Smash and Grab

Intro by John

Goodies a-plenty are hiding behind that homely van’s thin glass sheets. Gloves/SMASH/grab->>> GO! Checkbook? Check! Hurry, we must keep the debt-to-time ratio high – on their dime – before they cancel everything! New computer, electronics, free gas for everyone!

We arrived at the crag just after noon. At 1:54 – while delta-Y-ing East Animas’ excellent sandstone – Discover Card called to congratulate us on our reckless spending spree. We initially assumed someone skimmed my card, but while discussing the particulars on our descent, the burgle possibility crossed our minds. Sure enough, Ludwig greeted us with a smashed front right window. Bad van! In our effort to start the trip, we opted not to finish wiring our front and rear security cameras. Shucks.

Broken window

Glass everywhere

Tempered glass piles partially obscured the voids:

Lauren’s losses:
-2007 MacBook (but not the new one)
-Passport
-Headphones
-Checkbook
-Camera

John’s losses:
– One (1) Discover Card
– Three (-3) US dollars
+ three (+3) bullets

Ludwig’s losses:
-Front right window.
-Pride (for letting us down)

We rigged up a temporary window solution in order to get to Farmington, New Mexico – the only place within a 100 mile radius that could have our window fixed in less than a week – while hoping the flimsy plastic wouldn’t collapse at highway speeds. Then I had the joyous experience of dealing with insurance. I learned that my renter’s insurance covers goods stolen from a car, with one stipulation: if the items can be charged by the car, they are not covered. Fortunately, my camera and Macbook require wall outlets in order to charge, so they still qualify. However, had my new computer (different connector), iPad, phone, or Kindle been taken, they would not have been covered. Oh, the loopholes insurance companies try to find!

Ludwig sporting a temporary taped-in window

The bright side of an open-ended vacation is that losing a day or two or taking a quick detour is no big deal; therefore we were able to take advantage of it and do a little climbing at Tres Piedras. However, that doesn’t necessarily make up for the pain (like having to cancel my passport and get a new one, close my checking account, change all my auto-payments, deal with insurance, and get the window replaced) or the anger at the complete lack of respect that the thief had for our property.

Here’s hoping they catch him; last I heard, the Durango police are following leads and getting warrants, so our fingers are crossed.