TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin leaving articles in the trunk of your rental car

Since I had three newbies with me last week in St. M, I constantly stressed the fact that nothing should be left in the trunk of the rental car.
One day, on the way back from Philipsburg, we stopped at Market Garden for some grocery shopping. I opened the trunk so they could remove their purchases (jewelry, clothing, etc.)
After shopping for about 1/2 hour, we returned to the car to see that the trunk was wide open ... no one had ever closed it, or it hadn’t been closed tightly and it had popped open.

Also, I then discovered that one of the newbies had left her purchases (including new Zhaveri jewelry) in the trunk!

This does not end how you’re anticipating ........................ everything was still in the trunk, untouched. Perhaps it was because it is such a busy area, but I’m chalking it up to dumb luck! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

You should have taken them all to the casino after that.

Yeah, dumb luck for sure!! Glad that all worked out ok for your friends!!

Wow! Lucky for sure!

Agreed.. ...notice how I said I'm agreeing with you, not Scubaman... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

You'll come around again. It's only a matter of topic and time. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

You two were on a roll there for a while! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

I know. She just won't admit it. Times they be changin. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Ah, probably not... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

I'm so glad to hear that all of your friends' purchases were still there! We always tell people not to leave anything in the trunk that they wouldn't want to lose. We will leave beach stuff like towels, noodles, hats but nothing of any value. Knock on wood, we've never encountered any problems.

Nothing of any value, like towels? Well, a number of years ago, it was raining one morning so we decided to go up Pic Paradis because we had never done that. Just in case, we took our towels with us, since it usually doesn't rain for very long. They were in the "locked" trunk. When we got to the top, we parked the car and walked away a short distance to get a better view. There were also a few coins sitting in a cup holder in the console between the two front seats. When we returned to the car--maybe four or five minutes later--the coins were gone and one of the towels, too. Yes, just one of the two towels. Stealing is a way of life for some people and it almost doesn't matter how much or little they steal.

The late psychiatrist, Dr. Bruno Bettelheim, was once asked by a reporter why there is so much crime. He answered "because they like to do it." He was right, I believe. That's their job--thievery.

The OP was lucky, but I think the location played a role, too. Too many people coming and going there. We usually stop at Market Garden on our way in from the airport. But, even with all the people coming and going, we never leave the car unattended.

Yeah, like towels. If we lose a towel or two, it's not the end of the world. And it beats lugging all the beach stuff up 4 flights of stairs when the elevators are broken. If they're going to break in, they're going to break in. It's a locked trunk - there could be nothing but air in there or a couple beach towels. We leave nothing in plain sight, rent only cars with French plates and park only in private lots with security overnight.

We had EVERYTHING stolen one year. Never, never leave anything in the car.

One time I left the spare tire in the trunk, and it was stolen. True story.

Many of the local car rentals companies will tell you to leave nothing in the car and leave it unlocked. They and probably you don't want the expense of damaged cars when thieves crack them open hoping to find something. I often leave low value things in unlocked cars...shoes, towels, that's not what they are after.

I don't think $50 for a lost or stolen beach towel provided by one of the resorts is a pittance.

After all these years of coming to our home away from home that none of the car rentals places don't have a (when signing in) "do not leave anything in your car when not attended!" form or sticker in or on the dash!!!!???? When we land we have a few stops before checking in. One get beer for the chef bodyguard (me), two stand guard outside car. Three make sure that locals know, "I see you"!!! Four let sand gravity set in!

I don't believe I said the towels are resort towels. We always take our own "end of the summer" towels for emergencies and we leave them in the trunk of the car. We wouldn't jeopardize losing any property that doesn't belong to us!

Your intentions are good! But you are inviting those looking to break in to see what else you've left behind ???? And although you may have left nothing in your car, a broken window/glass would put a dampener on your day/evening.

if they're going to break a window, they're going to break a window. They can't see my two tired beach towels in the trunk.