Neighbor's Car Alarm Nightmare
May 23, 2013 5:18 AM Subscribe
My neighbor is out of town, and her car alarm has gone off for two separate and random nights-- all night.
I have no way of contacting her, I only know she is out of town b/c the police contacted her work and found out that she is not here.
Is there anything I can do to turn it off from under the car?
I don't want to damage the car, just disconnect the alarm or something.
Help???
We don't know how long the neighbor has been gone, and if someone was making an active attempt to steal the car, it certainly wouldn't take them an entire night to do so. This is clearly one of those situations where just about anything sets the alarm off, and it's an absolutely maddening situation to be in, if you happen to live nearby.
Don't tamper with the car. It sounds like you've already contacted the police? Can you file a noise complaint?
Back when I was in college, someone parked their car near the student apartments, and then went away on a vacation. And their car alarm kept going off. For hours on end.
After three days, the students went out and bodily moved the car.
posted by canine epigram at 5:57 AM on May 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Don't tamper with the car. It sounds like you've already contacted the police? Can you file a noise complaint?
Back when I was in college, someone parked their car near the student apartments, and then went away on a vacation. And their car alarm kept going off. For hours on end.
After three days, the students went out and bodily moved the car.
posted by canine epigram at 5:57 AM on May 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
@DisreputableDog, the car alarm may be set to be too sensitive. I used to have one that would go off during thunderstorms before I had the sensitivity lowered. Most car alarm soundings are false positives, not true positives.
posted by chengjih at 5:58 AM on May 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by chengjih at 5:58 AM on May 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
I tried the police route when in the same situation. They asked, "What do you want us to do about it?" I pointed out that if I were playing my radio that loudly they would cite me. I was a very sick individual at the time and extremely noise phobic. I called the police over and over again with no results. This alarm went off all the time right outside my ground floor apartment.
I eventually called a towing company and told them the car was in the wrong spot and it was towed. I'm probably a bad person, but I had gotten to the point where my alternative was extreme vandalism of the car. My solution was better. I go a day or two of sleep.
It came back, happened again. I did the same.
posted by cjorgensen at 5:59 AM on May 23, 2013 [14 favorites]
I eventually called a towing company and told them the car was in the wrong spot and it was towed. I'm probably a bad person, but I had gotten to the point where my alternative was extreme vandalism of the car. My solution was better. I go a day or two of sleep.
It came back, happened again. I did the same.
posted by cjorgensen at 5:59 AM on May 23, 2013 [14 favorites]
Ear plugs, white noise and a sternly worded note are your only tools here. If there was an easy way to shut off a car alarm without damaging the car, then car alarms wouldn't be much of a deterrent.
posted by Skwirl at 6:00 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Skwirl at 6:00 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Call the cops every time it goes off in the middle of the night. Have your neighbors do the same thing. Perhaps that will result in the offending car being towed and the idiot who owns it being fined. The amount of contempt I have for people who have car alarms that are very sensitive and then leave them alone cannot be overestimated.
posted by crankylex at 6:04 AM on May 23, 2013 [9 favorites]
posted by crankylex at 6:04 AM on May 23, 2013 [9 favorites]
Best answer: I'm taking the stance that it's not merely an overly sensitive alarm since the OP makes it sound like
1. this is a new thing that doesn't normally happen while the neighbor is normally in
2. it's happened on two "separate and random nights". One can't assume it's not a dumb kid who keeps trying to steal the car and is skittish enough to be scared off by the alarm.
On the other hand, depending on how long the neighbor is supposed to be away, getting it towed might solve the issue either way, whether it's in danger of being stolen OR just in danger of being highly annoying.
posted by DisreputableDog at 6:08 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
1. this is a new thing that doesn't normally happen while the neighbor is normally in
2. it's happened on two "separate and random nights". One can't assume it's not a dumb kid who keeps trying to steal the car and is skittish enough to be scared off by the alarm.
On the other hand, depending on how long the neighbor is supposed to be away, getting it towed might solve the issue either way, whether it's in danger of being stolen OR just in danger of being highly annoying.
posted by DisreputableDog at 6:08 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
See if it can be impounded. Call the police non-emergency number, explain what's happening and ask them if they can have the car towed to the impound lot.
I'm sure they'll be happy to accomodate you.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:12 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm sure they'll be happy to accomodate you.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:12 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Is the car locked? If not you could just crack the door for a day or reach in and turn on the dome light.
posted by sanka at 6:15 AM on May 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by sanka at 6:15 AM on May 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I would see if I could have the police tow it away for being a nuisance.
posted by shoesietart at 6:19 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by shoesietart at 6:19 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Sanka's point with the dome light is that the battery will run down eventually, ending the alarm.
Of course, if the car were open, you could pop the hood and disconnect the battery (and possibly leave them a note).
posted by aimedwander at 6:23 AM on May 23, 2013
Of course, if the car were open, you could pop the hood and disconnect the battery (and possibly leave them a note).
posted by aimedwander at 6:23 AM on May 23, 2013
I would have it towed.
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 6:57 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 6:57 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Maybe your neighbor gave an extra key to her residence and/or car to a trusted friend. Can you call the police back and ask (beg) them to keep trying to reach her? Surely someone at her work has an email address, or an emergency contact's phone number, or some further information.
If your neighbor rents, can you reach her landlord and get contact info that way?
posted by SuperSquirrel at 6:58 AM on May 23, 2013
If your neighbor rents, can you reach her landlord and get contact info that way?
posted by SuperSquirrel at 6:58 AM on May 23, 2013
Get together enough of your neighbors to bounce or push the car into the street far enough that it's not near the curb, and thus in the path of traffic, call police to have it towed.
posted by thewalrus at 7:07 AM on May 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by thewalrus at 7:07 AM on May 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
You city should have a noise ordinance with a decibel threshold. Police have decibel meters in my city and probably do in yours. If the car's alarm exceeds that threshold, the police should cite that person.
posted by resurrexit at 7:37 AM on May 23, 2013
posted by resurrexit at 7:37 AM on May 23, 2013
If you can, contact her work: surely somebody there has a phone number and/or email address where they can leave a message.
I'm also inclined to think there is something wrong with the alarm: firstly because this is new, not something that's been going on for a while; secondly because most car alarms are designed to quit after a specified time, and not continue forever (example: my own car shuts up after three minutes, no matter if the alarm was set off by mistake or an actual theft attempt).
posted by easily confused at 7:39 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm also inclined to think there is something wrong with the alarm: firstly because this is new, not something that's been going on for a while; secondly because most car alarms are designed to quit after a specified time, and not continue forever (example: my own car shuts up after three minutes, no matter if the alarm was set off by mistake or an actual theft attempt).
posted by easily confused at 7:39 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
So I just want to add that it is possible to disable the alarm by pulling the fuse inside the car, next to the steering column, or under the hood. Or just disconnect the battery. You'd have to break into the car to do so. It's probably not that hard to get under the hood. You might have to cut a cable to do so. You can easily google how to do it. If I were you, I'd try to do this with some friendly neighbors and during broad daylight, so no one thinks you're trying to steal the car.
posted by latkes at 8:58 AM on May 23, 2013
posted by latkes at 8:58 AM on May 23, 2013
So I just want to add that it is possible to disable the alarm by pulling the fuse inside the car, next to the steering column, or under the hood. Or just disconnect the battery. You'd have to break into the car to do so. It's probably not that hard to get under the hood. You might have to cut a cable to do so. You can easily google how to do it. If I were you, I'd try to do this with some friendly neighbors and during broad daylight, so no one thinks you're trying to steal the car.
Not that you were considering doing this, but you have called the police and they know that you are an interested party when it comes to that car. If the person who owns the car and then files a completely legitimate report when she returns that her car was vandalized, they will know right who to go to to ask questions.
This situation sucks, and I would be extremely frustrated in your place as well. Unfortunately if you take any action against the car itself (aside from trying to have it towed?), you will most likely be held accountable for any damage and/or adjustments that you do.
My crazy suggestion is to see if you can find her on Facebook, and then message people who seem to be her family and see if they can get a hold of her for next steps.
posted by Kimberly at 9:04 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Not that you were considering doing this, but you have called the police and they know that you are an interested party when it comes to that car. If the person who owns the car and then files a completely legitimate report when she returns that her car was vandalized, they will know right who to go to to ask questions.
This situation sucks, and I would be extremely frustrated in your place as well. Unfortunately if you take any action against the car itself (aside from trying to have it towed?), you will most likely be held accountable for any damage and/or adjustments that you do.
My crazy suggestion is to see if you can find her on Facebook, and then message people who seem to be her family and see if they can get a hold of her for next steps.
posted by Kimberly at 9:04 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
..........you people do know that whether or not you think unattended car alarms are annoying, you're talking about vandalism. If I came back to find someone cut some cables or opened my car door (especially unattended it is, again, welcome to a theft) or let the battery run, despite being unable to get in contact with me, I'd be god damn pissed.
Do not mess with the car on your own. Get it towed if anything. This is not a DIY situation.
posted by DisreputableDog at 9:28 AM on May 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Do not mess with the car on your own. Get it towed if anything. This is not a DIY situation.
posted by DisreputableDog at 9:28 AM on May 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Go ahead and fantasize about breaking into the car to disconnect the alarm, or bodily moving the car or taking a sledgehammer to it or sending it off to the scary car crusher like in The Brave Little Toaster, but please don't actually DO anything like that. For (hopefully) obvious reasons.
Unfortunately for the car's owner, I think calling to have it towed really is the best option. I would definitely do this, but consider leaving a note on the neighbor's door so they know where their car is - yes, it will suck for them, but not nearly as much as coming back to a missing car and having no idea what happened to it.
posted by DingoMutt at 9:32 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Unfortunately for the car's owner, I think calling to have it towed really is the best option. I would definitely do this, but consider leaving a note on the neighbor's door so they know where their car is - yes, it will suck for them, but not nearly as much as coming back to a missing car and having no idea what happened to it.
posted by DingoMutt at 9:32 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Personally I would rather pay to replace the cable that pulls my hood open than pay for tow and lot storage fees. I get that I'm in the minority here, but the OP specifically asked if there is a way to disable the alarm. I answered that question.
posted by latkes at 9:47 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by latkes at 9:47 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
If the car is actually unlocked, leaving the dome light on is not a terrible idea, because a) it will just run down the battery, which will only require a jump to get everything back to normal and b) it's plausible that the owner could have done it themselves accidentally and therefore won't have any idea that it was intentional.
or let the battery run, despite being unable to get in contact with me, I'd be god damn pissed.
Your right to your loud ass car alarm does not trump your entire neighborhood's right to sleep at night.
posted by crankylex at 10:04 AM on May 23, 2013 [4 favorites]
or let the battery run, despite being unable to get in contact with me, I'd be god damn pissed.
Your right to your loud ass car alarm does not trump your entire neighborhood's right to sleep at night.
posted by crankylex at 10:04 AM on May 23, 2013 [4 favorites]
I'd go and make sure the car is actually locked first. Maybe it is unlocked and someone is actually opening it up at night to rummage through.... thus setting off the alarm. If it is unlocked, lock it.
I am amazed by the vigilante tone in these responses.
posted by LeanGreen at 11:54 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I am amazed by the vigilante tone in these responses.
posted by LeanGreen at 11:54 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Punish a thoughtless neighbor with towing and storage charges running into the $100s? There must be a better solution.
posted by Cranberry at 1:23 PM on May 23, 2013
posted by Cranberry at 1:23 PM on May 23, 2013
Punish a thoughtless neighbor with towing and storage charges running into the $100s? There must be a better solution.
Having a car alarm going off for hours at a time day and night is more than thoughtless. If it were happening near me, I think that having the police impound the car would be the kindest thing that could happen.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:43 PM on May 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
Having a car alarm going off for hours at a time day and night is more than thoughtless. If it were happening near me, I think that having the police impound the car would be the kindest thing that could happen.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:43 PM on May 23, 2013 [7 favorites]
I'm against messing with other people's property, not in the least because in an instance like this, it could land the individual who messes in hot water. If someone sees you fiddling with a car whose alarm is going off and calls the police, it's going to look to them like the individual is trying to steal the car.
However, I am 100% for calling the police each and every single time it goes off until they do something about it. It's within their remit, they have access to things like towing vehicles and places to keep the vehicle and also will likely leave a note or something for the neighbour to let them know what has happened and where the vehicle is. This, to me, sounds better than the neighbour coming back and finding their car has vanished. It's also likely to be cheaper for the OP, as they won't have to pay the towing company.
posted by Solomon at 3:48 AM on May 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
However, I am 100% for calling the police each and every single time it goes off until they do something about it. It's within their remit, they have access to things like towing vehicles and places to keep the vehicle and also will likely leave a note or something for the neighbour to let them know what has happened and where the vehicle is. This, to me, sounds better than the neighbour coming back and finding their car has vanished. It's also likely to be cheaper for the OP, as they won't have to pay the towing company.
posted by Solomon at 3:48 AM on May 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
You city should have a noise ordinance with a decibel threshold. Police have decibel meters in my city and probably do in yours. If the car's alarm exceeds that threshold, the police should cite that person.
There might also be a section of the code that specifies how long an alarm can go off before it becomes a violation. (Here in Santa Monica it's 10 or 15 minutes.)
Ethical issues aside, I would be concerned that if I tampered with the car in any way -- if it's unlocked maybe it's for a reason -- the neighbor would register her displeasure in any number of legal and/or extralegal ways. Like Solomon's eponysterical advice, just call the police when it happens.
posted by Room 641-A at 6:44 AM on May 24, 2013
There might also be a section of the code that specifies how long an alarm can go off before it becomes a violation. (Here in Santa Monica it's 10 or 15 minutes.)
Ethical issues aside, I would be concerned that if I tampered with the car in any way -- if it's unlocked maybe it's for a reason -- the neighbor would register her displeasure in any number of legal and/or extralegal ways. Like Solomon's eponysterical advice, just call the police when it happens.
posted by Room 641-A at 6:44 AM on May 24, 2013
When that happened to me, I called the police non-emergency number and the NYPD first showed up to see what was happening, then had one of their people (not uniformed, don't know who he was) break into the car and turn the goddamn alarm off.
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:26 AM on May 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:26 AM on May 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you for all the great- and truly terrible - advice! We (the neighbors and I) had it towed (boring). However, all the ripping, slashing and smashing advice was helpful in a more "cathartic" way.
Apologies for not sharing the resolution sooner.
I'm still kinda new to posting on MF.
posted by muchalucha at 6:12 AM on September 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
Apologies for not sharing the resolution sooner.
I'm still kinda new to posting on MF.
posted by muchalucha at 6:12 AM on September 11, 2013 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Call the police when the alarm goes off and express this "someone might be REALLY trying to steal my neighbor's car" complaint. That's what car alarms are for. Otherwise, you might as well just put up a sign that says, "Free car to good chop shop."
posted by DisreputableDog at 5:40 AM on May 23, 2013 [2 favorites]