[chodeasyday]

Yesterday night might be the worst night of my short Dominican life.

Yesterday night I arrive at my house around 8ish my wife rushed out of the house and put my son in the car. She wanted to go La Serena to shop. She said we had nothing to eat and must go shopping now for upcoming church friends gathering and others. I was sitting in the car busy with my son as she was closing the door.
"Ooops!" she said.
"I took the wrong key."
I said no problem since I made a copy and it was in my wallet. I tried both copied keys and one worked but one she locked didn't work. She said she took the wrong key and gave me one for the padlock at the backyard. I opened it and looked around and it looks like with pair of screwdrivers and hammer I think I could open the backdoor from out side. So I called my wife's friend and asked for tools. I picked up the tool and on the way back my wife still wanted to stop by La Serena. So I dropped them off and told her I'll be back in about a hour to pick her up. I gave my wife my phone since she lost her HTC Sensation recently. So around 9ish I arrived at my house. And with great effort(I didn't realized that the doors was that heavy) I opened the door and I took the key and called my wife but she didn't picked up. I replace the door and called my wife again and no answer again. So I changed my shirt since it was soaked in sweat and called again. No answer again. I didn't think of it much because I thought either she was getting no signals or my son was playing with my phone. I went to La Serena and my wife was at the near of entrance and was in very frighten/confused state. I asked and she said somebody took her bag from the cart. She said she lost everything except passport that I kept. I want to service desk and they said a guy named Frank speaks english so I waited and the Frank came around and I told him that someone stole my wife's bag. And the answer was what I was expecting. "Usually thieves take the contents and leave the bag so if they somehow find it they will call me if they find anything." So "tough luck" is all he said. So I left my business card and asked them to call if they find anything. So we returned home and called card companies and wife's home. I had to stay up until 1 AM to sort everything out. and I was late for work.

Ahh...
Women...
Living with them is like spending three weeks in heaven and one week of hell...

[treawittelf]

My wife has gone shopping numerous times and left her handbag in the cart but she always keeps it in view.

[Kristoferson]

Glad she and son were safe, which is the most important thing.

Sympathies all around, for sure.

You can no longer call the embassy or consul you have to send them an email. They are getting so helpful.

[chodeasyday]

If you want to call, try the number below and say you have an emergency.

"If you have an emergency involving the death, arrest or hospitalization of an American citizen, or a missing American citizen, please call 809-221-2171. When the prompts ask you to enter the extension, enter 0 and tell the operator you have an emergency. For general information you may e-mail us at SDOAmericans@state.gov."

Since it's not "serious" like death arrest or hospitalization, I am going to send a quick email explain our situation and see what they have to say.

Thanks...
Thanks.

[PypeMaypetasy]

But you definitely need to consider changing the wife

jejejejejeje. If it were that easy!!!

[treawittelf]

With 2 year old, I can see how easily she could get distracted... Sometimes it get frustrated as my son don't want to stay in cart and start crying and screaming. From now on for several weeks no shopping alone for her.

You are right it isn't easy. Honestly, from what I've seen shopping my wife has left the cart alone for a few moments because of our daughters.

[chodeasyday]

Why get married if this is what you truly wanted? jeez......................

And a school girl? College, I hope.

I don't know about you but little cosplay can be fun. ;p...

[chodeasyday]

Glad she and son were safe, which is the most important thing.

Sympathies all around, for sure.

Yeah...
This is what I said to my wife. Nothing worse happened to them, I told her this things happens everywhere, so let's be thankful no harm were caused against you and our son. She calm down around 3 and went to sleep. ...

[ATTILAGLIC]

A few weeks ago my MacBook Pro (recently bought during a rare trip to Miami) was stolen from my vehicle while getting my cedula in JCE. Completely my own stupid fault, my laptop bag was in plain sight behind the drivers seat. I felt horrible (and still do when I think about it), while I had lots of work related information there and besides I was happy after 25 years being a PC user, to finally have made the switch to Apple, and the money I paid for it was actually an unplanned expense, so I can kind of imagine how you feel. Just the fact that some punk takes your stuff.

What I did realize though is that I got kind of affected by this small 'disturbance' in my life and it made myself wonder, how will I feel if something serious happens to me/my family, an illness, or whatever. It made me think about priorities in life, that slowly have been moving towards possessions instead of the real purpose of life.

[secondmertg]

Glad the fam is ok. You live, you learn anyanghaseo!

[sDePrx59]

Only a woman does understand the extend of the loss of a hand bag!
In that bag usually there is half of our life
We always try to organise it, but it is impossible and when the hand bag
gets too heavy and we are almost unable to lift it anymore we tend to take
time to remove stuff from it what we really don't need in a hundred years....

[Shootohoist]

my only suggestion here is that you think hard if your wife had any keys inside her bag: house, gate, car, anything. and if she did - change those locks. will cost you money but bring some peace of mind. your wife was being watched inside the shop. she/you could have been followed from there, thieves wanting to get something more of that one sting.

Kwikset have locks with both combination and/or smartkey - you can change the key instantly. Amazon etc. have the details. Even in London I only take one credit or cash card at a time and leave the others locked up. Amazon etc. have the details. A security box is good for spare keys. At least one combination lock to enter the house is prudent as is an alarm. They have ones that attach to metal gates. Pickpockets and handbag theft is a problem throughout the World.


yapask1

[UrUROFlS]

If you want to call, try the number below and say you have an emergency.

"If you have an emergency involving the death, arrest or hospitalization of an American citizen, or a missing American citizen, please call 809-221-2171. When the prompts ask you to enter the extension, enter 0 and tell the operator you have an emergency. For general information you may e-mail us at SDOAmericans@state.gov."

[Dkavtbek]

jejejejejeje. If it were that easy!!!

I wouldn't know, mines perfect.

[treawittelf]

Sorry buddy, sounds like a miserable evening. I'm glad everyone's ok.

[chodeasyday]

You can no longer call the embassy or consul you have to send them an email. They are getting so helpful.

Great...
With all the taxes I paid thus far, when I needed them they want to stay as far as possible. I hope at least they enjoy their life here in DR... I'll search again.

[chodeasyday]

Glad the fam is ok. You live, you learn anyanghaseo!

I prefer Saludo...
J/K...
Annyonghasaeyo.
Now that I think of it. I am going to consider this incident as tuition fee of life in DR. But my wife is still ****ed about her purse and few clothes and underwear that disappeared from our cloth lines. I hope this period pass quickly so I can rest...

[PypeMaypetasy]

Yeh, I know a few who married into that, seems they enjoy garbage cosplay most, bin bag over the head. Poor guys!

sad!!!!! Some just settle!!!

[Dertrioz]

quick story,

many years ago, my mum was moving house. I decided to do the move for her and so I rented a large van. A few other family members helped me load all the furniture and belongings in the van. There was a lot of stuff.

Just as we were double checking the house was empty she started to act hysterical and was saying that she couldnt find her handbag. She kept screaming that 'my whole life is in that bag'...............'my whole life is in that bag'

I was left wondering what the heck was all the furniture that took me four hours to load????????

dave

ps we did find the bag, It was behind one of about fifty houseplants that she wanted to take............

[chodeasyday]

my only suggestion here is that you think hard if your wife had any keys inside her bag: house, gate, car, anything. and if she did - change those locks. will cost you money but bring some peace of mind. your wife was being watched inside the shop. she/you could have been followed from there, thieves wanting to get something more of that one sting.

Luckily she did not had any keys and we should be really be careful now since the thief saw her and our son and with all the goodies inside of the bag. I asked her why did she carried so much and she told me, with monthly payments are almost due, she was calculating the estimated utility and rents and figuring out what was left to spending on food. So our monthly food and entertainment budget of $15000 Pasos are gone at one shot along with imported makeups, toys for my son and my android phone.