Ok, so on Friday after work Stiky and I had to go into Newport to get some stuff for our impending holiday, I had been sick in work so wasn't feeling too clever but needs must.

Anyway, we parked the car in an area of Newport called Gold Tops (by the offices of solicitors, magistrates courts and all that) so not a dodgy back street.

Did what we had to do and came back, at about 2pm to find PC Copper standing by our car, amist broken glass, and two other women - who had also been victims of the 'smash and grab' fest.

Passenger window had been smashed and my 'work bag' taken - it was in the footwell, concealed by a coat.  I should have put it in the boot - well, that's what you'd think wouldn't you ???? 

The police officer was confident they wouldn't be able to catch the offenders - who apparently were kids on bikes.

So, onto what was taken - mobile, keys, and most difficult to replace - my filofax and gig book - all my contacts for gigs I've put on, rates I've negotiated etc, contracts, flyers ........plus in my filofax my personal info, wage slips, internet passwords .

So, homeward bound to try and do some damage limitation - blocked phone, cancelled a spare credit card that was tucked in my filofax (which they had tried within half an hour according to the bank), rang insurers etc ... and then the interesting facts about insurance policies start to rear their head.

I had separate mobile phone insurance for loss, theft and accidental damage  - having had a few incidences in the past involving toilets, sinks full of water, spilled pints and my mobile phone.  Anyway - my claim was denied - REASON ?  MY PHONE WAS UNATTENDED.

So, if my house had been robbed whilst I was out, and my phone was there - it would be classed as unattended.  If it was in luggage and it was stolen - again it was unattended.  However, if I had be mugged and it had been wrenched out of my hand - hey presto they might have paid up.  I obviously shouldn't have told the truth - because if I'd said I'd lost it, maybe they would have done something about it - although I doubt it.

Then I tried to see if I could do anything on my contents insurance for items away from the home.  I explained the situation, gave my crime number - but because my bag was not in a LOCKED COMPARTMENT within my car, they would not pay out.  I pointed out that I had a hatchback car (so technically the boot was not a locked compartment) and I was told I would not have been covered in that case.  So everyone, beware - if you have a hatchback car and the boot is accesible from inside the car - it's not actually a locked compartment.  According to my insurers (Legal and General), it has to be in either a lockable glovebox (how many new cars actually have them these days ??) or a separate boot.  Perhaps I should keep a strong box in the car, welded to the floor to keep stuff in.

I did buy myself one of those 'sim card storage devices' from a gadget website last year - it was only a few quid and I backed up my sim card, so when I bought a new phone yesterday, I was able to get most of the numbers back, apart from recent ones.  I strongly recommend these devices to anyone whose phone is their lifeline.  I still have my old number.

I have not heard from the police at all.  The forensic team did not bother to turn up and print the car, although I was told they would come within two hours.  Two other cars were broken into, broad daylight in a busy area.  It's disgusting.

I have learned a couple of lessons from this though - don't bank on your insurance covering what you think it would and don't leave any valuables in your car, regardless of where it's parked or how long you intend to be - I know we get this drummed into us all the time but honestly, it's not worth the pain and trauma.

Some little fucker out there has ended up with a (now)useless mobile phone - as I blocked the handset as well, a five year old diary, a load of information about gigs that they probably wont even understand, a usb lead for my camera, cds of my flyer artwork and pics from one of the first gigs I put on, makeup and blood pressure tablets - nothing of any resale value whatsoever but they've totally fucked up my head and my weekend and caused me the inconvenience of having to change locks on my house, office and car. 

The lesson of not leaving anything (especially something that could be perceived to be something valuable) in cars has been a nasty one for me to learn.