Start keeping a hungry rottweiler in the vehicle
Sucks, bro. I hate theives more than anything. Fortunately I live in a state where you can shoot someone for breaking into your car. Trouble is you gotta catch em' in the act.
I actually did catch someone in the act one time. My boss and I had stopped in at the local Home Depot for a part we needed. We parked, ran into the store, they didn't have what we needed, so we turned right around and left. As we were walking out to the truck (1 ton chevy 4 door 4X4) we noticed the tool box was open and we could see someone through the tinted glass moving around on the other side of the truck. We hauled ass out to the truck.
My boss at the time was at a pretty proficient level in a martial art that I couldn't even hope to spell correctly. It is a form of Chinese wrestling focusing a lot on throwing your opponent in such a way to disable them quickly.
Well, as we rounded the front of the pick-up the dude (6'4" white guy) had both arms reaching into the tool box. My boss still at a full run hooked him around the neck and pulled him the length of the bed where he executed a flawless throw on this guy. The way the throw is constructed, your arms are pinned pretty much at your sides and you go face first straight into the ground. He pretty much AUGERED the guy face first into the asphalt.
the guy made a very weak, half hearted attempt to get up, but then collapsed again. We then proceeded to stand on either side of this guy and just kicked the fuck out of him. You could hear ribs cracking.
This all happened in a matter of seconds before anyone anywhere had any time what-so-ever to react. Soon, 3 of this guys friends emerged from a car and pretty much drug their fellow thief into the car and took off. We got license plate number and were able to ID the perp in a photo line up. The cops gave us a high five for kicking the guys ass and asked why we stopped kicking him.
I'm certian the guy was in very substantial pain for a very long time. I can only hope he knows he got off easy. The next time I catch a mother fucker breaking into my car, I probably won't have the balls to shoot him, but I know I won't stop kicking him untill the police arrive.
I know my story doesnt replace your belongings, but I hope it makes you feel not quite so bad knowing that justice is happening somewhere.