Warning about New Territory in Sugar Land (live, groceries)

[slnt]

Topaz thank goodness you and your child are safe! So sorry to hear what happened to you. Hope they catch the guy.

Saw on the news website this morning about the incident at HEB DrLizardo mentioned above. How scary! So cruel to pick on an elderly woman.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by DrLizardo

Crooks know how to drive from one place to the next, and they can make good guesses about the limitations of communications between police agencies. That freeway is working well for them

But to hear some people tell it, it's public transportation that moves the crooks around.

[RTFI]

I live near tstone and was vandalized a couple of weeks ago (pretty minor), however, two weeks prior my neighbor's tools were stolen out of his truck, which was parked in his driveway. I won't even begin to tell you about my last week (off topic, but horrible, ending in pain and a totaled vehicle). These criminals are everywhere, and homegrown criminal types exist in NT ... I have heard from relatives of the little thugs there.

I wish you the best in sorting out the accounts and documents. Just please be careful with the casualty loss on your taxes ... there is a minimum amount to qualify (and I think it is a minimum of $10000 for casualty losses). Last year, the minimum was waived due to Ike.

[Malvie]

Well, that sucks, Topaz!

Got a call from a neighbor today; one neighbor right down the street, mowed his lawn, went in, cleaned up, went to Costco (gone about an hour).

Person driving by noticed 3 teenagers loading items OVER THE PRIVACY FENCE (why didn't the idiots just open the gate?) and called Constables---they got two but the third got away.

They're probably already out robbing somebody else.

(They dropped the guy's big screen TV when the constables showed up, so now he's got to buy a new one).

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by RTFI

I live near tstone and was vandalized a couple of weeks ago (pretty minor), however, two weeks prior my neighbor's tools were stolen out of his truck, which was parked in his driveway. I won't even begin to tell you about my last week (off topic, but horrible, ending in pain and a totaled vehicle). These criminals are everywhere, and homegrown criminal types exist in NT ... I have heard from relatives of the little thugs there.

I wish you the best in sorting out the accounts and documents. Just please be careful with the casualty loss on your taxes ... there is a minimum amount to qualify (and I think it is a minimum of $10000 for casualty losses). Last year, the minimum was waived due to Ike.

You've heard from relatives of thugs in NT? If you meet anyone who did a smash and grab at a NT school last week, please ask them to put the stuff they don't want in a U.S. mailbox and maybe it will make its way back to me.

I just read the IRS code and it looks like you are correct and my insurance agent was wrong. Here's the exact IRS verbiage:

"If the property was held by you for personal use, you must further reduce your loss by $100. This $100 reduction for losses of personal-use property applies to each casualty or theft event that occurred during the year other than 2009. For 2009, individuals must reduce their casualty and theft losses for personal-use property by $500 instead of $100. This $500 reduction for losses of personal-use property applies to each casualty or theft event. The total of all your casualty and theft losses of personal-use property usually must be further reduced by 10 percent of your adjusted gross income. The 10 percent AGI limitation does not apply to net disaster losses resulting from federally declared disasters in 2008 and 2009."

[Sampaguita]

Originally Posted by Malvie

Well, that sucks, Topaz!

Got a call from a neighbor today; one neighbor right down the street, mowed his lawn, went in, cleaned up, went to Costco (gone about an hour).

Person driving by noticed 3 teenagers loading items OVER THE PRIVACY FENCE (why didn't the idiots just open the gate?) and called Constables---they got two but the third got away.

They're probably already out robbing somebody else.

(They dropped the guy's big screen TV when the constables showed up, so now he's got to buy a new one).

Ok...so I'm relatively new to the Houston area...has it always been like this or is this more a sign of the economic times (so sick of hearing that as the excuse for all the thievery of late)?

They need to go humble themselves and offer to wash windshields or sell bottles of ice-water on frontage roads instead of being ballsy yet stupid thieves.

[LizzySWW]

I'm sick of the "economic times" excuse too. It's a people having zero respect for other people problem. It's a "me me me" & "I want it now and will get any way I have to get it" & "screw the person who worked their a$$ off to EARN their property" way of thinking.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by LizzySWW

I'm sick of the "economic times" excuse too. It's a people having zero respect for other people problem. It's a "me me me" & "I want it now and will get any way I have to get it" & "screw the person who worked their a$$ off to EARN their property" way of thinking.

I'm sick of it, too. I drag my butt out of bed at 5:30 am every work day so that I can provide for my family and I'm really doubtful that the loser who smashed my car window is doing the same.

[theSUBlime]

AWWW, I'm REALLY sorry Topaz! Criminals do suck. I really hope you get everything worked out, and I can assure you everything will be fine. I'm just glad you and your little one are still alive.

I agree with what tstone said--Houston does have a huge car burglary problem. It is actually the most commonly committed crime in our fair city, but you can only imagine why that is... Criminals take advantage of the fact that we think that our cars and nice neighborhoods are secure. Crime happens everywhere, but I think our city would be better served by more, better public transportation.

[modster]

Just be thankful it wasn't like that poor lady that got car jacked right in front of a Cricket store and was stabbed and killed when she tried to get her kid out of the car. Not to minimize the suck factor on this, but in the grand scheme of things it is just a bump in the road.

I remember reading something, I think it was in that fool don't sweat the small stuff book. Ask yourself "will this matter a year from now? Will this really be something that screws up my life a year from now?" I think the answer is no. Sure, you'll lick your wounds on this sucky episode for awhile but be thankful you didn't come out with your child while it was happening and have it turn into something that, lets just say might still really matter a year from now.