I just hate to think that happened in church. Maybe someone put it someplace safe for you--you think? I'd go look again. Even if someone did take it, maybe they took the cash and stashed the purse under one of the pews or something. I'm so sorry for that sick feeling I know you must be having.

Thank!

But I think it's gone.

I searched before I left, and the church secretary's husband and son went back when they'd heard and checked all the trash cans, and supposedly around the bushes, and in all the rooms, corners, etc.

Bleah!

As if life wasn't busy enough, and dramatic enough, and as if I don't have enough OTHER things to make me feel like I'm stupid and dropped the ball, and life is out of control. Now I get all the "out-of-control-ness" that comes w/ this.

I know the feeling. My stomach didn't calm down for a couple of days, when my purse was stolen. I too had as much as you had, in it. It was in a locked car with a towel over it! I was watching a soccer game.
It's a real feeling of violation. Such expense and trouble.
Hope all gets better, and maybe something, turns up.

Sorry you had your purse stolen. How sad that it would happen in a church of all places.

Shame shame shame for whoever did that!

I know your feeling, just a very empty helpless feeling.

So sorry!

I am so sorry to hear this! What a headache. I hope it doesn't get any worse. It must be very unsettling to know someone untrustworthy could be running around with your address and key.

Good luck getting it all straightened out. This, too, shall pass!

Tally, I am SO SORRY this happened to a sweet person such as you are - doggon it!!!

We should all learn that we take chances when we leave our purses unattended. Better to have left it locked in the car out of sight.

That is so sad....I have learned not to trust people anywhere. While in the mortuary making arrangments for my dad's funeral someone stole my bags from my car with my clothes, makeup and 3 of my cameras. I was devastated that someone could be so low. My car was in the parking lot and I believe it was an inside job..someone who worked in there. I know the feelings you are feeling...so violated. That is just too much, the one place you'd think you could trust anyone....church!

Oh I am so sorry - that's a terrible thing to experience. And it's doubly sad that it happened in church. I'd love to think that the person who took it will feel remorse and at least return your belongings - minus the cash though. I wonder if anyone in the choir saw something. Would it be worth emailing them to ask?

I don't know why, but I have this strong feeling that you will get your purse back.

Even so, you need to assume it's been stolen, file a report at the police station and also notify the credit agencies Equifax, Experian and TransUnion in case the thief tries to steal your identity for credit cards, etc. (I know this because it happened to me.)

Here is a link that might be useful: helpful tips

Man, I would be spying all the kids that went up by the piano that day, all the choir, whoever might have wondered up that way. The layout of most churches doesn't allow many people to just wonder by the piano unless it was in another hall or open space. Have you been thinking about people who you trust who might have been in that area after church? Maybe they may have seen the culprit. And if its a baby grand piano, you might look into the piano to see if some kid might have put it in there. Possibly it's in your cubby or by the coat rack. I sure hope it turns up soon, don't give up hope.

I sure hope it turns up for you. Hopefully they just took the $ and dumped the purse and some good samaritan will find it and call you.
Hugs, Kathy G in MI

This is a wakeup call for me. I have always been very careless with my purse in churches.

A stolen purse...and in a church of all places. Someone knows who did it--the man up above. And this person will get their just discipline.

I am so sorry this happened to you.

Oh Talley, I am so, so sorry. What a terrible inconvenience and loss. Sure hope some or all of it shows up.

Jodi-

My MIL had the same thing happen years ago, purse stolen while she was at church. In her case someone found it dumped somewhere, just the money gone. I hope someone will find your purse, so sorry this happened to you.

sounds to me like it's time for a repeat sermon on honesty and the golden rule because someone in the congregation is not listening!!! (of course I realize someone could have come in off the street and taken it but I would think someone would notice a stranger near the piano) I do think the minister should mention it in his next sermon though. I hope it is found soon with all you personal stuff still in it.
Diane

We've had a problem with purses being stolen at our church during service! (During communion, when people tend to leave their purses in the pew and go up front.)

I hope you get your purse back somehow.

I'm so sorry to read this. I sure hope you can get everything back. I can't even imagine the panic you must be in.

I think that next Sunday your pastor needs to discuss this with the congregation and let everyone know what a mess this has caused. Maybe someone will be overcome with guilt and return your belongings.

~Betsy

wow..i was hoping to get to the end of this post and see that you had found it.

i can't believe this...i should though...

yesterday, at the new church i am attending...the lady next to me left her purse while she went to communion...i rememeber feeling oddly about it...

what an awful thing to happen. I hope you can find a way to "take the bad" out of this and find some happiness today.

i'm so sorry.

xoxo
duck

Church, a perfect venue for theives. Like most of us, no one expects that to happen. Women are habitual targets, anywhere. After my incident, I started to use a "fanny pack". (strapped aroung my waist) I don't take a purse into church at all. I wear something with pockets to hold drivers license, etc. Once burned......

Every time I go to the grocery store, I see women leaving an OPEN purse in the shopping cart, while they are several feet away with their back to the cart. I didn't realize how easy we make it for theives.

Sorry you had to be a victim too.

Better to have left it locked in the car out of sight.

Well considering that I walked there, I couldn't have.

And considering all the people on *this* thread who had their purses stolen out of their cars, and considering that I live in NEW YORK CITY, you'd never find me leaving my purse in my CAR!!!!!

IntheRain, I've heard of that as well, purses being messed w/ during communion. People who go to church are sinners (well, we all are); that's why they're there, after all.

The frustrating part is not that I expected everyone at church to be holy; it's that it's such a small church, and we know everyone.

I'll have to figure out how to handle this in the future. I need a purse, bcs I need my license, keys, sunglasses. I run errands often on the way home from church.

Plus, I need an orderly life--I can't be switching stuff from purse to pockets; pockets to tote bag; do I have everything with me today; oh, no, I left it in my other purse.

It's just extra frustrating bcs I had organized everthing INTO the purse. Makes life very orderly, but it also means that all my eggs were in one basket.

We're not in the normal church setup right now; the sanctuary is being refinished, so we set up chairs in the fellowship hall, w/ the piano right at the front, which is where I dropped everything.

That would be incredibly stupid..

But yes, it's certainly a reminder. It's just that at church, for me in my role as organist/choir director, it's hard to take it everywhere I go inside the building. I'm going to need to in the future, though.

I know EXACTLY how you feel...The BAST**DS stole mine while I was in a resturant with our SUV in plain view...they popped the keyless entry which disababled the alarm and had that baby out and gone within a nanosecond...I had my wallet with me so they only got the contents of my purse...but it was bunches...and I had saved for TEN frickin years to buy that purse...It was a Louis Vitton backpack worth 965.00...I only paid half of that in Europe but to buy it here...well I didn't replace it...

Like Foggy..I get on people when I see them leave their purses in a vulnerable position...

I'm so sorry this happened to you Talley...I hope you get your stuff replaced soon...the other feelings you're having will eventually go away...it's awful to feel so violated and to have your personal information laid out for everyone...THE NERVE OF THEM!!!

that person will be dealt with accordingly...you'll never see it...but to have taken your purse in his house...yeppers...they'll be dealt with...

I'm so sorry, Talley Sue. That is incredibly low.

I was warned recently because I left my wallet in the shopping cart while putting groceries in the car. It was a point well taken....I should have put it in the car first.

Talley, I hold the same position as you, and yes there is a lot of running around to be done as music person!!
I carry a small purse to church and lock it in the piano bench...I don't know if this is possible for you or not.
Blessings to you, and don't beat yourself up.....stuff happens, even at church...maybe more so at church!! Our building is located at the edge of an interstate, so we have some real whackos upon occasion!! Church music directing has enough problems of it's own without this happening to you!

J

My mom had her purse stolen out of a shopping cart while she was loading groceries into her car. The post office called her a couple of days later and said it was dropped in a mail box. The only things missing were her money and her pictures of DS as an infant. Weird they kept the pictures. I put my purse in my car first and then load my groceries.

My purse was stolen a few years ago in the corporate offices of Kellogg's, in Battle Creek. I was doing some work there...the Kellogg's people (especially security) didn't give a darn. I was stranded there until Hertz could get there with a new set of car keys for the rental car.

What made me even madder, is that the purse was worth more than the contents, and brand new, I did what I could to search nearby trash cans..but it wasn't tossed.

I am so, so sorry for your loss. It gives you such a horrible feeling inside. I used to wonder at the women taking their purses with them when they go to Communion, but I do the same thing now. You assume people are "good" because they attend church, but not necessarily so. I do hope you get it back, even if it takes a while. All that information in the wrong hands can be frightening for sure.

Talley Sue, after reading your post, my first thought

was "what is this world coming to?" I am so sorry for you.

~Carol~

This is such a shame; I hope they find some of the contents for you.

Linda, when I grocery shop, I always keep my purse zipped shut and locked into the child safety belt. If I turn my back at the produce counter, it will take more than a tug for someone to snatch it!

Boy, you sometimes wonder....Years ago, when my youngest son was getting married, his bride and the girls were doing their thing in the church basement and left everything there during the ceremony. Well, someone came in, went through everyone's purses, took cameras and anything they could get their hands on...In my new DIL's purse was the money for the band (cash)...It was a mad scramble at the reception coming up with the money to pay the band....Being a wedding coordinator at our church, during the ceremony, I make sure the room the girls had used, is locked......

Our pastors wife in CA had her purse stolen from the church many years ago. She was just rehearsing a program and she did not even see who came in. Her husband, the Pastor, did asked about it during the next church service, but it never did show up.
By the way, it is not always kids taking things. Adults and even seniors do things like that also. You be amazed what is taken in Senior Centers.
Could you ask the Pastor to put in locking cabinets that you could use. Like any church job it is truly annoying to have the purse or any thing else stolen.
Maybe the local paper and/or TV could run a brief news mention.
Hope you find it soon, and like one of the posters said, do notify the police, and if they don't want to bother, insist on it to get a report on file, and notify the 3 credit bureaus.

Oh, talley sue...I am so sorry to hear this news. It really SUCKS! I hope today is better. With time, you will get through this.

I'm going to keep you in my thoughts.

sooey

Sorry about your purse. It seems a lot of that kind of behavior is going around today. I don't want to alarm you but I would be worried that they have your address and your keys. Many years ago a friend got her purse stolen then later her house was broken into and more things taken. I would think about changing the locks on your house just to be safe. I know, an added expense but better safe then sorry.
Clare

Unbelievable, I see women leave their pocketbooks alone all the time, during Communionn at church, in supermarkets. I'm not blamning you, Tally Sue. But who would think you can't trust your neighbor at church? My husband has had his wallet stoen twice, once when he was leaving Madison Square Garden aafter a hockey game, by a guy with a knife. Another time he took his wallet out to pay at a deli, and left it on the counter by mistake. He went back within 5 minutes and it was gone. They found it in a nearby trash basket, everything but the cash was still there.

I'm sorry, Talley Sue.

Sherry

Locks have been changed already, and I'm going to have to pay to change the magnetic code on the locks for my APARTMENT BUILDING.

My car registration & keys were in there, too--so DH is going tomorrow to get a new key. That'll be expensive.

I need tomorrow to deal w/ credit agencies (cards are all stopped already--did that yesterday).

I think I'll ask Pastor to mention it in an e-mail message to the e-mail list, maybe saying we're wondering if someone moved it for safekeeping and forgot to tell me. Highly unlikely, but remotely possible.

I can't lock it in the bench, but I am going to ask about finding a way to lock it in the office (though there aren't locking cabinets there now, and

The annoying thing is, at any OTHER place--supermarkets, etc.--my purse stays on its long strap across my body, as if it's clothing. I just can't do that at church. Well, I could have done that after I was *done* playing the piano/organ, I guess, but it's just so annoying when you're in a place you're relaxed and settled in.

And yes, it could have been any age, etc.

So sorry, Talley Sue, I have been hoping all the way thru reading this that you would have found your purse by the end!

Talley, I am sorry that happened to you.

We get Neighbourhood Watch bulletins sent around here and the area churches submit blurbs to remind you not to leave your purse unattended at church.

I went to the cemetery at dusk yesterday and I don't even leave my purse in the car.

I hope someone only wanted the money in your purse.

Anne

Holy C**** ! Is nothing sacred anymore?

Have you checked with church office? Someone may have picked it up thinking it was mislaid and turned it in.

Also, if you had a considerable amount of money in it and you did mention credit cards, notify the police. Its more important that they hear about it than us.

Nope, it wasn't turned in. I was *IN* the church office doing some work after I discovered it was missing.

Maybe I should have made bigger deal out of it being missing, but I sort of thought I might have left it at home.

I'll file la police report today; I'm not sure it'll make any difference, though.

Wow, that's terrible. Sorry to hear about it.

Your pastor should definitely mention it at the next service(s) -- saying something like we all know times are hard, and if the money is really needed, please keep it, but please do return everything else anonymously -- and perhaps lead a prayer for the person in such need (either for money or for addiction or whatever).

Maybe the guilt factor will get you most of your things back.

I know a pastor who had her purse stolen out of the church office on a Sunday morning. I guess you can't trust anyplace to be safe.

I'm really sorry, Talley Sue, that's just awful.

I wonder, would your homeowners insurance cover this, after the deductable? Because to replace and repair everything is going to really add up. Also, check with your optometry place, you should be able to order a replacement magnetic sunglasses set for your frames, if they have a record of which frames you have.

How sad; I'm sorry it happened to you.

It's good to make a police report and for you to get a copy of it. If nothing else it gives you an official report you can send to creditors, etc. that the theft was documented, where, when, etc.

Also, I would ask the pastor to make this theft known in the next Sunday sermon. This lets the rest of the congregation to be more vigilant and, hopefully, make the thief turn in the non-cash contents. Who knows, there may be others just like you who have had items stolen but who have kept silent.

Good Grief! I'm sorry this happened Talley Sue.

I once had my purse grabbed out of my hand on the street by a kid who ran off before I even realized what had happened.

It's a devestating feeling :(

Church is a public place. Probably wasn't a parishioner, it was probably someone who walked in off the street looking for an opportunity.
Wouldn't be the 1st time.

No, it was a parishoner--it's a small church. There wasn't anybody there who hadn't been there before.