comma before 'or' [conjunction]: steal my jewelries, or my laptop

[film4reel]

I think he was trying to steal my jewelries, or my laptop.

I think he was trying to steal my jewelries or my laptop.

I would say that in #1 "or my laptop" is unnecessary and was added as perhaps another alternative possibility. While in #2 "or my laptop" is an as likely possibility as "my jewelries".

Am I right?

 

[Toadie]

To my ears, they have the same connotation. The first sentence just sounds like you were pausing to think or something.

I'd like to see some other people's input as well.

 

[Aardvark01]

I think he was trying to steal my jewelry, or my laptop.

I think he was trying to steal my jewelry or my laptop.

I would say that in #1 "or my laptop" is unnecessary and was added as perhaps another alternative possibility. While in #2 "or my laptop" is an as likely possibility as "my jewelries".

Am I right?

Note that 'jewlery' is an uncountable noun so does not have a plural form.

I agree that the pause in speech after jewelry in #1 makes the addition of 'or my laptop' sound like an afterthought. However I think the same sense is conveyed in writing without it. The uncertainty can be emphasised thus:
...trying to steal my jewelry or maybe my laptop.

 

[Forero]

Or tells us we are dealing with alternatives. The comma imitates speech, suggesting that I thought of my jewelry (non-count noun) first and then realized the laptop was also a likely possibility. Without the comma, I am saying that I have decided there are no other likely possibilities.

Jewelry is the U.S. spelling. I seem to remember it's spelled jewellery in Canada and Great Britain.