Inspired by an attempted robbery of my own house.
The OP says it all: what have you stolen from others in your life? What has been stolen from you? I’ll start:
- Hooded sweatshirt
- Shoes
- A full case of beer
- A dozen rolls of toilet paper
- iPod
At various times, a van (subsequently recovered), a camera (burglary), my 1846 family heirloom violin (burglary), my wallet (stupidity on my part - left it in a phone booth and when I got back it had gone), my entire CD collection (burglary at Christmas).
When I was 16 stole a candy bar from a store to see if I could do it. And when I was employed I stole a lot of bandwidth off my employers.
Our car was broken in to a couple times. The first time they got an ancient mobile phone circa 1995 or something (it was a hand me down) that didn’t even work.
The second time they got a bunch of DVDs, a Swiss army knife, and my hubby’s entire bag of D&D books (almost all the 4th edition ones). 
The second one sucked the most because it happened in our secured, video camera monitored garage. At least they didn’t smash our window like they did to the guy next to us.
I stole a car once. :eek:
Actually, I stole it back from the guy who stole it from me. I discoved the car was gone shortly after a drunken party thrown by a neighbor broke up – and I knew one of his guests had a “reputation.” Yes, I could have gone to the police, but we knew where he lived, and figured it was worth a fast check to see if it was parked somewhere obvious.
As for genuinely stolen stuff – pretty much just the odd pen taken home from the office. I’m so boring.
My entire record collection. Five times. Total - about 6,000 records.
All of my reference books about records.
The box of master tapes and mixes of just about everything I ever recorded in a studio since 1974.
My 1979 cherry sunburst Gibson Les Paul Custom, from our rehearsal room at a music store. I wasn’t even finished paying for it.
The bass guitar my mom bought me when I was 15.
The suitcase containing all my worldly possessions (by the staff of the Salvation Army, Toronto)
My rent money, ID and wallet, by a pickpocket in the library bathroom. While I was taking a leak.
There’s more, but I gotta stop here. I’m getting all bummed out.
Stolen from me:
Some DVDs of anime.
1 silk green chemise.
1 silk white chemise.
(both of the above out of the laundry)
Money, but not a lot, just some change.
There’s probably more, but those are the ones that make me mad. Especially the chemises. I really liked them. Sickos. :mad:
As for what I’ve stolen, I used to steal candy when I was a child. My mother found out, though. As an adult, little things - I have used paper and labels for personal use at work. Not a lot, just sometimes. bandwidth. Etc.
Shit, fishbicycle, that’s appalling. You’re either very careless, or very unlucky - though as a five-time burglary victim, and seventeen+ time car vandalism victim, I’d say it’s probably luck.
I had my laptop stolen out of my apartment about two years ago. I was more annoyed about losing all the files on it than the machine itself.
I once had all my uniform shirts stolen out of a dryer at a laundromat. The thief apparently had a thing for uniforms - everything else was left in the machine.
As for stealing stuff, nothing much - occasional office supplies. I did once get caught “stealing” the use of office equipment - I wrote and printed a personal letter on an office computer. My boss, who was already feuding with me, brought me up on charges and I ended up getting fined $500. So I figure anything I’ve taken from work in my career I’ve already paid for.
I wasn’t careless, it was the scum-of-the-earth people I was thrown in with, due to cicrumstances. Now you know why I almost never have company. I’m afraid to have other people find out what I own.
Radio was stolen from locked rental car in Amsterdam - apparently, quite common according to very nice policeman.
Pulse oximeter and Polaroid camera used to document size of decubitus ulcers and wounds, stolen from locked car - oh, I never hear the end of that one from the home health agency owner, even though I’m sure they made out just fine with insurance.
Rossignol skiis (super sweet) from Boreal Ski resort during night ski session. My bad, I just propped them up in the snow like a million other people used to do and went inside for hot chocolate. I was supervising a school field trip, and the vice principal slipped me some money to replace them, but that style of ski was old and not available anymore.
I’m pretty lucky. My sister, many years ago, lived with her husband in E. Oakland, right next to the church where they were pastors. One day they went out, and when they came back they found their dog drugged and everything - I mean everything - removed from their house.
I forgot to add that some bastard stole my girlfriend of seven years. Luckily I had insurance and replaced her with an even better model.
When my car was broken into, along with damage to the car, a bunch of CDs were missing (including some I hadn’t ripped and had therefore lost completely), and my phone (and with it all the numbers). And probably some other stuff.
When it was broken into again, A backpack was taken with my comfy cargo pants and my overnight bag, which had, among other things, my electric shaver.
Someone stole my bike last week. It was parked in front of my dorm, which I would have considered to be a somewhat safer place. It’s the only time I’ve ever filed a report with the police, so I don’t believe I’ve ever had anything else major stolen. Lots of little things in elementary and middle school, I’m sure, but I blocked that out of my mind.
When I was 11 or 12, I took one of my friend’s bracelets. I immediately felt guilty, though, and snuck it back in her room the next time I was at her house.
In my preschool years I stole a chocolate bar from the grocery store. Didn’t understand concept of money, but understood concept of permission to take so was still guilty. Was caught and punished. I had to take it back and apologize and be shamed as my mother paid for it since it was melted. By my hot little hands, I’m sure.
In Kindergarten I stole someone’s ring. I can’t remember how, but I remember I hid it in my boot (which was a furry boot because it was about 1975) and when she realized it was gone she was so vocal about her despair that everyone got enlisted to help search for it. I felt so guilty that I made everyone close their eyes while I looked in one final place. I dumped out a tin of hair curlers, and when everyone opened their eyes I said, “here it is! It was in this tin of hair curlers all along!” I’m pretty sure some of the kids were probably smarter than me and realized I stole it but were tactful. Kindergarten geniuses have a lot of class, that’s all I can say. Nobody spoke up.
In Grade 2 I stole a Toronto Maple Leafs eraser from a private residence. Caught later in classroom while using eraser. Was actually accused by an individual who was not the victim! I stole it from Melanie’s house, but Desi–a complete stranger–fingered me for the crime. I claimed my brother gave it to me. My brother was brought in as a witness and he, being the dick that God made him even in grade 1, refused to acknowledge any relationship to the eraser. I was forced to defend myself against Desi’s charges by telling the teacher that I, in fact, stole the eraser from Melanie’s house. Melanie, the fucker, also disavowed any knowledge of or relationship to a Toronto Maple Leafs eraser, thereby fucking me. In Melanie’s defence, it really wasn’t her responsibility to know the contents of the junk drawer at her house or to recall that she left me alone in the cubby-hole long enough that I had the chance to steal the eraser. But I stole it from her house. Then I had to give the eraser to Desi. My reputation was obviously quite besmirched. Rightfully so. But it taught me a lot about crime, justice, and being bitter. If anyone in grade 2 is reading this board, I’m sure they will completely understand what was so messed up about this situation.
Grade 3 I stole a stamp pad and a strawberry Avon chapstick from my Dad’s best friend house. Was caught and spanked. I had a Crown Royal bag that I had been using as a makeshift purse and at some point during the visit to Uncle Gord’s I realized it was kind of like a loot bag–you know with that drawstring and all? It’s kind of like a robber’s bag. Might as well have a “$” stamped on it–and I started to load up. I got caught by using a stamp pad to stamp things. My parents realized I didn’t own any legtitimate stamp pads.
Grade 4 I stole a bracelet from Donna’s house and was never caught. I think that was my first clean getaway.
In grade 11 I stole a condom from a girl named Colleen and because of that, she thought her mom had found it and had a panic attack. That was my fault for having sex at Colleen’s house while her parents were out of town and it’s a looooong story but it’s still on my conscience because when Colleen was going on and on about how her mom found her condom, I didn’t admit I stole it.
When I was 19 I stole a Queensreich tape from the record store I worked for because I was disgruntled. I never got caught.
One time at the same record store job I had about 300 dollars in my coat pocket and my coat was hanging in the bathroom and someone stole it. The money, I mean. That’s the only time anyone stole from me.
I may have stolen a Mahalia Jackson tape at some point. I don’t really remember if I took it or just contemplated it.
The total tally is I was robbed of about 300 dollars and by the way, it was Christmas. I stole about 46 dollars worth of stuff in my life at the most. So life owes me $254.00 Canadian dollars as far as I can figure. (Just kidding. I know I will burn in hell for what I’ve done.)
Things stolen from me:
My wallet, at Disneyland when I was 12, by a stranger.
A $500 watch–engraved with my name–that I won because I sold more product than anyone else on my team, stolen by a friend/roommate.
A beautiful mountain bike–my only transportation at the time–locked to the rack in front of my work. They stole every bike on the rack.
My beloved 1973 International Scout, from behind the restaurant where I worked in 1995, by a couple of punks the cops couldn’t arrest because they lived on a reservation.
So yeah, I have some trust issues.
Hm.
First time burgled - about 75 assorted vinyl discs, including one on clear red vinyl from the 50s of the Vox Humana organ in Bruxelles performing the tocatta and fugue in d minor and a cheapshit all in one stereo from radio shack, and a watermelon.
Second time was ripped off by a roomie moving out on me at night when I was at work:
sealed original play test set of D&D from a gencon. All my AD&D first series, generic storebought original D&D set, something on the order of 700 miniatures [painted and unpainted] a complete run of dragon magazine 1-103, anout 30 vinyl discs, incluting Billy Mitchell 'Might Be Hope" which i really really loved, and for some totally bizzare reason the ‘yearbook’ from my dads days in the 13th armored div in ww2.
Third time was ripped off by a roomie moving out in the day when I was at work:
one of every magic the addiction card through the dark releases, 2 unopened boxes of the dark, one unopened box of legends, half my cds, some assorted video tapes, a not entirely working cordless phone and a bunch of groceries.
Both roomies brought bunches of friends to help them move out, and both times the place looked like a tornado romped through. I am not counting random broken shit, though i probably should.
I now have issues with people coming into my house. I either hide in the bedroom with the door shut or [preferably] leave entirely while mrAru or roomie deals with the service hominid [furnace repair, insurance agent, stuff like that.] I get squidged out when people drop by without calling first and refuse to open the door.
Other than the occasional office supply, I’ve never stolen anything of even minor value. Okay, I confess, I did skim about $20 in assorted change from various change jars from my parents once while they were out of town and I was home alone, doing it in such a way that they’d not miss it (as far as I know, they never did).
As for what I have had stolen:
[ul]
[li]My ten-speed bike got stolen when I was about 16/17.[/li][li]A friend swiped $100 from my bedroom. I was too timid to confront him about it.[/li][li]My wallet got stolen at work once when I worked in a fast food place. It was found three months later behind the water heater. The guy who stole it must have been pissed off when he realized there was no money in it. Of course by then I had gotten a new driver’s license, bank card, etc., thereby rendering the ones I already had useless.[/li][/ul]
If you count bandwidth as theft from my employers and MP3 downloads as theft from the artists, then I’m guilty as charged.
I had the frustrating experience of having 2 bicycles ripped off–right in front of my eyes! I was awoken by some noise in the middle of the night, and got up to see what the commotion was. Still half asleep, I looked out the window to see my bikes being ridden off the patio, and down the driveway. Unfortunately for me, I sleep nekkid, so I was unable to mount an immediate pursuit. By the time I fumbled my way into some shorts, the thieving bastards had rounded the corner and were gone.
Way more stolen from than stolen by.
Lessee…I used to swipe candies from the bin at Woodwards, but only the wrapped ones that had fallen on the floor. I was maybe four or five. I also sometimes grab a little feed from work if I’m short and can’t make it to the store, but only enough to give 'em a meal. I’ve got a bunch of home tapes (EVERYTHING by Alice Cooper) that I got from a good friend, but I’m slowly picking up all the CD’s. (I already had a lot on vinyl too.) I’ve run off tapes for friends in turn, although some of them went on to buy the CD’s as well.
Stolen from me - well, a lot.
The biggies were -
Four bikes (one of 'em brand new)
Records (including almost all of my AC)
A really nice electric guitar
My amp (by a friend)
All my Dark Shadows comics (full set except #3, bought new as they came out when I was a kid. They got swiped in '96)
Set of keys, incuding all my work keys (The boss had to replace every lock at the zoo. Then he lost his a week later, and had to replace the whole lot again :smack: He decided I didn’t need to pay for the locks after all… 
)
$300, also by a friend
A bunch of random stuff out of my mom’s house while it was empty.
My car, a '65 Pontiac Strato Chief. It was actually my dad’s, but I’d inheireted it. Dad died in '86 and Mom died in '95. The car was sitting in the driveway. It needed work to get it running, so I was waiting for Mom’s house to sell so I could take it in and get a bunch of restoration done. Some twit came along with a towtruck and swiped it. It had been a member of the family since '68. I grew up with her. That one hurt.
In 7th grade $24 out of my wallet, which was in my gym locker. A lot of money in the mid-'70s!
A CB radio from my bedroom in the late-'70s.
A Blaupunkt stereo from my first Porsche in the mid-'80s.
A cheap-ass Sears stereo I replaced the Blaupunkt with, in the late-'80s. (I thought no one would steal a cheap stereo. I guess they saw the car and just assumed.)