I accidentally left my receipt at the self-checkout machine. A woman rushed over, handing it to me with a warm smile. “You dropped this,” she said softly.

I thanked her and left, thinking nothing of it. When I got home and began unpacking my groceries, I noticed something odd. Scrawled on the back of the receipt in hurried handwriting were the words:

“Check your car trunk.”

My heart pounded.

I froze for a moment, unsure what to do, then grabbed my phone and a flashlight before heading outside. As I cautiously opened the trunk, my breath caught. Nestled among the grocery bags was a small black backpack I had never seen before.

Fear rushed through me. I stepped back and immediately called the police. When they arrived, they carefully inspected the bag.

Inside, they found stolen jewelry and personal IDs belonging to several people. The officer explained that a theft ring had been targeting shoppers, using public parking lots to hide stolen goods in unsuspecting people’s cars. That mysterious woman had likely spotted someone slipping the bag into my trunk and used the receipt as a discreet way to warn me.

Because of her quick thinking, the police were able to track down the group and return the stolen items to their rightful owners. I never saw the woman again, but every time I shop now, I stay extra alert—and I always check the back of my receipts.