Stolen jacket - Page 8

NYC Susan · ‎03-13-2010

@KYToby wrote:
I would not go online and leave a review or account of the situation because you are esentially accusing someone of theft without having any proof.

While it is an unfortunate situation, there is absolutely no evidence that the valet took it. In fact, you only have a suspicion because your son remembers putting it in the back seat -- the same son who forgot about the jacket and did not notice it missing for a while.

The human memory is far from perfect, and he could have left the jacket elsewhere. I think to accuse the restaurant or valet service of theft is, at minimum, unfair. I think this is a lesson learned, but it in no way justifies accusations which, if posted, could be considered libel.

I was just about to post the same thing.

My son owns a restaurant, and there have been countless times when people have called and said they accidentally left a coat or umbrella or some other item there - only to call back and say, "Never mind. I found it." It happens all the time.

Two years ago, my necklace fell off at my birthday dinner at a restaurant, and I didn't realize until I got home. I called the next day, and they had found it. When I picked it up, the maitre d told me the same thing that I hear from my son. He said he was surprised when they actually found my necklace, because they get simliar calls on a regular basis, followed by the people calling back and saying, "Thanks, anyway. You can stop looking. I could have sworn I had it with me there, but I just found it."

The OP's son may very well have left his jacket in the car. But he also may not have. I would be really careful about pointing a finger or writing a review because someone's job/reputation could be on the line for something he did not do. It's common to re-trace our steps when something is missing and it's easy to jump to conclusions, but it's also possible to be wrong about exactly where we left it or saw it last.

NYC Susan · ‎03-13-2010

@lulu2 wrote:
@pommom wrote:
My DS met some friends for dinner and used valet parking. Earlier in the day he had placed his London Fog windbreaker on the back seat of his car.

It wasn't until New Year's Day when he went looking for it and remembered he had left it in the car that he discovered it was gone.

He called the establishment he visited the evening before and spoke with the manager who then gave him the valet service owner's name and number. He talked to the owner and the owner told him that he could not take responsibility for the missing jacket. Asked DS for the name of the valet parker and, of course, my son didn't know it. The restaurant is reputable and upscale, family owned. So, it isn't in a sleazy part of town - quite the contrary.

Bottom line: it's gone forever.

Has this ever happened to you?

Not a jacket but I keep about $25 in the console in my car. Maybe it's a coincidence but after using valet parking, all the bills were gone. (I realized the next day)

I now notice signs stating the establishment is not responsible for items left in the car. It's a no win situation. Moving valuables to the trunk does no good when the establishment has your keys.

My valet key does not open my trunk. I can't remember the last time I had a car that didn't have a separate valet key.

I haven't read all the replies here yet, so I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but a valet should only be given a valet key to your car. Not your regular car keys, and not your house keys or your mailbox keys or anything else. One key, that's all they need.

NYC Susan · ‎03-13-2010

@kivah wrote:
Chances are very good that things will be stolen when left in ur car when using valet service - or when bringing ur car in for repair - or car wash. I've known this for 30 yrs. Many years ago, I had my car towed for repair and I left all my tapes in a holder in my car - and when I picked up my car, they were gone. It was probably the tow truck driver - or someone at the repair shop. I learned a lesson.
On one of the tv shows, they had people leave cars with valets at fancy nightclubs in Miami Beach. Cameras were set up - and almost every time, u could see the valet guy rifling thru the glove compartment, or console looking for money and whatevery else they could find. I just traded in my "old" Honda for a 2012 Honda Civic. In my "old" Honda, I had a separate key where I locked my glove compartment and trunk. I locked it anytime someone else was going to need access to my car, ie, when I took it in for service at the Honda dealer. My newer Honda doesn't have that feature - so I'll have to remove everything from the glove compartment (all my paperwork) and trunk.
Hope u and ur son learn from this --- many people are thieves!!!!!!

I disagree that chances are "very good". The vast majority of cars that are valet-parked do not have anything taken. Same for car washes, etc.

Does it happen? Sure. But overwhelmingly most of the time it does not. Obviously it can and does happen, and we should be aware of that, but it's really overstating it to say that chances are "very good".

missy1 · ‎03-10-2010

@Sister Golden Hair wrote:
We have a single key that we use when valet parking.

Most of the time when we travel, we use our truck that has a camper shell.

The camper shell has special keys.

You should never give all your keys to a valet driver.

Most of the time, they are honest but if not, they have keys to your home.

On our single key, we have our name and the year, color of the truck.

Any place that I get my car serviced, I give them only the car key.

NYC Susan · ‎03-13-2010

@DiAnne wrote:
I LOVE valet parking and use it whenever it is available. I have a valet key but never use it. I don't normally leaves valuables in my car but I have never had any problems with valets, car washes or having car serviced. This thread is a very sad comment on today's youth evidently.

Thank you for posting this! I thought I was the only one here with that experience!

Nearly all of my friends and family drive, but I've never heard any of them say anything about having items stolen from their cars at these places. And we all live in different parts of the country, so I'm not referring to just one area. I leave things in my car all the time (nothing super-valuable), and I've never had a problem.

sunala · ‎03-09-2010

I once stayed at a large casino hotel with Mr. Sunny and when we were checking out, I realized I left my jacket hanging in the closet in our room. I went back upstairs about 15 minutes later to look for it, and you won't believe what I saw. The housekeeper was vacuuming our room, wearing my jacket!

It wasn't a very expensive jacket, but it was really nice, and one of my favorites. I said, "Excuse me, that's MY jacket!" I scared the hell out of her, as she had no idea I was in the room. She turned 10 shades of red, took it off and handed it to me.

I should have reported her but something inside told me to just let it go, and hope that she learned her lesson.

"That's a great first pancake."
Lady Gaga, to Tony Bennett

brii · ‎06-20-2010

I never hang my coat up at the dentist. Most dental/doctor offices have a hook on the back of the door. That's what I do.

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

I use a valet keyRING ..... two rings that come apart with the ignition key on one ring and my trunk and house keys on the other ring. When I turn my car over to a valet or car wash person, they get only the ignition key.

BTW ........ one of our local consumer watchdog reporters did an "undercover report" on car washes and valet services. The car used had a few hidden cameras and a bunch of coins, and a few $10 bills were inside the car, and something valuable was also placed in both the glove compartment and trunk.

While there were a few completely honest people, more often than not, people took at least the loose coins, if not more!

The moral of the story is ..... use your common sense and don't leave valuables laying around .... anywhere.