I received this forwarded email this a.m. from a reliable source and thought it worth sharing. Fair warning.
I would not normally send just any message via email to everyone I know but this happened to me yesterday and thought it might save you from the same grief I experienced.
After shopping at Costco in Iwilei, I returned to my car to unload two boxes of groceries. It was raining so I opened the driver-side door and threw my sunglasses, all wet couldn’t see anything through them, and my purse, getting soaked, onto the passenger seat and slammed the door shut. I had the car keys in my hand so I could open the trunk to put my groceries inside. It took approximately 30 seconds with my head buried behind the raised trunk hood to unload my cart and in that time someone had opened the door of my car, reached inside and took my purse. I rolled the cart across the aisle to the cart return and was back in my car in perhaps a minute. I went to put my sunglasses in my purse and that is when I realized my purse was gone.
While filing a police report I learned that this happens quite often in this parking lot and in many others as well. I ran back into the store to call my charge card companies to report them stolen. Within 15 minutes of my purse being taken from my car, my MasterCard had been used 4 times. Three attempts were made at an ATM machine just up the street but when the thief tried to make up a pin three times at the same machine, the credit card was blocked. They then tried to use the card at a gas station nearby but by that time the card was no longer useable. I was able to cancel the other cards in my wallet before they were used.
At this point I guess they were content to spend the cash that was in my wallet instead. The entire ordeal took 4 hours with police, on the phone with the credit card companies and back and forth with my husband while he searched for phone numbers to call. Luckily my bank stayed open until 7pm so I was able to close my checking account too before any checks were written.
Costco was able to inactivate my old card and give me a new one on the spot. That someone could sneak into my car while I was 2 steps away and take my possessions was both scary and infuriating. I truly hope this never happens to you or to anyone else you know. Having my purse stolen was not the worst of it. Having my personal space violated was.
Back in 1999, a (ex) friend stole my wallet from room. Which had my drivers license and money inside among other things.
A few months later I get a rejection notice for a loan I never requested. I dug further, the loan information had my ex-friends mailing address, name and business info along with my social security number.
I did some more digging. I found out he also tried to get a American Express credit card using my social security number.
It was a pain trying to clean up my credit with the credit bureaus. As for my ex-friend, he got away scot free. The police department didn’t care
to investigate this.
The thief (or thieves) must have been somewhat dumber than usual, trying to guess a way to the PIN for an ATM. Usually, they just go to a gas station (along with all their friends) and fill up with many tanks of gas, and then maybe go to Ala Moana or another mall and buy gift certificates for themselves.
The thieves around Costco Iwilei may be only apprentice thieves, homeless and desperate. More experienced folks would likely do as wlsc describes.
Ok, everyone, right now, take all the credit cards out of your wallet and mark down the card numbers and the number to call if they are taken. Figure out what to do with the list so you have quick access to it (without it getting stolen along with your wallet or purse, of course). You can put the cards face down on a scanner glass and scan them into your computer someplace, front and back. Just a thought.
Sounds like Honolulu is a real city these days. When I go to a mainland city I keep my money and cards in a front pants pocket (pickpocketing is harder there) and am fanatical about not letting people leave anything in the rent-a-car passenger copmpartment so no one breaks the lock or window. I won’t even transfer anything to the trunk (which is always on lock-out) at my destination, even driving off a few blocks, transfering bags and stuff to the trunk and then driving back. Friends think I’m nuts but I don’t get my car broken into any more or lose my money, cards or wallet.
It’s always nice though to come back to Kaua`i and unlock everything.
Andy, that’s ’cause you’re from New York. I do the same thing exactly. Wallet in front pocket, never put stuff in the trunk at destination.
Yet I see people placing their camera bag into the trunk of their car and turning it over to a valet to park.
You’re not nuts, it’s common sense. As Honolulu moves closer to being like New York or Los Angeles, people will either learn tips from those who’ve been there or learn the hard way.
Perhaps Costco should post a sign inside the store warning valuable customers of parking lot pirates?
Seeing as that likely won’t happen, take only the two pieces of plastic you’ll need (or cash) in a protected pocket. Take no wallet, purse, or vanity. Do leave home without them !!
jg