It's all the store's fault!

[Kogarashi]

Dumas.
Major dumas.
Alexendre Dumas.

::giggle::

I can see placing a little blame on the store where she bought the laptop. If they knew there was a rash of thefts from thieves following big ticket buyers, they could have warned the customer, even if only to have a sign on the store's entrance and exit and maybe at the registers to warn customers (who actually bother to read).

That doesn't mean the store should reimburse her for being dumb. She was basically asking to be robbed by leaving her purse and expensive items out in the open rather than tucking them behind the back seat (where most windows are tinted and where the thief would have a harder time getting at it before someone noticed). She was also quite stupid for not listening to her 10-year-old (who does sound smart enough that a laptop might have been warranted, but I would rather get my 10-year-old a cheap desktop computer), and claiming "we'll only be 10 minutes." 10 minutes is all it takes to smash a window, grab the easily-accessible stuff, and skedaddle.

So I'd say, maybe 5% blame on the store, 95% blame on the lady, and 100% responsibility for lost items on the lady. The store owes her nothing except perhaps an apology.

Hubby and I always hide tempting items as best as we can in our Jeep, and the last time we bought something exceptionally pricy (the Wii), it was a special trip to get it and we headed right home afterward. In fact, since Hubby had to park almost a whole block away from the store where we bought the Wii, he picked up the car while I waited in the store so I wouldn't have to go walking around town with the big white box for all to see.

[crazylegs]

You know, I've always assumed that everywhere is a very unsafe place to leave valuables visible.

Edited for my version, hell even in the car park at work I lock my car, take my iPod out, take out the front of the stereo and put on an extra steering wheel lock.

Top tip for y'all.

If you're parking your car for a bit in an area you don't know all that well (or it's somewhere that once a crime has been committed) take everything out from all the cubby holes and either take them with you or put them in the boot (if it's a hatch), leave the cubby holes open and potential thieves won't bother.