Man uses pillowcase signs to deter criminals from smashing his truck windows

NEW ORLEANS (WDSU) – A New Orleans man tired of having his vehicle broken into over and over again came up with a low-budget solution.

Martin Schott is hoping the new handmade sign on his truck will stop thieves from breaking its windows again.

Schott has had his Ford F-150 stolen and broken into three times in a matter of days. Once, it was returned to him with seven bullet holes in it and was under active investigation in an attempted murder case, he said.

Each time he has to get his window fixed, Schott said it costs him $300. So, he figured putting a sign up might stop this from happening yet again.

“If there’s any way to communicate to these people there’s nothing in the truck worth of value, how can we do that?” Schott said.

So, he got creative – he went to Walmart and wrote “Don’t break, nothing to steal” in black marker. The pillowcase now covers the truck’s windows when Schott parks the vehicle.

“Hopefully it communicates to whoever wants to break into the vehicle that there is nothing of value, and do not break the window,” he said.

The city council has also introduced an ordinance to require all parking lots in the Central Business District and French Quarter to have attendants for security reasons.

“In general, I’m just tired of this sort of activity by young people and older who choose to vandalize others’ possessions,” Councilman Eugene Green said.

Schott isn’t sure how long he will keep up the pillowcase sign, but for now, it’s staying put.

“I’ll keep it on there until some of this stops, but I don’t know what else to do,” Schott said.

Only time will tell if Schott’s idea deters the criminals.