<p>I would ask the roommate to help pay for a replacement, but not expect it to happen. Yes, the roommate is the proximate cause of the problem, but the OP did give in to her. However, I don’t really see this as being substantially different than if the roommate had been in the room and left to sit in the lounge, leaving the room unlocked - in fact as others have pointed out, it is possible whoever took the laptop was aware the room was unlocked.</p>
<p>I would report to the local police as well as the campus authorities - $1000 was stolen, not a petty theft. They might also have some ideas on how to track down the laptop - presumably it has a network card that the thief is not likely to remove or disable. That network card has an identifiable MAC address, and it might be possible to trace when someone logs onto the campus network with your laptop (and even who is doing so).</p>
<p>While I don’t generally subscribe to conspiracy theories, it is also possible that it was taken by one of those young women in the lounge, and the rest of the group covered for her - that would explain their report of a mysterious young man in the dorm wandering around, and why they didn’t report him.</p>
<p>Most crime on campuses is opportunistic in nature - someone leaves their belongings unattended, or their room unlocked. This roommate is naive to think you can simply leave the room unlocked. Perhaps she would feel different if he own belongings went missing.</p>
<p>Yup, I know. I agree, the world is full of jerks (her inconsiderate roommate being one of them). Just because “this is how the world works” doesn’t make it right, the roommate SHOULD help pay for the laptop. It probably won’t happen, but I still wanted to give my opinion to the OP.</p>
<p>^No, the problem is there are too many people who refuse to take responsibility for their own failures/shortcomings/problems, and too many enablers telling them that’s an acceptable attitude. It’s always “somebody else’s fault” and you shouldn’t have to face any consequences for your own poor decisions. Give me a break. Time to put on the adult pants and take responsibility for your own actions.</p>
<p>I’m sorry but I completely disagree. How about the roommate’s responsibility in all of this? The same statement could be said about her. They both made a mistake, so they should both pay for the laptop.</p>
<p>Why wouldn’t the room-mate contribute. She is already wrong by not offering at least half of the cost for a new laptop voluntarily. Why would you even have to ask? Typical American inconsideration. Losses are always other people’s fault. I bet if a person would let a great laptop there as a present but in anonymity. The stingy roommate would also grab it for herself. Mine mine mine, screw everybody else.</p>
<p>The issue is not a legal one. US laws like to supports greedy people, it’s a moralistic one. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS (asking to let the door unlocked is a stupid request that deserves punishment anyway). Give your damn share and move out, hopefully with some learning experience. </p>
<p>Sorry for the guy who has to live with such selfish person. Get a new roommate and don’t listen to Americans ever again.</p>
<p>This is the same thing people say about folks on Welfare: “take responsibility for your own failures blah blah blah”. It just makes no sense if you have any critical thinking skills.</p>
<p>What mistake did the roommate make? Did the roommate leave the door unlocked? NO!!! The roommate bears no responsibility for the OP’s poor decision. The OP DID NOT have to leave the door unlocked, they CHOSE to leave it unlocked. How can you possibly think the roommate (moronic as their attitude may be) be responsible? Did they somehow force the OP to leave the door unlocked? Get serious.</p>
<p>The roommate has absolutely no responsibility for paying for any of the laptop since it was the OP who left the door unlocked. She (the roommate) owes NOTHING.</p>
<p>^ No, YOU are wrong. The OP made a conscious decision to leave the door unlocked. The fact that her roommate asked for her to leave it unlocked really doesn’t matter since the OP didn’t have to honor the request.</p>
<p>The roommate ASKED her as a favor to leave the door open, and the OP agreed. That was a mistake, but the roommate still influenced the door being unlocked by ASKING FOR THE FAVOR. How can you not see that??? This is so typical, people don’t consider any social factors/influences on others behavior, think that everyone makes rational choices and have absolute free will, but they DON’T. The bottom line is, if it hadn’t been for the roommate asking to leave the door unlocked, OP would have locked it and no theft would have happened. I don’t know how much clearer this can get.</p>
<p>It’s common sense to lock your door at night and when you’re out. Everyone saying that the OP should have locked the door is exhibiting common sense.</p>
<p>Hmm this is a very interesting thread. If I was the other roommate, I will contribute to it because to some extent, it is my fault that the door was open. You were doing me a favor and it costed you your laptop. However, you shouldn’t expect some money fron her because she clearly is irresponsible. My advice is to get another roommate who actually respects you because it is pretty clear that she doesnt.</p>
<p>Sweet!! If I get a speeding ticket on the way to or from work my boss should have to pay part of it. Since I wouldn’t have been ticketed if they hadn’t made me go to work, they’re partly responsible. I love this new paradigm!!</p>
<p>Not when it’s not your fault. If the roommate had left the door unlocked, THEN she should help pay for a replacement, but since she didn’t, and the OP did, it’s the responsibility of the OP to replace the laptop on her own.</p>
<p>Because this is the result of entitled students who have never been the victim of a crime learning basic street smarts the hard way. They can’t accept that they had it coming.</p>
<p>I don’t know why this is still up for debate. The OP already stated that the roommate said she will not give her money, and yet the OP is asking if she should ask her roommate for money? Chances are that the girl doesn’t have the money even if she wanted to give her a couple hundred towards it (half the price, or whatever the OP was asking for), and it’s unlikely the girl’s parents would give it to her. </p>
<p>I still agree that the roommate owes nothing and should have just been locked out of her room to prevent this whole problem. But, since the roommate will not give money, the OP is wasting time trying to figure out how to get it from her, unless she chose to steal it and is looking for justification. Otherwise, what will she do, show her roommie CC and tally up which position wins out and then persuade the girl with peer pressure? </p>
<p>Now people are referring to opinions as stupidity - I’m surprised this thread wasn’t closed yet. It is all a matter of personal moral obligations, which are…personal. Personally, I would not feel obligated as the roommate to pay for half of the laptop. I also would not have felt it necessary to get upset with my roommie if she chose to lock me out of the room and I would try to remember my keys from then on. These are all just lessons (hopefully) learned.</p>