Fingerprinted -- This Time for Non-Adoption Reasons

I joked when we were adopting that we got fingerprinted more than the "bad guys" and that it was to make sure we hadn't robbed the Piggly Wiggly. It was surprising to me that they are able to keep the criminals' fingerprints on file, but I had to be re-fingerprinted three times to complete one adoption.

Well, I have been fingerprinted once again. This time it was not for adoption reasons and was done sitting on the tailgate of our pickup truck in the parking lot of the Game Crazy/Hollywood Video. Lest someone think I committed a crime at the Game Crazy (although I'll admit I was capable of it for a few minutes), I did not.

Josh asked me earlier today to take him to the Game Crazy store to get some of his game DVDs buffed so they would play again. I told him as soon as I got home from work I would take him. So, I came home, ate and off we went. We parked along the side of the store and he hopped out to put on his tennis shoes and said, "Uh-oh. Get back in the truck." (Josh is certainly my watch dog). But, I didn't. It was a guy asking for money for gas. Yeah, right. I opened my wallet thing and said, "I'm sorry, I don't have any cash, but if I did I would give it to you." (I certainly thought I was being polite and nice). I would have given him a few bucks if I'd had it.

We went in and there was no one in there in front of us so we handed over the DVDs and I got busted on the whole Santa Clause thing. The guy working there said, "If you want to buy a membership, it's $10 or it will cost you $10 to get these buffed." I said, "Well, we might have a membership since I bought a game system here a while back." Josh's head SWIVELED around and he said, "You LIED to me." Busted. Year before last I searched HIGH and LOW for a Wii (back when they were "the" gift for the year). I found out that the Game Crazy store had gotten in a shipment and had a couple left. Bad thing was, I had both Josh and Braiden and no one to leave them with. SO.... I took them out there on the pretense of renting movies next door, slipped over, bought the Wii, shoved it in the back of the car, told the woman to tell the kids the woman in front of me just bought the last one (since I told him if they had one I'd buy it for him). I thought myself pretty smart and told him they didn't have any. Santa was the HERO that year and we bought ourselves another year of belief. Fast forward a year and a half -- busted. UGH.

FORTUNATELY (not!) I was saved from more of that discussion a few minutes later as a manager of Hollywood Video comes in and says, "How long has that truck been beside the building?" (Who? Me?). I said, "Blue Frontier?" She said, "Yes." I said, "I just came in a few minutes ago." She replied, "Was the window busted out when you came in?"

ARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Well, NO, it WASN'T.

Turns out in the five minutes I was in that store some stinking hoodlum broke my window, stole my GPS AND my purse (but left two cell phones, a power inverter, my lunch box (ha!), and a DVD player). Apparently, it was a "smash and grab" (and run).

According the the manager (who noticed this while she was out for a smoke break), no one parks where I do because of the crime in the neighborhood (how about a sign???). They all park right in front of the doors of the building. Also, there are no exterior cameras, only interior. I was polite in suggesting that as a person who inspects commercial properties for insurance companies that she might suggest to her corporate headquarters, that, based on the number of burglaries in her parking lot (and apparently her store too she mentioned), they might consider putting up some cameras on the exterior of the store not only for customer safety but for employees as well. (Leave it to me to get into a commercial insurance liability discussion with the store manager after my car is broken into, huh?)

A call to the police took well over the amount of time I was in the store as they were "experiencing high call volume". Wonder why? They did arrive fairly promptly though and spent a good amount of time investigating, asking questions, fingerprinting the car (and me) and writing up the report.

I have now filed a claim. Apparently, however, the auto policy will cover the window, but not the contents, which are covered under the homeowners policy (can you say large deductible? I can.)

The real joke, however, is on the person who stole my purse. You see, I don't USE my purse except for two things: bringing snacks into the free movies (yes, I do) and if I have to go into a store to shop, I use it to carry my phone, wallet and keys. All that I can think of in my purse was the set of keys to our other vehicle and receipts, melted candy bits from Tuesdays trip to the movies, and probably some gum. There might have been some other stuff, but I just don't remember it. I don't use the purse often enough to matter.

Josh was funny during our wait for the police to finish when he said, "Hey, the important thing is they didn't steal your coupon binder." Man is he right!! Take my purse -- leave my coupons!!

So, we are thankful that it wasn't worse than it was. No one was hurt. We have insurance. Not much was taken. We are lucky. But, let me go on record in case there is any confusion about how I feel: I CANNOT STAND people who steal. The Bible is clear: Thou shall NOT steal. Criminals stink.