gaucho777 

Sorry about that Steely Dan. While I didn't lose as much in terms of value, I can commiserate with another lost pannier story. I was coming down a hill about a mile from home on my commute. I hit a metal plate in a spot with road construction. One of my panniers popped off. I see it sitting in the road but off to the side. By the time I slow down and traffic clears for me to turn around, some dirt bag going the other way (who I just waited to let by) jumps out of his pickup truck, throws my pannier into the back, and speeds away. I watched it all from about 125 feet away. I chased with everything I had back up that hill. Another car who'd seen it all caught up behind me. He rolled down his window and I grabbed on to the stranger's car window like it was a team car. Off we sped together in pursuit. Alas, we lost him. At least it wasn't the pannier with my laptop, phone and wallets, but I was out 1/2 a set of panniers, set of clothes and some bike tools. The bag was on the ground maybe 20 seconds at most!