Hard Lesson Learned ~ Even for Me!!!

Okay friends, before you read this, please know that I have called myself stupid many times over this recent incident. Well.....I'm not stupid, but this was a STUPID thing that I did!

Like I tell the ladies at the office, I don't change purses very often because I carry too much stuff in one purse to keep changing back and forth. Sadly (but by my own choice), I only own three purses, two black and one brown one. For the last 20 years when I have changed purse to match the outfit I'm wearing, I've ALWAYS left my other one in the car.

Welllllllllllllllllllll, last night changed that!!!!! I was at the mall and lo and behold when I came back out my back window was broken!!!! Yep, some thief broke my window and took my spare purse. I had just changed purses yesterday morning. Unfortunately, I had a little wallet that I failed to throw into the other purse. The little wallet had my debit card, one credit card and my driver's license.

I was freaking out to say the least. I was able to laugh about this today as I was telling my story at the office. And I won't be able to tell it as well here in this post, but I'll try. When I walked up to my van, I only noticed all the glass on the ground and not my broken window at first. I made the comment to myself that I hadn't noticed the glass when I parked and I was only checking my tires to make sure I hadn't gotten myself a flat. Well, as I FINALLY raised my head, I then saw that the glass was from my own back window, DUH!!!

Okay, this was when I started freaking out!!!

I immediately called 911 and then my bank to close both cards. I must say that I was really, really, really upset about this last night. I was more upset with myself as this was a totally stupid thing to even do in the first place. However, after getting over being upset, I was able to look at this as just another example God's grace.

Ready for this? Right beside my spare purse was a very expensive digital camera (Nikon). Apparently, the thief who broke my window and stole my purse was too DUMB to steal our nice camera. Go figure that one out! I was thanking God big time on this!

The first place that the thief went to was a gas station and tried to get gas. Okay, I didn't know this before but now I'm glad to know that our bank really monitors the purchases that are made on our credit card. Anyhow, they tried to get gas at a place we wouldn't normally go to. Apparently when they tried to put it through, the bank immediately called us (we weren't at home to answer, though) to confirm if we were authorizing a suspicious charge. When the bank couldn't reach us, they automatically rejected the charge and sent a message to the gas station stating that credit card was possibly stolen. This is before we ever even called in to report it. How great is that?????? Wait there's more....they went to another gas station and made a purchase using the debit card. Because they were asked for either our pin or zip code, unfortunately they were able to use it. They had our zip code because my license was in there!
Anyhow, by the time I called and closed out both cards, there had only been the one purchase that they got away with. And, by the way, our bank has already put the money back into our account from the debit card. Anyhow, we were informed later that they later tried to make a purchase at Wal-Mart but the debit card was already closed by this time. Wal-mart has the surveillance tape that they will be releasing to the investigator. I hope the the thief was smiling for the camera!!

One last thing, so I was calling 24 hour glass places last night because I so wanted my window repaired immediately (part of my personality). Anyhow, we were looking at $400 to get it replaced. I had arranged with the company to come to my job today to take care of it. I was not even going to bother with the insurance company because I thought I deductible was the norm, at least $500. Well, lo and behold again in this post, I went ahead and called....Ready for this? Our deductible is $200. I had no idea it was that low. My agent who is absolutely wonderful and who has had our business for the last 18 years encouraged me to file a claim. He said it will not affect our standing with them at all because we were rated as exceptional customers. Okay, I really didn't know that they actually rated us, but okay. Sooooooooo, having the window replaced was painless. Well, I wouldn't normally want to spend $200 in this way, but it definitely beats $400.

Okay so all being said, I learned a hard lesson. I will never leave a purse in my car ever again. In fact, I've decided that I will not change purses at all. Just kidding with you ladies who change your purse out daily. lol!

I am able to make light of this now and I still don't like the fact that they now have our address. However, the investigator said that smashing your window and breaking into your car is one thing, but it's not likely that the same thief will break into your home. We're monitored by an alarm company so I have a little more peace about that.

Okay this really is the last thing, but when I was talking to the bank again today, the representative told me something that I have been thinking about all day which is why I am able to make light of this even more. She said that although this is a huge inconvenience for me, they actually had a young lady's mom call in yesterday to report that someone had snatched her daughter's purse from her while she was walking into a store. Sadly, not only did they take her purse, they also took her life.

So again and all being said, this is really minor in comparsion as to what it could have been.

Thank you God!

So sorry for the long post today. I just didn't have it in me last night to post after all my drama!

I've missed you all today and will be visiting you later tonight!

Have a great weekend!