Why I’m Lucky a Dumb Criminal Stole My Credit Card

Remember Antoine Dodson?

''You are sooo dumb! You are really dumb, for real!''

I spent much of this past Monday with this portion of Antione Dodson's 2010 viral quote floating through my head. A sentiment I have not only for the idiot who stole my credit card earlier this week, but honeslty for myself, as well.

I live in a nice neighborhood - very quiet and well cared for. Who's gonna steal from me? Certainly not my neighbors.

Well...exactly 'who' is being investigated by New York Mills police.

Although angered and annoyed by the incident, I was also quite frustrated with the moron who facilitated the burglary?

That would be me!

See, I almost always leave my car unlocked.

Err, I mean, I used to leave my car unlocked all the time.

At some point very late Sunday night, or very early Monday morning, some clown was apparently in the neighborhood looking for an easy score. And he/she found one, as I made it very easy by leaving my car doors unlocked, wallet inside.

I didn't have anything all that valuable inside, other than the wallet.

For what it's worth, I usually travel light. In otherwords, I carry a skinny pocket wallet with just two credit/debit cards, and my driver's license. And, I used to just leave it in the car to avoid the embarrassing moment when you run to the store quick, or stop for gas only to realize: I forgot my wallet!

Anyway, as I was leaving for work Monday morning, I got into my unlocked car and saw my center console was open. Nothing valuable in there - just a couple of tissue packs and a phone charger. The tissues and some extra napkins had been pulled out, scattered on the seat.

''Very strange'', I thought. But, as I reorganized the napkins and tissues and placed them back into the center console, I saw my skinny wallet sitting right on the passenger seat, right where I had left it. I could see one of my cards and my ID inside. So, I thought nothing of it....''Maybe I just grabbed some napkins out of there Sunday and forgot to close it,'' I thought.

Then, after I got to work, I thought more: ''Where's my other credit card?''

I went out to investigate further. It was not under or in-between the seats, it hadn't fallen on the ground, and it wasn't in the center console or glove box.

Turns out, someone burgarized my unlocked car, stole a credit card and had already used it by the time I woke up on Monday morning!

Here's the good news, for me anyway:

While there was another credit/debit card sitting right on the seat, right next to the credit card this person did steal, they inexplicably didn't see or didn't care to take the other one. The card they did steal - one I use for light home repair projects and day-to-day purchases at the grocery store - has a relatively low line of credit. I purposely set it up that way, in case, ya know, some idiot stole it.

It had $9 (yes, nine dollars) of available credit remaining.

My other card, had significantly more. Yeah, the one they didn't take.

Phew!

In filing a police report, I learned from my local law enforcement officer that stealing a credit card, regardless of the amount of available credit or amount of money stolen, is a FELONY!

Yes, this moron robbed me for $9, and when the police catch up to them they will be charged with a felony.

Love it!

I hope this person feels as dumb as I do for making the theft so easy.

In brief conversations with neighbors, it doesn't appear that anyone else was victimized. One neighbor's vehicle may have been rummaged through, but nothing taken.

So it seems no one else was ''robbed'', probably because they keep their vehicles locked up and because they don't leave their wallets inside.

Sometimes, I am sooo dumb. For real!

But, I learned a valuable lesson on the cheap. I have been and will continue to lock my car each night (and I no longer leave my wallet inside).

Take it from me, no matter where you live, LOCK. YOUR. DOORS.

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