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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

I've been robbed!!

Sunday morning I hurry out to start my truck and head to church when I notice my work laptop case sitting on my flatbed.
My stomach sinks, then jumps into my throat as the thought hits me, "someone was in my truck."
I almost always (as in about 90% of the time) lock my truck, especially when I leave computers, cameras etc in it.
Not Saturday night though.
I open the door to find the contents of my purse strewn across the floor and front seats. All my checkbooks and a check written to me are laid out on the console. My laptop cases are all unzipped. Various receipts, tubes of chapstick, kleenex and pens are everywhere.
I grab my work laptop and throw it back inside with my personal laptop, thank goodness they weren't gone!
I sift through the items left by the thieves and realize my wallet, personal credit card, old social security card (I know you aren't supposed to keep them in your wallet), and some cash are gone. My brother made me my wallet and it is a hand-tooled leather one with white stitching and I love it.
By this point I am shaking, mad and near tears. I run inside and cancel my personal Visa, then try my parents house, busy. Try again a minute later, busy. Don't they know I am having a crisis! "Who the hell is on the phone at a time like this?" runs through my mind.
So I call the guy, shaky voice, tears threatening. He thinks I am mad because he didn't text me back the night before, seriously?! I spill my story and he catches up. I ask what to do next? I don't know if you call the cops, or don't, wait a while, go walk around and see if I can find my stuff. My mind is blank, Help!
About half-way through the conversation I remember my work credit card was in my wallet too and my stomach drops again, even lower.
The guy suggests I call the cops and take it from there. Good idea.
Stop to say a prayer, take a deep breath and say another prayer (two can't hurt during something like this)
Call the cops, talk to a very nice secretary who informs me an officer will be right over, I'm thinking this will be new to actually want the cops around.
Call multiple people from work trying to get a phone number to call and cancel my work credit card. Nobody answers. Try the parents again...busy.
Officer Nickerson shows up, after driving by my house once. I tell him the sad, sad story and he asks if I want him to dust for prints. YES! I can easily name everyone whose fingerprints will be on or in my truck since I just washed and cleaned it.
The idiot can't find one print, says all he got were a few smudges. So much for CSI Casper. I know that I wasn't attempting to hide my fingerprints when I drove the truck last. Christy was in it and so was the guy. No fingerprints...great cop work there buddy.
About then Christy calls and we talk and she has the phone number necessary to cancel my work card. Get that done. Thank Officer Idiot for being completely useless (I didn't word it quite like that) Call the parents...busy, sheesh.
Walk up and down the block looking for clues. Call the parents, my mom answers and tells me this is a great reason to lock my doors. Seriously consider cussing at my mom. Finally get through the motherly worries and head for home with no clues and determined not to call the parents next time.
Call the guy and give him an update. Go walk the dogs, tell the neighbors what happened and continue on.
Then on Monday Christy calls and tells me a guy found my wallet in his trash!
I go meet him and his daughter Tuesday afternoon, get all my personal effects back..even the cash! His daughter's friends are the culprits. They not only stole from me, but from him too while staying over. His daughter was asleep through the whole thing, but not completely innocent as her buddies showed her my wallet the morning after.
We discussed a course of action and decided each girl will have to come to my house and apologize after they inform their parents. Their consequences will include one or two days volunteering at a local riding academy. Shoveling manure, packing hay bales etc..
If they don't agree, I call the cops. I really don't want to call the cops. I got my wallet back and that's all I wanted. But I'm hoping through working for the riding academy maybe just one of them will like it and it could turn into something that will keep them out of trouble in the future.
I'm also hoping the embarrassment of having to apologize to me, at my house, will make them think twice next time. They're only freshman in high school and I know at that age I would be mortified.

2 comments:

  1. Holy Crapolies!!! So glad you got it back, but I can only imagine your stress level!!!!
    Phew for nice parents!!!

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  2. Oh my goodness, Heather -- that is so lucky you got it all back. I have been less fortunate before. I hope those girls learn a lesson!

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