Brentwood, TN

My husband has always reminded me NEVER to leave my purse in the car.

Not even when the car is locked.

I only wish I had listened.

We had made a late-night run to the Target on Old Hickory Blvd. In the confusion of unloading, getting my mom out of the car and carrying a sleeping child inside, I left my purse beneath the car seat and locked the door.

I woke at 4:45 am. When I came into the kitchen, I noticed a faint dinging from the driveway. My car door was ajar. I went outside to investigate.

You guessed it--my purse was gone.

I immediately called the 1-800 number to report my Visa debit card as stolen. It was 5:05 am. Only 30 minutes earlier, the thief charged $400 at the Walmart on Nolensville Rd.

Had I not woken so early, I might not have reported the card stolen before more damage was done. All told, they took my newly-loaded Tracfone, $50 in gift cards, $60 in cash and a checkbook.

The customer service representative at our credit union was very helpful. She:

• figured out which check numbers were left in my checkbook


• placed a verbal Stop Payment on those checks


• initiated the paperwork to get my money refunded from the stolen Visa check card


• explained how to report the burglary to the police


• gave me the fraud alert numbers for Experian, Transunion, and Equifax

After we completed the police report, I let my neighbors know what happened. Apparently, break-ins like this are not uncommon in Brentwood. Anyone remember the car burglaries at the Maryland Farms YMCA a couple of years ago?

I'll keep you updated as I replace my driver's license, worry about identity theft, and install some new home security measures. In the meantime, hold tight to those wallets!

Follow Up Articles:

Find out how I replaced my driver's license at the quickest and easiest DMV in the Nashville area.

Here's why I invested $6.50 a month in Dave Ramsey's recommended identity theft protection insurance.