Who's Really Watching You?... Is Your Purse Safe in the Car?

It may be a fashion statement for some but what many may not realize is how valuable the items in that daily accessory really are to those who may be watching.
During a farewell visit with her sister, the last thing Kathy Pinn,of Diamondhead Mississippi, wanted to worry about was where she was going to place her purse.
She figured she could leave her purse in the car, taking into consideration they were parked in a dark area in a nursing home parking lot.
“I figured only caring people visit the sick and the elderly,” said Kathy.
Knowing better than to leave her purse in plain sight, she did take some caution and placed her purse under the seat. Little did she know, there was someone watching her every move.
“It was a very dark parking lot and my purse was black, I never thought someone would be watching me, and actually find where I had stowed it,” said Kathy.
After visiting with her ill sister with her husband and brother, they decided to call it a night.
To their surprise, the back window of the car had been smashed in and Kathy's purse that had been bestowed beneath the seat was gone.
The three of them immediately contacted the police reporting all of the items that Kathy had in her purse. However, it was too late. The thieves had already been busy at work.
“One of the most important things to do is report the incident as quickly as possible,” said Oxfords' police Chief Michael D. Martin. “The faster we can be at the scene of a crime, the better chance we have of tracking down a source of it.”
Unfortunately for Mrs. Pinn, within 20 minutes they had maxxed out three of her credit cards by fueling up and taking out cash where ever they could.
Have been traveling Kathy had many valuable things in her purse in case of an emergency . Some of the items she had in her purse were items such as; credit cards, insurance cards, a spare set of keys, a personal phone book, a cell phone and a set of house keys.
“It's always a good idea to keep valuables on you, you never know what could happen,” said chief Martin.
That being said her work didn't end after filing a report with the police the day of the theft. She would also spend the next two months replacing car keys, putting new locks on the doors to her house, applying for a new phone number, and filing with various identity theft agencies.
“ I felt completely violated,” Kathy said. “It was like they took a part of me that I know I can not get back.”
“Approximately 15 million United States residents have their identities used fraudulently each year with financial loses totaling upwards of $50 billion,” said indentitytheftinfo.com.
Today Kathy has replaced most of the item she lost that day, but one thing she will never get back is her peace of mind.
“It's very unsettling,” said Kathy.” I think the worst thing to know is that they are probably still out there watching and waiting for their next victim to leave their car empty handed. I just wish they knew what I've been through.”