I’m curious about how you kicked off your three-day weekend. Did you head to the great outdoors for a camping trip? Did you relax with a brat and a beer in your back yard?
What did I do, you ask? Why, thank you for your interest.
I spent my Friday evening at the Santa Monica Police Department.It all began at the Santa Monica dog park. TJ and I were enjoying the company of a new friend, watching our dogs join the herd chasing a leader with a delectable red Frisbee. By 9:00, the park ranger ushered us all out for the evening. Since it was sunny when I entered, and now dark, my prescription sunglasses were on top of my head, leaving me fairly blind.
When we approached the car, TJ said, “Oh, shit.” Enjoying my blind stupor, I asked, “What?” TJ said, “Look at your window.”
By the time I was able to see the situation clearly, my flip-flops were crunching in the pile of glass at my feet. Someone (may that someone die a horrible, painful, agonizing death) busted my passenger window and stole my purse and TJ’s iPod.
Go ahead. Say it. Tell me how stupid it was of me to leave valuables in semi-plain sight, free for the taking. Go ahead. I’m prepared for it.
Finished now? Good.
The park ranger radioed in to the police department, and she told us to head down there, file a report, and get the car fingerprinted.We were, however, much more concerned about our credit cards the thief was now, undoubtedly, enjoying. We rode home, shards of glass falling from my pitiful window frame, and canceled everything we could think of: credit cards (by this time, the thief had already used 2 of our cards), checking account, savings account, cell phone, etc. I also called the credit reporting bureaus, just to be safe. With my info floating around out there in the hands of trash, I wanted to take every precaution possible (too bad precaution wasn’t on my mind two hours earlier when I left my purse in the car). We each gobbled down a Cliff bar for dinner then we headed to the police station.
I’ve got to be honest – if you’re going to spend your Friday night at a police station, the Santa Monica police station is the one to choose. It has a very modern, CSI-ish feel to it with a water fountain outside and the beach just a couple blocks away.
The police insisted upon fingerprinting my car, and a young man with a dark crew cut and baby face appeared with his forensic kit. (By the way, the cops here are h-o-t.) While cutie was fingerprinting my car, I proceeded with a series of questions I’m sure he answers at least 20 times per day:
1. So, do you do the CSI stuff they show on TV?
2. Is this the same station they took Lindsay Lohan to?
3. Have you ever worked on a murder case?
(If you’re curious, the answers were 1. Yes, but not as glamorous 2. Yes 3. Yes, and 3 of the year’s 5 homicides occurred in August.)
All in all, the police were very nice and very helpful. I’m more surprised that we haven’t really gotten angry yet. I mean, it sucks to have it happen to you – but what are you gonna do now? Schedule Safelite to come fix your window? Done that. What else?
Well, there’s not much else to do. You can only kick yourself in the ass so much. But what about my car until the glass is replaced? What can I do to make my car somewhat secure? We decided that leaving the glass as-is, flecked all over the dashboard and passenger seat, would be the best deterrent to another thief…and a little note never hurts…
Oh my gosh….I’m sorry that happened to you! I knew it would be dangerous out there. You should move back to Columbus where crime never happens. Love the note!
That SUCKS big time! Just the fact that some idiot would have the nerve to break your car window, let alone steel your purse and cell phone. They will get theirs someday! I hope they track them down where they used the credit card, with store video.
Well I am sure you guys are already feeling horrible and violated, so I will not even think of saying “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING LEAVING THAT STUFF IN SIGHT”! I am pretty sure you are much wiser now.
There are three major credit companies, I hope you contacted all three. Let me know if you need their phone numbers.
Wishing you better times!
See what happens when my hard drive crashes, and I lose touch with you guys via the WWW? Well, we’ve purchased a new one and we were able to recover the “lost” data, so I’ll be keeping a closer watch on you guys from now on.
Have you thought maybe O.J.Simpson might have been the “perp” in this crime? He practically lives next door to you guys. If there were Bruno Magli shoe prints near the car…it was OJ! He probably used a 9-iron to break the window, because he can’t swing a driver for shit! He’s pretty good with a knife, though, so be careful.
[...] stolen goods from the break-in back in [...]
[...] happy to report that this Labor Day weekend was much, much quieter than the last. My car wasn’t broken into; my purse and belongings weren’t stolen; and TJ & I didn’t [...]