Not to be rude, but you let your passport in a laptop bag with an actual laptop inside in plain sight in a mall parking lot because it would be just a couple minutes?
You're not at fault here, the thieves are, of course. Stealing sucks, and they probably did not care about your passport at all, but still...
I've done the same in the past, leaving my passport and stuff in the car in places I thought were safe. I got lucky so far, but I'll try to remember I was just lucky and be more careful in the future. Thanks for sharing.
I worked for an audit firm at the time, and the 'security guidelines' at the time were "leave your laptop in the boot where it is not visible".
As I had just come from work and was going to an embassy, I had printed everything I needed and kept it conveniently together. It wasn't programmed into me to walk around with valuables at shopping centres where they could get stolen there, and I wouldn't have thought to keep the passport in my pocket separated from everything else.
I also think because the laptops had multiple layers of security, and had relatively low replacement values, merely checking that the boot and doors are locked felt sufficient.
I learnt a lesson though, I no longer keep valuables in the car. I even have the boot cover thing removed so people can see that there's nothing in there.
You're not at fault here, the thieves are, of course. Stealing sucks, and they probably did not care about your passport at all, but still...
I've done the same in the past, leaving my passport and stuff in the car in places I thought were safe. I got lucky so far, but I'll try to remember I was just lucky and be more careful in the future. Thanks for sharing.