Just a reminder to everyone that the holidays are also prime theft days.
Today (12/22) I went to Micro Center in Houston to buy two laptop computers. One was for my work and the other was a surprise for my wife for Christmas. I went to Micro Center because our good friend is the Sales Manager. He even walked and talked with me as we loaded two laptops and a printer into my truck.
Well, somebody else apparently wanted the computer(s) because they followed me home to Sugar Mill subdivision. When I got home, I took one laptop out out of my truck and left the “surprise” one for my wife under the seat. I locked the doors and went inside.
The printer was on the seat and the other laptop was under the seat, out of view. When I went back outside about an hour later, I found that my back window had been bashed and the laptop was gone. The printer, my I-Pod, etc. were untouched. The folks who did this knew exactly what they were doing and what they were looking for.
At first it didn’t dawn on me what happened until our next door neighbors and we got to talking. They had a van and a Lexus parked 15 feet away with stuff in it and they were untouched. There was no way anybody could have just “passed by” and found a laptop sitting under the seat.
My wife is good about looking around and making sure she isn’t being followed. I’m a guy… so I don’t do that. I guess I should start.
We called the police and insurance. The Sugar Land police officer was there quickly and was great to work with. He was very thorough and professional and made us feel about as comfortable as we could about all of this. He told me that parking lots are prime scouting areas for criminals these days.
All in all, we’re pretty ticked off, but things could always be worse. With the stolen computer and broken window, I’m out about $1,500. Oh well. So much for being the fifth safest city in America. (ha ha)
Later in the evening, my wife and me were trying to figure out why whomever followed me home didn’t confront me in the driveway. After all, they had followed me all the way from the Galleria area and really couldn’t have known if I was unloading the expensive stuff on the first trip.
Then I remembered that my dog came out when I opened the garage. As I nonchalantly walked around with a laptop computer under my arm, oblivious to the surroundings, my 12-year-old, 90 lb ball of fur was also walking around my truck and driveway. That may have been enough discouragement. (The lesson: Big dogs are cool.)
I own several firearms and have a home security system. And neither did me much good in this instance.
So pay attention in parking lots. Pay even more attention when you turn into your neighborhoods and driveways, even if you’ve driven a while since leaving a store. I would have never thought this would happen in my own driveway in my “good” Sugar Land neighborhood. I was wrong.
Don’t let it happen to you.
Dave
Sugar Land
Today (12/22) I went to Micro Center in Houston to buy two laptop computers. One was for my work and the other was a surprise for my wife for Christmas. I went to Micro Center because our good friend is the Sales Manager. He even walked and talked with me as we loaded two laptops and a printer into my truck.
Well, somebody else apparently wanted the computer(s) because they followed me home to Sugar Mill subdivision. When I got home, I took one laptop out out of my truck and left the “surprise” one for my wife under the seat. I locked the doors and went inside.
Dave
Sugar Land
