Some Days

Comments

Written by : Maureen.

It’s like this… You walk out to your car to go to work in the morning, and IT’S NOT THERE!!  You look around, you start to feel a fog enveloping your brain, and your first thought is, Where did I park my car??  You survey the parking lot, wondering how your car moved without you in the driver’s seat.  Then, the fog lifts, and you realize, SOMEONE TOOK MY CAR!!

This happened to me earlier this week.  A couple of low-lifes decided they needed my car to do their errands for the day.  These are people you could walk by on the street, and not realize what lurks within.  No conscience.  They’ve done it before, and they’ll do it again.

Interestingly enough, when I went to the car rental agency, one of the employees suggested looking around within a two or three block radius from home.  Apparently, stolen vehicles are often found that way.  So, I went out and drove around an entire section near my home.  Nothing.  I had to leave it for now; I had to get to work.

Later that day, I got an urgent call from my boyfriend.  My car has been found!  Two blocks from home!  Parked right on the busiest street in the neighbourhood!!

How stupid do you have to be to be a car thief?  Apparently, an IQ of 2 ½ is sufficient.  Yes, steal a car, drive around a bit, then park it just down the street from where you stole it.  Then, be even stupider, and come back to get the car to go and do some more errands.  And make sure you do it right when the car owner’s boyfriend is driving by.  Oh, yes, when you are stealing the car, make sure you walk by the surveillance cameras, so when the boyfriend drives by, he can recognize you!

On a more serious note, auto theft is rampant in Edmonton.  The individuals who stole my car have done it before, and we are told, they are no rookies.  Unfortunately, our court system is so slanted in favour of the criminals, that if you don’t have a dozen eye-witnesses, clear finger prints, and their faces plastered all over the surveillance screen, they will probably get off.  It’s no wonder our police officers get so disillusioned.

When I told my story around the office, I was amazed to hear how many other people have had their vehicles stolen or vandalized.  It’s an epidemic.  The car rental agency told me that they get someone needing a rental due to vehicle theft every second or third day.  And that’s just one rental office.

Some advice…    If you live in an apartment complex, talk to your landlord about putting up adequate surveillance cameras.  Wherever you live, alarm your vehicle.  Be vigilant (without being paranoid!)  Watch out for your neighbours.  Note suspicious activity and report it to the police.  They may not be able to do anything that day, but it might help them catch a thief later down the road.

On another note…  When this happens to you, you have to deal with your insurance company.  But that’s a story for another day.