Which city do you live in?

Not the OP but I know that in San Francisco smash and grab car break-ins have been at epidemic levels for a while and it doesn't require having anything visible. It's simply that the large number of urban tech workers increases the odds that any reasonably nice, recent model-year vehicle will have a high-end phone, tablet or laptop hidden within.

I parked my car overnight in a large, well-lit city-owned structure with cameras and live attendants 24/7. I parked right under a light, near the elevator/stairs in a higher traffic area and it still got a window smashed by someone despite nothing being visible. Nothing was stolen because there was nothing to steal but still annoying to file insurance and get repaired.

I know people that have reinforced metal lockboxes installed in the back of their SUVs to secure their laptop bag. Most people just take their laptop backpack everywhere but bag-grabs are increasingly common and even more scary than car break-ins. One guy I know who lives and works in downtown SF doesn't have a car because he can walk just about everywhere he regularly goes in the city. Last year he stopped taking his laptop anywhere in SF and doesn't carry a backpack anymore. He now just keeps a system at home and an identical system at work.

Not only that these are at high levels the city is exploring a program to pay (using taxpayer dollars) for window replacements for such victims, which is both right and wrong at the same time...

Wow. I hadn't heard that. It sounds like a plan only a politician entirely unfamiliar with the concept "unintended second-order effects" could possibly like.

Didnt realize things had become so bad, will keep in mind when I visit.

Yes, these and related issues combined with the insanely high cost of living are causing a lot of people I know to leave (or plan to soon leave) the bay area to work remotely. People have lost hope things are going to improve because the policies the local government enacts to 'help' fix things keep triggering second-order consequences that make things even worse.

I don't live there anymore but used to like visiting quite often. Now I avoid it whenever I can which is sad.

It isn't that bad.

A laptop shoulder bag I understand being grabbed away from you, but how do you get your backpack stolen off your back assuming you aren't held up with a weapon?

I just keep my car unlocked 24 seven and don’t leave anything in it that I would resent having to replace.

Which city would you expect you could leave a phone in the car without it being stolen?

Dang dude, where do you live? I'm a lifelong Detroiter and my car has no end of electronic shit inside it, some visible, some not. It's never been touched.

The only times I've had cars broken into were when I was visiting DC and when I was working in San Jose.

So, um, it's not universal?

Stereo thefts are way down tho.. Kinda nice

makes one appreciate being a euro. i dont even lock my car ...

I live in Europe (the Netherlands) and I most definitely empty my car. I've had two smashed windows, my dad has had one, and besides, it's all uninsured: the insurance companies do not consider the trunk of your locked car a "safe place for valuables".

Which city in Europe?

Most of them. At least most parts of most northern European cities that I have visited.

Smaller, more suburban ones?

Singapore

Tokyo too

Any of them seriously. Seattle, San Francisco, New York would all have this problem.

srsly? consider relocating (to a smaller town)