have you ever had your purse/wallet lost or stolen?

**Sara Noel** · 10-13-2009, 04:53 PM

If so, what did you learn about it to safeguard you now?
I had my purse stolen once in a movie theater as a teen. I haven't carried a purse at all since. I carry a small wallet with my driver's license, a debit card, credit card, etc in my pocket and that's about it.

**larabelle** · 10-13-2009, 05:46 PM

I have stopped carrying a purse the majority of the time and started carrying a fanny pack.

**calimomx2** · 10-13-2009, 06:06 PM

My dd had her purse stolen 4 years ago (her first year at college!) and for a very long time she only carried her drivers license and atm card in her pocket. She now has a wallet and every once in a while she will use a cross body purse but not very often!

Forgot to say.....it certainly taught me that I really need to keep a better eye on my purse when I am out. If dd is with me she is constantly checking to be sure my purse is zipped and she lectures me if I have it in a grocery cart and walk away to get something off a shelf!

**savvy_sniper** · 10-13-2009, 06:21 PM

I had my purse stolen when I was in my early twenties. I didn't have an credit cards back then. So it was just my driver's license and some cash.

These days I carry an XS Ameribag.

**gapeach** · 10-13-2009, 07:56 PM

I had my purse stolen about 20 years ago. Someone broke into our hotel room while we were sleeping.

**pollypurebred39** · 10-13-2009, 08:07 PM

I have an across the body handbag that I use sometimes like at malls or around the holiday season. I wear it under my coat and I stay zipped up, or at least zipped enough to cover the handbag. I like to make myself less of a target, I figure if they can't see the handbag maybe the thief will pick an easier target.

GaPeach, Scary!!!!!

**zakity** · 10-13-2009, 08:32 PM

My purse is 4 inches by 5 inches and fits in my pocket.

**cab54** · 10-13-2009, 08:44 PM

Yep. My kids were playing in a hockey tournament and I was doing the whole moms-run-the-concession-stand thing.

It was at a University ice arena, and college kids, mothers, kids, and everybody were running in and out near the shelves the women told me to throw my purse on.

Their purses were all there too, but MINE got stolen. Ugh. I cancelled all my cards and checks, etc.

So all they got was $7 and some ToysRus Geoffrey money, LOL!! (I had gotten it from returning something.) Plus my driver's license.

**starsapphire** · 10-13-2009, 09:00 PM

I haven't had my purse stolen but 7 or 8 years ago I was traveling, I had this tiny purse and when I got to the motel my boyfriend at the time grabbed all my stuff to help me carry it. In the process my purse got dropped outside. It was late and I didn't realize it was missing until the next morning. Someone had turned it in at the desk but it was missing my $200 cash and a brand new book of stamps I just bought. What did I learn from that? Carry a bigger purse and make sure to check that I have all my stuff when carrying it in/out.

**Contrary Housewife** · 10-13-2009, 11:53 PM

I was at a party once in college where all the girls left their purses in the master bedroom. I wasn't thrilled with the idea but got talked into it. Well, a bunch of the purses got rifled and money was stolen. I was broke and didn't carry cash in my purse to begin with, so I didn't get hit. I still don't leave cash in my purse.

Years ago my boyfriend had his wallet stolen. We were being stupid. Checked into a hotel during vacation as just before we left the desk some friends showed up so we turned to chat with them and when we were done his wallet was gone. I think he had left it on the counter and in the confusion someone passing through grabbed it while we weren't paying attention.

We had just hit the ATM to get $200 and he had a card from my Visa account in his wallet, so we had to cancel both his cards and mine. PITA, but none of the cards were used illegally.

Now, when I travel with my husband I hide a little cash in the lining of my luggage, just in case. After I get cash from the bank I split it with DH and carry mine in my pocket or inside my coat if it is winter.

I don't have a problem leaving my purse in the shopping cart. It never leaves my sight.

**pat in east texas** · 10-14-2009, 09:27 AM

I left my wallet once in a convenience store in Olney, Texas while we were on a trip. Had a lot of money in it. 100 miles later I realized what I had done and called the police in the town. They told me that the store clerk had already called them about it. When I went to retrieve it, the store clerk would not take a reward, so I gave the reward money to his favorite charity. When I got home about 3 weeks later there was a message on my phone from the store clerk from when he found the wallet.
That incident in one I'll remember all my life.

**Pemberleyan** · 10-14-2009, 09:35 AM

I lived in a subdivision in Florida in the 80's. I very foolishly left for about 15 minutes and forgot to lock the door inside the garage. Unfortunately, I had done something very unusual; I had gotten a large portion of my paycheck back in cash. When I returned, my wallet and camera equipment were gone. I had no renter's insurance. This was the second time I had an expensive camera stolen.

I'd never go without renter's insurance again (if I were renting) unless I just couldn't afford it.

When shopping, I always place my purse in the bottom back (closest to me) of the shopping cart. It soon becomes covered with items and is only uncovered at the check-out. I'm a big purse person ;-),

**imagine** · 10-14-2009, 09:54 AM

Mine was stolen from a Mc Donald's I left it there and headed back to get it and it was gone.

They only received about $5 and my drivers license.

They ended up applying for WIC and receiving it for a few months before it was figured out.

I learned that it is hard to get a replacement copy of your divers license when the people who stole your purse have already said that their purse was stolen and they needed a new license ( with their picture) The drivers license place said to keep an old copy of your license so you can prove you are who you say you are. They put a "Fraud alert" on my licenses ( as there were now two mine and the fake one) I learned that policemen ask tons more questions when you get pulled over with that flag on your license. The policemen gave me a ticket (my first one) because he said he couldn't tell if it was truly my first or not since there were some others on my report, which ones were fraud and which ones were not frauds.

All the trouble from a lost drivers license (the people who stole my license sent it back to be no return address I guess so I wouldn't go and get another one which I had already done)

I now double check for my purse before leaving a place and I use over the shoulder ones (no handheld ones)

**shoiji** · 10-14-2009, 03:13 PM

Only once. I left it somewhere and the person I was with gave it back.

But there have been times when I think I lost it and spend way to much time looking for it. Only to find it where I left it.

Many times when I am just walking to a store I just carry my card and keys. When I come home I take time to put everything back where they belong.

**nickelsback** · 10-16-2009, 11:48 AM

About 5 years ago, I very stupidly had my purse on the back of my chair at a restaurant. Someone snagged it, BUT...my wallet was on the table because I was paying the bill, and I had just taken my new phone out to show my friend. So the only stuff the thief got was the actual purse and some make up and kleenex and what not. I was very, very lucky but I learned my lesson and am much more cautious!