Imagine the shock and disappointment when you return to your car only to discover it’s been stolen – a sensation akin to being punched in the gut. This is exactly what happened to me last week while visiting Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The incident has left an indelible mark, prompting me to reflect on the experience and distill my lessons learned.
As I’ve had time to process the events that transpired, I’d like to share my insights in the hopes that they might serve as a cautionary tale for others.
Our Trip to California
Our California getaway was just what I needed after a scorching Arizona summer. My husband, brother-in-law, and I spent four days exploring Universal Studios Hollywood, soaking up the sun at Hermosa Beach (which left us with some lovely sunburns), and experiencing the city vibes of San Francisco – my first time there. As someone from a small town in Iowa, I’m naturally cautious in big cities, but SF surprised me by making me feel safe enough to walk alone without concern.
The trip was going swimmingly until our final morning when we visited Golden Gate Park. However, upon returning to our rental car, we were met with an unpleasant surprise: our belongings had vanished, leaving us with nothing but shattered glass and a sense of unease. We quickly called 911, and the rest is history. Looking back, it’s been a wild ride filled with valuable lessons.
This can happen ANYWHERE.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been asked if it was a sketchy part of town or a neighborhood that’s off-limits, but let me set the scene for you: we were robbed in broad daylight, right in a bustling park filled with people and parked cars as far as the eye can see. The irony is that even with all those witnesses, a thief managed to strike without anyone intervening.
I recall one woman who was walking nearby and saw the whole ordeal unfold – a guy punched out our back window, snatched our backpacks, and sped away in a white SUV with no license plate. It was a surreal experience, to say the least.
Just because all your stuff is gone, it doesn’t mean all your stuff is gone.
As fate would have it, a 911 call had already been placed before our arrival on the scene. By the time we arrived, law enforcement had already begun investigating the reported crime. The police took the remainder of our belongings into custody to prevent any potential future thefts. Upon our return, they returned the recovered items to us.
Thieves target rental cars.
Rental cars are typically marked with distinctive barcode stickers on their side windows and windshields, making them easy to identify. Our vehicle was also distinguishable by its out-of-state license plate, a giveaway that we were tourists. As a result, it’s not uncommon for these cars to be targeted due to the presence of valuable items within.
One preventative measure you could take is inquiring with the rental car company about the cost of replacing a barcode sticker if you choose to remove it. While this may seem like an unusual request, it can help minimize the risk of your vehicle being targeted and your personal belongings stolen.
Car insurance covers the damage to your car, but home insurance covers your stuff inside of it.
While the theft was unrelated to our residential property, our homeowner’s insurance still provided coverage for the contents of our vehicle. As you review your policy, consider having a conversation with your insurer about whether your coverage is adequate or excessive.
Know what your car insurance does cover and doesn’t cover.
Despite my best efforts, I struggle to grasp and recall insurance-related jargon. The term ‘deductible’ always seems to leave me searching for answers online. While I may not be alone in this challenge, it’s essential to at least be aware of whether your policy includes rental car insurance. If not, you’ll need to purchase coverage from the rental car company itself.
Consider getting a Personal Articles Policy on your more expensive belongings.
When it comes to valuable or expensive items, such as jewelry or electronics, it’s essential to consider the limitations of your homeowner’s policy. Many policies have a specific dollar limit for reimbursement in case of theft or loss. Furthermore, filing a claim can cause your insurance premiums to increase temporarily, making it more cost-effective to avoid claiming altogether.
For instance, if Andrew’s laptop hadn’t been stolen, we likely wouldn’t have filed a claim and thus avoided the subsequent rate hike. To mitigate this risk, it may be prudent to purchase additional coverage for particularly valuable items through a Personal Articles Policy. Not only is this type of insurance relatively affordable, but it also provides peace of mind knowing that you’ll receive compensation in the event something happens to your item.
You might have to change a bunch of passwords.
While Google Chrome’s password management features are convenient, they also pose a risk when shared with others. To mitigate this issue, we took immediate action and updated our sensitive account passwords, including those for our bank accounts and email services. By changing our passwords, we ensured that even if an unauthorized user had access to our devices, they would be unable to access our accounts without the new credentials.
Some of your stuff might turn up.
In a shocking turn of events, after our belongings were stolen and an officer’s initial declaration that ‘it’s gone, you’re not getting it back’, we received an unexpected phone call from the police department. Despite the lack of electronic equipment in the recovered bags, they offered to return what was left, shipping it back to us.
Even if it does turn up, you might not really want it back.
The experience of being robbed is deeply unsettling and violating; I must admit that I feel a sense of relief that it wasn’t our personal vehicle that was targeted, as the emotional attachment to our cars is strong. The thought of someone rummaging through our belongings, touching them, and taking things without permission is profoundly invasive.
Despite our backpacks being recovered, we have decided to donate them to Goodwill, as the memories and experiences associated with those items are now tainted by the negative encounter.
The smallest things will remind you of the car robbery, and that stinks.
The monotony of daily routines can be overwhelming, and it’s not just the tasks themselves that can feel repetitive, but also the process of adapting to change: from switching out makeup products to updating phone chargers, our lives are filled with small yet significant adjustments that require a mental reset. Whether it’s adjusting to a new pair of shoes or remembering a fresh email password, these seemingly minor changes can have a cumulative effect on our daily lives.
Depending where you’re at, a lot of “nothing” might happen (in terms of the law).
In San Francisco, law enforcement tends to prioritize high-profile cases such as homicides and major thefts over low-level crimes like car robbery targeting tourists. The officers shared an anecdote about a previous instance where they apprehended a perpetrator in the act of stealing a vehicle, only to see them receive a relatively light punishment.
The outcome was a stark reminder that the legal system often prioritizes more serious offenses, leaving lesser crimes like car theft to receive lenient treatment.
You can add an extra level of security to your bank account.
To mitigate any potential risks, we took proactive measures to secure Andrew’s personal identification documents. Following the incident, we visited Wells Fargo and implemented an additional security feature for our account – a verbal password. This required anyone attempting to access our funds to provide the specified phrase, thereby ensuring an extra layer of protection.
Furthermore, we requested that the bank note the account with a special alert indicating that Andrew’s identification had been stolen, which would trigger enhanced monitoring and potential fraud detection.
You still have your loved ones, and that’s what matters.
The recent ordeal served as a poignant reminder that despite its unpleasantness, our safety and the love we share with one another far outweigh any temporary discomfort or inconvenience.
