A Maple Ridge resident, who was hoping to publish his first novel this summer, has lost not only his first finished book but others, after his laptop was stolen.
He is offering a $5,000 reward to get the computer back.
“It’s 15 years of my life, my memories are on that computer,” said Stephen Talbot, a roofing contractor by day, who started writing about his life when he gave up a lifestyle of alcohol and drugs and became sober.
He had the only copy of two finished books on the computer, in addition to seven others that were on the go. He was hoping to have the first one published by the summer of this year.
His first book called Through a Father’s Eyes, a story about his childhood and about raising his own five daughters as a single father, and his second book called Lords of the Underworld, a story about his own father who had ties to the Montreal mafia, and how his own actions, at one point, cost him his family, his house and his business, were both on the computer – more than 1,400 pages combined.
Talbot left the HP laptop in a locked briefcase on the floor of his work van between the seats with a white sweater thrown on top.
He admits he left the doors unlocked, because he has always left his van unlocked, with no consequences.
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“I got complacent,” he admitted.
He believes the computer was possibly stolen sometime on Tuesday, as he was out doing errands around town – at Canadian Tire, Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs, Rona, and Tim Hortons.
The laptop is very distinctive, explained Talbot, noting that it’s red, with his business logo, airbrushed right onto the top of the computer.
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If anyone comes across the laptop and returns it to Talbot with the memory still intact, including his saved books, he will pay the $5,000 reward.
“I just want my laptop back,” he said, adding the experience almost feels like someone ripped out his heart.
“I am absolutely devastated.”
Anyone with information can contact Talbot at askaprorro@gmail.com or the Ridge Meadows RCMP at 604-463-6251, citing police file #24-3359.