WHAT should have been a triumphant night for a chess tournament champion quickly took a turn for the worse when the night turned disastrous.
Ramon Tagorda Sr. was elated after winning a chess tournament in May, but his feeling of being on top of the world didn’t last long.
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Soon after his profound victory, Tagorda found himself careless, and within seconds a thief seized the opportunity and stole his car in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans.
On May 27, Tagorda and his friend Al Binet were returning home after Tagorda’s big win in the chess tournament at around 9:50 p.m.
They stopped in front of the nursing home where Binet lives.
Tagorda got out of the car to help Binet, who has a prosthetic leg, with her bags.
But Tagorda left his black 2011 BMW unlocked and running, a mistake he told local Fox affiliate WVUE-DT he now deeply regrets it.
When the two friends turned their backs, a woman with a purple headscarf got out of a nearby Honda Civic, quickly got into Tagorda’s car and sped away.
All of this happened in about 20 seconds, according to Tagorda.
“I’m the happiest guy in the world because I won the tournament,” Tagorda told the channel.
But he says his mood was quickly wiped out after the incident.
“I’m thinking, I’m the guy. And then this happened. I will never do this again. No more bragging rights if I win.”
Binet, however, does not believe the incident was a random crime of convenience and believes the pair were targeted.
“I think it was calculated,” Binet said.
“Other people tell me it may have been more of a crime of opportunity,” he continued.
When the car took off, Tagorda tried to chase the thief and even pulled the car’s lever, but the vehicle hit a bicycle rack and fled.
The robbery left Tagorda not only without a car, but also without important documents and sentimental items, including his beloved chess set given to him by his late brother-in-law and, of course, the car itself.
How to prevent vehicle theft
Here are 10 ways to prevent your car from being stolen, according to one car insurance company:
- Lock your doors. This makes it more difficult for thieves to access anything inside the vehicle.
- Keep your keys with you. With smart keys and remote controls, a car can be unlocked if the key is nearby. If the key is inside or with you, it cannot be unlocked.
- Don’t leave the spare key near the vehicle, as thieves know to look for it in common places, such as the wheel well, under items in the garage or in the glove compartment.
- Keep windows closed. If a window is open, thieves can unlock the doors manually.
- Park in well-lit areas as this helps deter thieves if their actions are visible to passersby.
- If your vehicle doesn’t have one, consider an anti-theft alarm system.
- If you live in a high-crime area, consider an immobilizer device that utilizes a kill switch if the device does not recognize an authorized key.
- Consider a tracking device so you can control the location of your vehicle if it is stolen.
- Never leave valuables in the car, especially in a visible place. Thieves know to look for valuables in the floorboards, passenger or back seats.
- Check before leaving the vehicle that it is safe.
Source: Allstate Auto Insurance
“This residence here is for the elderly, elderly and probably a little easier and more vulnerable,” Binet highlighted.
So, they probably looked for this here”, suggested Binet.
Despite the traumatic experience, Tagorda remains hopeful that his story will serve as a warning to others.
“It’s unbelievable,” Targorda said.
“I hope no one experiences this,” he continued.
The New Orleans Police Department is investigating the incident and has issued a stolen car alert.
Although car thefts in Orleans Parish have decreased by almost half compared to last year, the numbers remain significantly high.
New Orleans sees an average of 12 vehicles stolen daily, with nearly 1,800 thefts reported so far this year.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
