own carelessness, I will say it and remind you all that we don't live in Pleasantville anymore — Lance Martin