Petty Theft Auto

Well, kids, we've had our 4th auto break-in of the last 25 years.

Went to mon mini this morning to move her. Remember, when last we met, I had just recovered miraculously from a fevered (and ryed) evening and was ecstatic to snuggle the little darlin' into a spot up the block only six inches longer than she, bumper to bumper. Well, maybe in my euphoria I forgot to, uh, lock the doors? Anyway, this morning I got there at about 7 and I see that the driver's door is unlocked. But all looks fine inside. I start her up, squinch out, but half way down the block decide to pull over because I'm hearing too much road noise: let's check everything out.

I get out of the car, walk around the back, and there over on the curb... gee, a change-purse just like the one I keep in the car. Zactly like the one I keep in the car. I pick it up and it has a couple pennies in it. Road noise - yep, the passenger door's ajar. So..., maybe 2 people were in the car? No real reason for one person to enter at the driver door (the only one that would have been unlocked when I parked it) and exit through the passenger door - not to mention the contortions that would be necessary to do so. But the glove has everything in it, including the EZPass. (Note to self - double check that the registration is still in there. And both plates are still on.) Check the arm rest - and, gee, the change purse is missing. Freaky that I pulled over exactly where it was thrown away. Mini knew! Trunk looks fine, toolbag there, etc.

So, all in all, looks like a couple of bucks in quarters and maybe a few singles. I got off easy.

(The other three events of our car-owning history: 1986 Seattle, pink - once red - Volvo, fly window forced (y'all remember real fly windows?), door popped, rear shelf mounted speakers lifted; mid-90's Carrol Gardens, '94 Dodge Shadow, paint flaking from roof & hood, entered and used for a smoking party, lots of vegetable matter left in car but nothing taken; early 2000's, that same Shadow, now in Park Slope with less paint and no A/C, lifted by a couple of young teens with a stolen master key, desperately poor taste, and ruinous driving habits.)