Family pictures stolen in portland (apartment, crime, how much) - Oregon (OR) - City-Data Forum

theresnoplacelikehome · 12-15-2009, 10:21 AM

Watch out for Northwest Portland. I had my car window busted out. Someone took precious family photos that I had in a large bag. This was in broad daylight, around noon, in front of an apartment building with a business across the street!! This has been horrible for me. These were cherished photos that I have had for years. I put a reward out on Craig's List and someone called and said they had my photos and described the inside lining of the bag. I have no idea if they actually have the photos or are holding out for a huge reward since they know how much they mean to me. This is a nightmare for me and would never want this to happen to anyone!!

Please be careful anywhere in Portland. There are a lot of car prowls (when someone smashes your window and then takes merchandise). Don't count on just locking the doors. What they took from me cannot be replaced and the number he called is "Unavailable." Thank you for reading.

Oildog · 12-15-2009, 10:30 AM

Meet in a public place, have someone with you,but let the cops know ahead of time so they can stake it out if they choose.

theresnoplacelikehome · 12-15-2009, 10:37 AM

That's what I thought too, but whoever I talked to hung up before I could even suggest a meeting place. Because the person knows the enormous emotional attachment, I'm really not sure what their motives are. It's scary. All I want are my pictures back. Thank you for responding.

haggardhouseelf · 12-15-2009, 11:39 AM

That is horrible! I'm so sorry this happened to you. Did you contact the police? If they used Craigslist, then they should be able to track them down via their IP address (eventually... not sure how long that would take). Since you've had phone contact, that should be another avenue to use to track them down (phone records). My husband works for a telecommunications company and he says detectives show up on an almost weekly basis with court orders allowing them to search records having to do with criminal activity.

I wouldn't give these people any money. I know you want your photos, but you would just be supporting their behavior and giving them exactly what they wanted. If people would stop catering to the thieves and jerks then eventually they would have to find something else to do (like get a real job or do some honest work for a change).

NEVER leave anything in your car of value to you. People have been saying this for years. Leave nothing in your car, and especially don't leave anything which can be seen through the windows. We only keep emergency supplies in our vehicles (first aid kit, blanket, flashlights, spare tire and tools, etc.). Everything else we carry with us until we have a chance to drop it off at home.

theresnoplacelikehome · 12-15-2009, 11:49 AM

I contacted the police and they said there is nothing they can do with the phone call. Someone suggested at the police department that the crime has to be really bad before they do that. If someone does have these pictures, they are holding me in a kind of emotional ransom situation. I've lost time from work over this. At this moment, I'm almost in tears, but there just doesn't seem to be anything I can do. This has been an unbelievable hard lesson for me about leaving things in my car. If you have any other suggestions, I would so appreciate it. Thank you for replying.

Sprightly · 12-16-2009, 04:52 AM

Sorry this happened to you - just such a petty thing for them means so much to you. I'd say go with what you know - you know they are reading Craigslist. So put up a new notice attn to the person who already called - offer that they can take in the bag with your pictures with total amnesty to Place of Business XXXX that you choose and arrange with the business to be on the lookout for it. That way they can go in, drop it off without fear of prosecution (that they deserve!) and you might get your pictures back. Odds are they wanted stuff they could sell, so they might be willing to do that if they have any decency at all. Whaddya think?

theresnoplacelikehome · 12-16-2009, 04:22 PM

[quote=Sprightly;12048263]Sorry this happened to you - just such a petty thing for them means so much to you. I'd say go with what you know - you know they are reading Craigslist. So put up a new notice attn to the person who already called - offer that they can take in the bag with your pictures with total amnesty to Place of Business XXXX that you choose and arrange with the business to be on the lookout for it. That way they can go in, drop it off without fear of prosecution (that they deserve!) and you might get your pictures back. Odds are they wanted stuff they could sell, so they might be willing to do that if they have any decency at all. Whaddya think?[/quotThis is a

Do you think if I put a big reward amount on Craig's List to try to lure them to a site to get my pictures back is a good idea, scary idea or just plain bad idea? My changes of getting those pictures are probably very slim, but my only possible leverage is that they know they are definitely worth something to me and my family. Or do you think I should just sit and wait and if they never call, I'll just assume they never had the pictures? Thank you so much for your help.