A victim warns: Always, ALWAYS lock your doors

I received this email from Lorri Willems, a woman whose purse was stolen recently ...

I just moved to Olathe this past November from a much smaller community.   My husband and I have custody of our 2 yr old grandson; who I take to daycare each morning before I go to work.  Maybe I was a bit naive, but it never occured to me that someone would steal my purse from my vehicle while I took my grandson into his daycare; all of which took no longer than about 3 minutes to do...

My husband and I work very hard every day for all that we have, and it just irritates me that my personal belongings would be taken by someone too lazy to go to work every day.  I know a homeless person didn't take it, because my credit card was used within 45 minutes in Missouri.  No, the person who took my purse had a car at least.  Now someone has a very nice purse.  One that my husband bought for me as a gift, that meant a lot to me.  They also have my drivers license, my personal information, and my medication.

They also will enjoy looking at the photos I just had developed of my grandson and family.  I hope when they look at them, they realize we're just everyday people trying to live our lives, too.  I hope they realize that my life has been interrupted, turned upside down, and I feel very violated.  I understand, from speaking to my daycare provider, that this type of thing happens at daycares on a regular basis in this area.

I hope you will publish a warning to all of the parents, grandparents, and caregivers in the community, to make sure they lock their vehicle each and every time when dropping their children off at daycare.  These thieves are lurking around, just waiting for you to make the mistake of leaving them unlocked, trying to keep them warm on a cold morning, so they can once again find their next victim.  I will never again feel safe to do so (which I never should have felt to begin with), and will be more aware of my surroundings daily.  I thank God that it was only taken from my car, instead of taken as I carried it; as things might not have turned out so well.

And lastly, to the person(s) who took my purse from Little Wonders Daycare on the morning of January 9th. You see, for me and my husband, this day was different from any other for us.  It marked the one year anniversary of the day we buried our 22-year-old son.  So for us, it just added one more thing to our day that we were left to deal with.

So think about the lives of the people you violate.  If you want money, or credit cards, then fine just take them.  But leave everything else behind, so at least I have my other important items.  Many things hold sentimental value, and to someone who has lost a son, you tend to hold on a little tighter to those things.  I know I'll never see my money, credit card, or purse again, but please warn others so they don't make the mistake I made that day.

Comments

[Rhonda]

Nice post, but never leave your purse unattended - car, grocery basket, whatever. It's common sense.

[Johns]

Scary - wasn't that little boy who ended up at the rest stop after the guy murdered his mom murdered by a guy who'd stolen a wallet and then showed up at the house. If your purse containing personal information or, God forbid, your keys gets stolen, I'd change your locks.

Wow. Nice letter. People who do such things (steal other people's belongings), are worse than the dog poo at the bottom of my shoe!

[Tam]

I've seen women leave their shopping carts unattended and have their purses wide open. So careless. I never take my eyes off of my purse...

[You're a Mean Drunk R2D2™]

Had you not left your purse, or at least locked your vehicle, you wouldn't have had to worry about your purse being stolen.

The moral of the story is, don't leave valuables in your vehicle unattended and unlocked, and if you do, don't leave them in plain sight.

There are bad people out there who aren't afraid to rob another person, and you have to do your best to prevent or minimize the chances that it will happen. Even when I go into a gas station, and will be less then a minute. I lock my doors, take my cell phone and don't leave anything that would entice a thief.

Consider this a lesson learned.

[AllnADaysWork]

What purse?

[Kelly]

Yeah, people amaze me how oblivious they are - I never leave my purse for a second. Not in the grocery cart to load groceries into my car, to run in and pay for gas, to go up to a salad bar or buffet - nothing. But I see it happen all the time. Daycare centers are often targeted, as well as gyms. And, um....don't leave your kids unattended either. Just wanted to throw that in.

[J.C.]

It doesn't matter even if you lock your car, its better to take VALUABLES WITH YOU OR YOUR TRUNK MAYBE, people are ruthless anymore, they'll do anything.

[Tim]

chance you take when you move to the big city lady, sorry it happened and I wish things wasn't this way but they are.... consider it a lesson learned

[Gina]

Wow! Some of you guys are heartless! I'm pretty sure she knows her lessons learned, which is her entire reason for the post. Her post is a warning to anyone who thinks it can't happen to them. Do you have any comments that aren't stating the obvious? And to Allnadaze, your self rightousness just set you up for bad karma. Everyone makes mistakes...

[Gina]

Correction: Not Allnadays, but Kelly...