My car stereo was stolen again last week (just before the 4th), for the third time since I moved back to Sacramento after college three years ago.

The worst part about it, besides seeing the perpetrator and not being able to catch him? He ripped off the fan/air conditioner knob, and it’s no where to be found in the car.

That’s just vicious. You can’t do that in a Sacramento summer - when temperatures reach near 110!

I was coming home from an early 4th of July party to discover this man in my front yard, near my car, getting onto a bicycle. As I pulled into the driveway (in my father’s car), the guy sped away on his bike. I threw it in reverse and went after the guy, but he disappeared into the darkness.

A minute later, I spied the bike-riding-perp in my rear view mirror and I slammed on the brakes making a hasty u-turn. He disappeared into the dark bushes once again. As I drove slowly around the neighborhood (quiet old South Land Park, the SLP) I came across two police officers responding to another burglary call. I told them what had happened to my car and gave them a description of the man on the bike, but they couldn’t leave the home burglary to go find my man.

The next morning, as I inspected the damage to my car (one broken window, broken glove box, stolen stereo, stolen parking change, gaping hole in the dash board) I thought the worst was behind me. Then a couple days later when I was able to get the window fixed (everything having been closed for the holiday), I realized that the jerk who stole the stereo removed the fan dial with the air conditioner button. I can’t turn it on at all.

To the man who stole my stereo, if you ever read this, may you be sweaty for the rest of your life.