Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Sin City

Last week Hubby and I got in our truck and headed to California to pick up our son and all his worldly possessions and make our way to Colorado for graduate school at the University of Colorado in Boulder. I have been looking forward to this trip for a long time. It would be around 10 days that we could spend as a family together, something we haven't had in a long time. I love a good road trip. So laden down with our cargo trailer and our dog, Solomon, we headed down I5 for California. We arrived at his apt. the next day and proceeded to dismantle it. I cleaned everything before it went into the trailer and we packed it neatly for the ride. It was a lot of work but I was glad to have the chance to be a mom again. Now my son has a lot of nice stuff. He has been on his own for 5 years and had furnished his apartment very nicely. I am proud of how he has kept things and his taste in furnishings. I was anxious to help him set up his new place in Colorado.
We headed out Friday morning and since we were going right through Las Vegas my Hubby was hell bent on showing me Vegas. Does this man even know me? I have never wanted to go to Vegas. It is everything I hate. Gambling, drinking, shallow trappings all around but stop we did. We decided to stay at the Luxor. They had a nice secure parking lot and we felt good about parking the truck and trailer there. But I hated Vegas. When I went to bed that night I about had a panic attack. I kept thinking, "Get me out of here!" I couldn't wait to leave the next morning. The next day we had a very nice buffet breakfast with my son's girlfriend's family, as they were taking her to grad school too. We checked out of the hotel, went out to the parking lot and discovered that during the night someone stole our truck, trailer and ALL of my son's stuff. Everything he owns. And I mean everything. His whole apartment furnishings, sports equipment, electronics, passport and all his paperwork,, the diploma I just had framed, a framed picture of his lovely girlfriend and all the cards and notes she wrote to him, all his other pictures, all his clothes and shoes, you name it and it was in there. He arrived in Boulder with two shorts, two T shirts some underwear and a pair of flip flops. And his lap top, thank goodness that was in our room.
We are sick and trying to save our vacation by saying things like, "It could be worst, at least no one was hurt." But it has been hard.

Apparently what happens in Vegas.....stays in Vegas. Including all our stuff.

note: I would have taken pictures but they stole my camera too.

26 comments:

@JDHealingTimeOnEarth said...

So sorry to hear of this huge disappointment, Wendy. Sometimes you just wonder at humanity. I'm glad you are all safe.

Tracey said...

I'm speechless! How awful for you and your son! I am so sorry this happened to y'all. Hopefully, they will catch the bad guys who did this and be able to recover your son's things or at least some of them. I will keep him in my prayers.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Oh no! My heart was feeling crushed as I read and re-read this news! I know how much you were looking forward to this special time together...and to have this happen. And your poor son!! This just makes me so angry!

Why do people have to be so selfish and evil? Just imagining those creeps rifling through your son's personal belongings burns me to the core!

I AM SOOOO SORRY!

Was the trailer a rental? Did it come with a lock on the tongue? We always put a lock on our pop-up camper's tongue so noone can steal it easily.
How did you leave Vegas with no truck? Are the police searching for the truck and trailer?

Please keep us updated, ok?
I just feel so awful for you and your son. Five years of working hard and being responsible, and someone irresponsible takes it all away in one night! Grrrrr!

And your camera is gone, too? Gah!

Like you, I hate Vegas, too! My hubby and I went there once while we dating 20 years ago and visited his uncle who was working there in construction. And we both decided we hated Vegas.

Then years later, after we had children, John had to transfer to Vegas because of his job, but he refused to make us all move there. And hurriedly looked for another job locally while he worked in Vegas for those few months. He hated it!

Then a couple yeas ago we had to layover one time in Vegas with my kids. And it made me sick having to walk them through the smutty, loud and disgusting baggage claim. And outside were more smutty, half naked ladies covering billboards and signs.
I hated it. And my kids were shocked and embarrassed.

And now, after reading your horrible experience, I hate Vegas even more! :(

August 13, 2008 1:48 AM

Anonymous said...

Sorry your son lost all of his belongings and you lost your camera.

Danni said...

I.am.so.sorry. Unbelievable. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they find your son's things quickly and in perfect condition. (your truck and camera, too!!!) :-(

frugalmom said...

Well that just sucks. I am very sorry for you and your family. Hopefully, they will find your stuff and you can begin to move past this awful event.

Country Girl said...

OMG, that is horrible!!!! I cannot even imagine. I hope they are able to track the criminals that did this. So sorry, our thoughts are with you :( Kim

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

I hope that the police can work with the Luxor in finding the culprits. You'd think the hotel would have had a camera pointing at the parking lot. You are not the first person I know of who has lost everything in Vegas -- and not to gambling. It seems that thieves are prevalent there, and they prey on tourists who park there cars in hotel parking lots. I get sick to my stomach every time that I have to go to Vegas. Not a nice place. I can't figure out why so many people have been moving to Vegas. I guess they think it has less problems than Los Angeles.

goatgirl said...

Thanks to all of you. We are still in Boulder, which is beautiful!! Colorado is a friendly beautiful state and I know that my son and his girl will be happy here. We are getting over the shock of losing our stuff and are trying to still have a vacation. We have had some fun times with girlfriend's family. They are the nicest family that have stuck with us through this whole ordeal. They stayed with us in the padded security room at the Luxor for about 4 hours even though I insisted they get on their way to Boulder. We all took our pictures in front of the mug shot board for some comic relief. They made me laugh when I needed it most. I like funny and they are!
To answer twinville, we were proactive on this trip. Hubby had bought a lock to lock the hitch to the truck and bought a lock to lock the trailer to the hitch. So they just made off with the whole thing.
Your comments of Vegas are exacty how I saw it. I mean why do you need billboards of someone's rear end? I am no prude but there is a limit.
We are now spending time on the phone with our three insurance adjusters. One for the truck, one for the trailer and one for the contents. They want us to make a list of everything in the trailer. Make model, value, age right down to what brand of T shirts he had. Wow! We are overwelmed becuase he had a fully furnished one bedroom apt. in that trailer and you know how much electronics our kids can accumulate in 5 years.
They will probably never catch who did this but I am a firm believer in what goes around comes around as I have seen it happen so much in my lifetime. It may take a while but it does come around.
Once again, thanks everyone for the nice comments.
I hear that all my animals are doing fine but I emailed my friend and said if they aren't don't tell me. I can't take any more bad news.
I will be back next week and hopefully can return to being funny.

goatgirl said...

Nuzzling Muzzles, The Luxor does have cameras. We thought the parking lot was secure. It is fully fenced and looked very safe. They did look over the video footage and didn't see anything but they said they had lots of footage to go over. After all of this we went out to the parking lot to my son's girlfriend's car and THEN they had security on bike patroling.
Nothing like closing the barn door after the donkeys get out!!!

Farmer Jen said...

I am very sorry to hear that such a horrible and scary thing happened to you. I read about it on Laughing Orca Ranch. Many times your belongings will be recovered. Sometimes not. Keep the positive energy and prayers focused on their safe return. Good that your family is safe.

Carla said...

I came over from Lisa's site. I'm so sorry to hear of your awful news. I'm glad y'all are safe and hopefully you'll either get the stuff back or at least a settlement from insurance to replace the things that can be replaced.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

I'm glad to hear you've got some wonderful friends to give you support and make you laugh during this time. I know how important it was to you to have this special time with your son. And it sounds like you are making the very best of the situation. (Hugs)

Ok, friend, now you know I am going to ask you to share those fun mugshot photos.

You sound so much like me. I can find the silly and the funny in just about any situation. :D

I like funny, too.

sugarcreekstuff said...

That just makes me sick to my stomach. I have never been a fan of big cities and this just reconfirms it.
I'm so sorry your boy lost everything, a vehicle can be replaced but a household is not so easy.
I am glad you are all finding the funny in a bad situation. Better to laugh than to cry.

Kim said...

I am so sorry, unbelieveable!!!

Christy said...

How upsetting! I'm so sorry.

Heidi said...

OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH MAN!!! I would SO be kicking someones butt!!! The hotel should shoulder some of the cost!! If they were so confidant about thier secure parking lot - they should have gaurds patroling. Sorry to get so vocal about this, but I HATE it when people steal....
Your poor son, to loose all the things he has worked so hard for - not to mention your truck and trailor!!! YIKES!!! I am saying prayers for you and the family and for the thieves to come to some form of guilt... lots of guilt!! LOL

Far Side of Fifty said...

What a bummer..I hope the rest of your vacation is better:)

Anonymous said...

Oh no! I can't believe this! It makes me sick to my stomach! Ick!

I am glad that you are enjoying Colorado. I thought of you this weekend when our faculty was in Estes Park for a retreat. I bought taffy!

I hope there is some justice for you in this mess! It makes me so mad!

Mindy

Sharon said...

Wow, I don't think I'll ever go to Vegas. What a horrible thing to happen to you. Just shocking, really. My thoughts are with you, and I'm glad to hear that all are trying to make the best of the bad situation. I hope the rest of your trip is enjoyable, at least as much as possible. What a heartache and a headache!

Marigold said...

Oy. If I had been there, I would have butted them clear over to Death Valley.

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry to read about this. I sure hope they catch up with the thieves and you recover it all.
On the positive side, I am happy you had time with your son, his girlfriend and her family and no one was hurt.
Take care.
Pam

goatfarmer said...

Bastards.

goatgirl said...

goatfarmer, you do have a way with words.

Thanks to everyone that is as outraged as I was. You can sure count on your blogging buddies!

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry about your family's loss! I have been to Vegas and share your feelings.