I Hope the A-hole Who Stole My Stuff is Getting Good Use Out of it.

So this weekend I went grocery shopping on my bike as I often do. I needed to go to both Trader Joe’s and a normal grocery store because some things are just so much cheaper at TJ’s but they don’t sell things like Swiffer dusters.
At Trader Joe’s I park my bike in front of the Pannera Bread located in the same building. Standing there, selling Street Roots (the Portland homeless paper) is a man who I assume is homeless. I admit, I totally avoid eye contact because I have no intention of buying his paper. But it never once occurs to me that he would steal lights and things off of my bike. Of course I take my bags in with me, but my saddle bag with flat repair stuff in it, and my lights all get left on my bike.
Then I go shopping.
Then I come back to my bike.
Then I get on it, and ride it to Safeway.
No problems.
When I get to Safeway, I am primarily concerned with what to do with the items I purchased at Trader Joe’s. Clearly they are from TJ’s because they all have quirky names like “Trader Darwin’s multivitamins” and also I have a receipt, but I am still uneasy about taking the previously purchased groceries into the grocery store. As I decide how to arrange things and I walk away from my bike, a shady looking guy on a rusted out Magna rides up and leans his bike next to mine on the rack. I am over ½ way to the door by now but this guy makes me nervous and I consider for a moment going back to my bike and removing all the lights and things. But it would be so obvious that I think this greasy haired, unshaven fellow was going to steal things from me. I decide to give him the benefit of the doubt, and I continue into the store.
Then I go shopping.
Then I come back to my bike.
Then I realize that all but one of my lights have been stolen.
Also most of the contents of my saddle bag.
Now, I don’t KNOW it was that guy but I do feel pretty stupid. And the unfortunate consequence is, that next time I park my bike at Trader Joe’s I will consider the blameless homeless man a potential thief and I will strip my bike down before going into the store.
I just really hope that whoever stole my stuff really needed it because if they have given me this newfound distrust of humanity just to make a few bucks selling bike lights on Craigslist, well that makes me sad on top of being angry and disillusioned.