We will be in Oahu in March and plan on visiting Pearl Harbor and driving around the island. I've read a few places that Pearl Harbor is a high theft area and not to leave anything in your car. It makes the most sense for us to head to Pearl Harbor from the airport, but concerned after what I read. Any experience or advice for us? Thanks

Keep your belongings in the trunk of the car and you should be fine. Luckily we did not encounter any theft issues when we were there but we had heard the same warning you did so we acted accordingly

When you rent your car: on the rental contract and on the envelope which holds it, plus stickers inside the car all say - "Don't leave anything of value locked in your car"...and since the trunk is part of your vehicle, the same thing applies. Why don't people believe that theft happens?

If you have to leave luggage in the car (not recommended), leave it in the trunk & do not open the trunk at any tourist attraction in Hawaii.

If there are thieves lurking, they tend to break into cars where they can see tourists open up trunks, take items out of or put items into the trunk (or out of then back into the passenger section).

That said, USS Arizona Memorial parking lot has security cameras and a security guard, so it is not a high theft area.

Beach parking lots & several other places are.

They also have a place at USS Arizona Memorial Visitors Center where you can check bags for about $2 each.

Per the US govt website re the Arizona Memorial: http://www.nps.gov/archive/usar/ppht...yourvisit.html

Security measures are strictly enforced at all three visitor destinations on Pearl Harbor. Federal law enforcement officers and security bike patrols monitor the parking lots. ***However it is not recommended to secure items of value in your car. Be safe; do not travel with valuables and use the storage locker.***

Look, these disclaimers are added all the time - "do not leave valuables in your car" - to get responsible parties off the hook in case you are ripped off and you decide to sue. Believe it or not, if someone breaks into a car and steals stuff, there are people out there who will actually try to sue the rental car company! That's why we have all these disclaimers.

When I parked at the Arizona Memorial lot last month (twice - I left and came back), I saw a guard right at the back of it. I certainly felt safe leaving my stuff in my car's trunk there. Even so, there is a bag check at the Memorial (it's near the food court), so you can check any extremely valuable items there if it makes you feel better (not free). You can't take much with you into the Memorial itself (nothing more than a regular camera and I imagine a purse).

No doubt people have had stuff stolen at Pearl Harbor and pretty much everywhere else on Earth. Just the chance we take living in a free society. I don't think the chances of it at the Arizona Memorial are way higher on average than elsewhere.

For a while (about a year or two ago), there was a MAJOR problem with theft from cars in the PH parking lot. They have since added cameras, guard and the check in desk, so not as much a problem.

Still do hear of thefts at beaches and tourist sites (where bad guys know just about exactly how long you'll be gone) often enough to not recommend leaving things in you car.

If you are going to leave things in the trunk, ALWAYS do it BEFORE you get to the parking lot. Thieves don't like wasting their time, and will wait for you to show them if there's anything good in your trunk.