Sure enough, the mother of two and computer programs designer, logged onto eBay and found the stolen items for sale. "I was shocked and almost in tears," she told the Washington Post about finding her inscribed iPod. "I was like, 'That's mine! That's mine!' I was just floored. When I found it (the iPod), I clicked on 'see seller's other items,' and when I scrolled through, lo and behold, there was my [laptop]."
Todd, who is an IT specialist at the U.S. Census Bureau, tracked the stolen items to a Maryland sports memorabilia dealer, who said when he bought the items from a Sierra Leone national, he didn't know they were stolen. The burglar was arrested earlier this month and has been languishing in jail.
As for Karen Todd, she is getting her stolen items returned and a $100 Best Buy gift certificate to boot, to be presented by the Bowie police department to honor her public spirit and help in putting a burglar out of commission. The Bowie City Council is planning to honor her with a special commendation.