“Stu: Most warning sings about theft play into the thieves hands anyway.

I used to know a chap who'd hang around touristy areas with "check your possessions, pick pockets operate in this area" signs, so by default everyone pats down the part of their body where they keep their wallet/phone/whatever and now he knows where to go.

Same goes for signs in car parks, you make sure to place something under the seat/glove box/boot, but these guys are just hanging around watching where everyone puts stuff.

The only way to make sure nothing is stolen from your car is make sure you have nothing to steal in you car to start with.”

“Sadly...Mike, Stu...you are right. I guess we have all done something silly like this at sometime in our lives and we only have ourselves to blame.

Only a few weeks ago, I inadvertantly left my wallet in the trolly at ASDA, after unloading the weeks shopping into the back of the car. Didn't even miss it until I got home then WHAM! Oh My God! Where's my wallet!!!?

I was sooooo lucky!
The trolly gang had taken all the empty trollies back under the shelter at the main entrance and a shopper had handed it in...without leaving their name or phone number. So if that person is out there reading this...Thank you, thank you, thank you!

But make no mistake. We ALL suffer from these momentary lapses of concentration...usually without mishap but occasionally with fatal results. We're concentrating on one thing, whilst trying to do two or more things at once and bingo, you lose something.

Like they say, you have to be lucky all the time. A thief only needs to be lucky once and he's away on his toes into the night with your wallet or whatever.

I'm sure this store-keeper is normally bright and alert. He'll not make THAT mistake again. Once bitten...”

“So all those warning signs you see in car parks (look out there's a thief about, don't leave valuables on show, etc) are a proper waste of money, ineptitude rules! Doh... Oh, I do hope he gets his piccies back, but don't hold your breath, you know what the Keystone Cops are like!!”

“So let's get this right. He'd left his laptop in the van and he hadn't backed up his files, both recipes for losing them.”

“As a resident I use the shop regularly and Darren is a very good person, always very polite and professional, he certainly doesn't deserve this. I would encourage anyone with information to come forward I can appreciate as a father how this would feel and hope that you get the pictures back. Good luck.”