So Allyson's passenger side window was bashed in and my purse was taken.
We called the Police and learned that this particular mini golf had several break-ins recently. While we waited for them to arrive, we huddled together and prayed that the robbers would be found and that I'd get my purse back. Even as my children were praying aloud for this, in my heart, I had even less faith than a mustard seed.
The Police Officer arrived, took our statements, asked a bunch of questions and began dusting for fingerprints. Abbie and I decided to look around the perimeter of the parking lot, hoping that maybe they grabbed the cash from my wallet and tossed the rest. In our search, just about 10' from the car, we discovered a utility knife on the ground with glass from the window around it. The Police Officer added it to an evidence bag.
We didn't find my purse in the parking lot, but we did discover some huge tire tracks that appeared like they were from a truck or SUV that peeled wheels out of there.
Phoning Matt, I learned that over $500 had been withdrawn in addition to a few charges at a local Exxon Mobile gas station. I handed my phone to the Police Officer so that Matt could give her the detailed information. As she was speaking to Matt, a family was leaving the golf place and stopped and asked, "What happened...did a golf ball hit your window?"
We explained that we were robbed and both the father and older son in the group remembered seeing a gray Mitsubishi truck, with no hubcaps, peeling wheels out of the parking lot without any headlights on. The direction they went, which was out the Entrance, seemed to fit the way the tire prints were. I got a little hopeful. There was also video surveillance that could possibly show something but the Police Officer would not have access to that until the morning.
Covering her fist with a blanket from the car, Allyson punched out the rest of the glass, and brushed out as much of the mess that she was able to so that we could ride home safely.
When we got back to our beach house, I was pretty emotional. While Matt canceled all of our credit cards, I was particularly worried about my social security card, drivers license and keys. These robbers had everything they needed to steal my identity as well as get into my home and cars! It was a very unsettling feeling.
At around 1:29 a.m., my iPhone rang and to my utter shock, it was the Police Officer! Because of the tip that family provided about the truck, they were able to send out an APB and within a few hours, they found the robbers.
And they had my purse! Aside from the cash, everything was still inside!
Turns out it was three people - two guys and a girl. The girl was afraid when the Police Officer questioned her and she spilled the beans! One of the guys said that he lost his knife! Yes, it was the exact same knife we found in the parking lot. Basically, the girl was the driver and the guys were doing the robbing and they were doing it quite successfully down the Grand Strand corridor, hitting up tourists with obvious out of state license plates.
So, at 1:45 a.m. we were driving back to the mini golf to meet the Police Officer to get my purse back. She pulled out a big plastic bag marked "EVIDENCE" and there was my purse! Aside from reeking of smoke, everything was there, even my bluetooth! Seems their robbing was supporting a drug habit, which explained the odd test tube looking gadget in my purse. That wasn't mine and the Police Officer quickly took it.
All three people were arrested and put in jail and the Officer told us that they would be prosecuted in a high crimes court case.
Wow, what an adventure!
I am still amazed that my purse was found. Even though I prayed, I didn't really believe in my heart it was going to happen. I am so thankful that God is greater than my unbelief!
