jrzyshawn

Before you all jump on me, I know I should not have left anything of value in the car, but I forgot. I just simply forgot. I inadvertently left a digital camera in the glove box, a closed glove box when I parked the car and when I checked for it in the morning it was gone. .. I notified the Manager who in turn referred me to the Supervisor for the valets. I filled out a claim form with them and received a letter telling me, too bad for you. We are not responsible for items left in the vehicle.

I know this is something I could have avoided, but I just forgot it in the glove box. I am furious that the valets are rifling though guest’s cars and opening the glove box looking for items to pilferage. For what it’s worth, I once dropped my wallet in a rental car in Las Vegas and did not realize it. The valet that parked the car found it and notified the front desk who in turn notified me. This guy could have robbed me like the employees at the Sheraton LAX, but he did not and he was rewarded for his honesty.

So just a heads up for everyone traveling to the Sheraton LAX and valet parking a car with them. BE AWARE. If you accidently leave anything of value in the vehicle, even if it is out of plain sight, they may search the vehicle and steel from the people that help ensure they receive a paycheck. Needless to say, I am don’t giving my business to the Sheraton LAX when I am in L.A. from now on.

Hey Sheraton LAX, I hope that $150 camera was worth all the lost business that myself and my colleagues will now be giving to other hotels when we need to stay at LAX .

karenkay

while i'm sorry this happened to you, i think my reaction to the same scenario would be different. nevertheless, if you feel you'll have better luck at a different property, by all means take your business elsewhere.

KENNECTED

Did you file a police report?
Did you call CS?
Is the parking at the Sheraton LAX outsourced?

jrzyshawn

No police report. I was running late for a meeting and had my flight after that. I do wish I filed a report now. I have a mileage run to the L.A. area soon and will take care of that.

I was waiting to contact CS until I had a police report, although I doubt they will do anything.

Parking is outsourced at the Sheraton LAX.

jrzyshawn

I should have noted that when speaking with the parking manager/supervisor, he indicated this is a common problem they have among their parking staff and was not surprised that it happened. He even seemed to know just which employee parked the vehicle possibly had stolen the item.

3Cforme

20:1 there's a clearly posted sign and/or notice on the parking ticket that the property and parking service aren't responsible for items left. That's the way everywhere in the USA.

jrzyshawn

I am sure there is, but that is no excuse for employees to steel.

TerryK

Sorry to hear about your loss.

This a warning to anyone parking at any hotel valet garages anywhere. @:-) Actually, make it any garages, not just hotel valet garages.

KENNECTED

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrzyshawn

No police report. I was running late for a meeting and had my flight after that. I do wish I filed a report now. I have a mileage run to the L.A. area soon and will take care of that.

I was waiting to contact CS until I had a police report, although I doubt they will do anything.

Parking is outsourced at the Sheraton LAX.

You should call the LAPD and see if there is an alternative way to file a police report.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3Cforme

20:1 there's a clearly posted sign and/or notice on the parking ticket that the property and parking service aren't responsible for items left. That's the way everywhere in the USA.

I mentioned that, so that when jrzyshawn has the police report he can notify the Sheraton LAX and the valet company.

Due to the disclaimer many people just chalk it up to a loss, and don't fill out a police reports or make claims.

I'm sure he wont recover the camera or be reimbursed, but at least this puts both on notice by doing the right thing when you're a victim of a theft.

In addition, if someone is doing research on that company, this information may help them determine if the Sheraton takes these things serious and if that valet company, and it's employees are trust worthy and reliable.

The way I read this it's not the cost of the camera, it's the principal.

This particular Sheraton's reputation/bottom line is now being affected by the actions of one of their contractors.

Fill out the police report, contact customer service, contact both the GM and the owner of the valet service then move on.

jrzyshawn

I will try that later today.

You are absolutely right Cheap Elite.

What annoys me the most is the management of the Sheraton Lax does not seem to care that that have lost a repeat platinum guest.

What annoys me the most is the management of the Sheraton Lax does not seem to care that that have lost a repeat platinum guest.


That’s the plan for now, but I wanted to share my experience with my fellow FT’ers

NotThatTed

Did you buy the camera on a credit card w/ purchase protection? If so, once you file the police report, it's very easy to get the item replaced. I've had it happen twice on a Signature Visa and both times the procedure was very simple - but I also remember there being a time limit within which you had to file the police report.

aktchi

I am sorry it happened to you, but your anger at Sheraton does not seem justified. You should still file a report however because it may help protect others in future.

Someone mentioned a point of principle here, but I have a different take on that. Much as I sympathize with you and hope you learn from this experience, I hope you don't get reimbursed for your loss.

Why? Nobody will admit their error enough to pay you out of their own pocket. It is always easier to look good with other people's money. Thus any reimbursement will come out of some insurance policy somewhere and contribute to increasing everybody's insurance/travel costs.

However, insurance is not meant to and cannot work if it begins rewarding people's own carelessness, which you acknowledge in this case but don't seem want to take any real responsibility for. To do that would mean filing the reports, learning a lesson, and moving on.

Steve M

I think this is the most shocking part of the whole thing. Management knows its going on and actually has an idea of who's doing it, yet does nothing. Why does someone not set up a sting, find who's responsible, and have them put in jail? And while they're at it, make sure the item is worth more than $400 so it's felony theft.

It would be interesting to know what the hotel GM has to say about it. It would not surprise me if his/her response was that the parking was outsourced and therefore out of their control. Never buy that load of crap from a hotel about something being outsourced (parking, vending machines, etc). Unless they are to have you believe that the outside contractor has some sort of easement onto the hotel property, they're there only because the hotel has chosen them to be there.

lerasp

i disagree. carelessness is leaving your camera on the bus or on a bench in a park - in the open in a public place. closed glovebox inside a car is not a public place. outright theft from a closed glovebox should be punished. Would you say the same thing is his camera got stolen from a hotel room? It's no different. The employee who stole it should be punished and hotel/parking service should reimburse for it however it sees fit. If I was the insurance company, i wouldn't pay for it.
and even though there is a sign that say they are not responsible, and legally there's probably nothing the OP can do, the right thing for a quality hotel to do would be to reimburse and be embarrassed that it has employees who steal.

mahasamatman

Only if there's interest...

(I assume you mean principle, not principal.)