Disney break-ins, burglaries, & thefts?

[miss missy]

2 years ago our van was broken into at MGM.... Avery pricy laptop was taken . We did not know it but all of my hidden C cards had been scanned!! Fraud People at our bank caught them but not untill they took over $4700. Thank goodness for protection that banks give. We had to change everything...It took 3 months to clear it up.

what do you mean hidden C cards?

 

[KeepSwimming]

I worked at a casino hotel for YEARS and can say confidently that the front desk safe covers you completely for losses. And yes, we do value and identify the item before we take it into our safe. We accepted items every day....everything from jewelry to cash to minks to electronic equipment and we never had one problem with loss or damage.

I had a cowboy mosey into my office one night. He was wearing a flannel shirt and a pair of Levi's. He asked me to put some of his "spending money" in my safe for him. Turns out he had a cigar box with $32,000 in it!!! Of course we called in several security officers and hotel execs to witness the transaction. It was extremely unnerving for me at the time.

I found out later that the gentleman was a millionaire from Arizona. He'd been rolling in it all his life, but still drives a pick up truck and plays the quarter slots. My kind of cowboy.....

 

[debabe723]

When you put your valuables in a safe deposit box at the front desk, there are 2 keys. The front desk keeps one, you keep the other (just like in a bank). The front desk has no idea what you put in the box (just like a bank). I usually put my plane tickets, passport and travelers checks in them (not of much value to anyone but me). If you lose your key, a locksmith is called and you pay for the box to be opened. The front desk has absolutely no access to the box without that 2nd key. I've never known a hotel safe deposit box to be broken into (though I am sure it has happened, just not very common).

 

[k5thbeatle]

I beg your pardon? You obviously don't know what assuming does, because you shouldn't assume that I haven't stayed at deluxe or 5-star hotels. I most certainly have- I've just never used the front desk safe because I don't see HOW they could be covered for the loss. As I said in my previous post- unless they document every item you are putting in their safe and sign that it was received... not just that 'something' was received... I could see them fighting it if you say your diamond necklace has disappeared (for example only). It would be very easy for them to say we have no proof that there WAS a diamond necklace in the bag you had us put in the front desk safe- things like that.
I asked if they do that (document everything they are putting in there so they would be liable for everything), because I've never USED the front desk safe. I just have never liked the idea of them KNOWING what I'm putting in there.

A room safe shouldn't be stolen from- unless there is clear signs of breaking/entering in the ROOM and breaking the lock on the safe. Short of that- it's an employee issue, period.
And please stop assuming things... what you think I 'obviously' have and haven't done. geesh

See posts above for explanation as to how this usually works.

 

[newchic99]

Does anybody remember the story of the family, (I believe they were from overseas somewhere because part of the discussion centered on it possibly being a cultural thing for them to have carried so much cash) last year or so, where they were staying in one of the deluxes, and they said that they had been robbed from their room safe of THOUSANDSof dollars in cash and lots of expensive jewelry? I think there were some details like a record of an employee going in the room and some proof that the safe had been tampered with, and they had their key on them, but everything was gone and the talk here was that Disney was going to have to pay. I just don't remember all the details. The funny thing is that I had JUST been wondering about what ever happened with that case YESTERDAY, and today I just now read this thread about a similar topic. So does anyone remember this and know what ever came of the situation?

Oh, I remember that. It was right before our trip last year. I wonder what became of it.

 

[miss missy]

I had a cowboy mosey into my office one night. He was wearing a flannel shirt and a pair of Levi's. He asked me to put some of his "spending money" in my safe for him. Turns out he had a cigar box with $32,000 in it!!! Of course we called in several security officers and hotel execs to witness the transaction. It was extremely unnerving for me at the time.

I found out later that the gentleman was a millionaire from Arizona. He'd been rolling in it all his life, but still drives a pick up truck and plays the quarter slots. My kind of cowboy.....

This is how I picture a true Millionaire! This man owes no debt, I assure you!

 

[Minky]

On our last trip we got on the monorail leaving the MK, and someone had left a big heavy purse in the monorail, we didnt look inside so I dont know what was in it, but DH ran it over to a CM on the exiting side of the monorail to see if they could find whoever left it, I really hope they got it

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Maybe. But do you have to sign papers saying they aren't responsible? And if not, do you sign papers stating exactly what you're putting in there AND have the employee also go through everything and sign off that yes, indeed you are putting those items in there? Otherwise they'd have no proof you put items in there that you're now saying are missing.

Some resort's do give you a key, and are set up much like a bank's safety deposit box, but all resort's will at least give you a receipt of the goods that you have left in the hotel safe, to protect the resort from liability and the guest from theft.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Shah.

Now you've REALLY dated yourself.

Again.

Ohhh...O.K. I see how it is now!!! Picking on your elders! You should be ashamed, you little whippersnapper!!

Edited to add: Wait, I don't think that you're allowed by law to use the word "whippersnapper" while still in your 30's!

 

[jann1033]

we've never had problems but i guess it happens everywhere..I do think wdw security is pretty tight though as once i was alone and waiting for my husband out by the Swan pool and i couldn't have been there more than a min. when a security guy pulled up in his cart( scared the snikey out of me) and just kind of casually asked me what i was doing then he hung around kind of a distance away till my husband came back. i was ( foolishly on my part) the only one out there after dark and i 'm not sure if he was protecting me or suspicious of me but i felt kind of good knowing they were that up on who is where.

 

[CheshireVal]

How can they break in a room with those big lock things that secure you from inside?

In the early days, hotel rooms weren't quite so secure.

 

[LaraK]

Theft is a crime of opportunity mostly. I wonder how many times we have all wandered around in a euphoric daze gazing at our favorate sites at WDW and forgotten to keep a close watch on our bags etc... (Heck, I figure I'm ahead if I keep a watch on my KIDS).

Living on the East Coast, theft (from offices, homes, cars, etc...) is considered a normal part of life. If it's not a home invasion or a carjacking, you're doing well. I figure Orlando gets a little bit of everything from across the country. Mostly good, honest people who return purses and wallets. A few people who will take if the opportunity presents itself. And a small number of bad people who are out to victimize those who are ripe for the picking.

Now, before anyone gets offended or upset, I do not think it is the victim's fault when a theft occurs, but I do think that with the massive number of people traveling to Disney every day you will always have some break-ins, burglaries and thefts. Some will be from other patrons and some will be from staff.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Ohhh...O.K. I see how it is now!!! Picking on your elders! You should be ashamed, you little whippersnapper!!

Edited to add: Wait, I don't think that you're allowed by law to use the word "whippersnapper" while still in your 30's!

Don't you feel even older now.

I'm 30.

In 4 years.



I'm sorry. I'm REALLY done now, and I'll leave you folks to your discussion of theft in hotels.

 

[3mickeys&me]

Wow, We have never had any problems. Scary.

Sorry to all those who have had stuff stolen

 

[canucktyke]

Strange to hear about all these cars being broken into. On the first evening of our last trip (went to CBR), I was trying out all the bells and whistle's on the fancy rental car. I swear that not more than 60 seconds later a security vehicle pulled up and asked me if there was a problem. They were very nice about the goofy tourist playing with the vehicle, but they had obviously been watching me very closely. Not a chance of anything being stolen from that lot on that night!

 

[kfeuer]

In 2003 our group (which included myself, DH, 2 DS then 2.5 and 6 months, and my MIL/FIL) was going to dinner at Le Cellier. I had my hands full with the baby and somehow I left my small purse hanging off the stroller. I realized I didn't have it about 20 minutes into dinner, but it was too late. It ruined the rest of the evening as we tried to track it down, and it wasn't any fun having to spend part of our vacation time filing a police report. I just feel lucky that there was no attempted identity theft since they had my ID and credit/debit cards. They also got $100 in cash, but what really ticked me off is they got $50 in Rainforest Cafe certificates that I'd spent months earning from Mypoints (anyone who does this program will understand). They also got a $25 Cracker Barrel gift card I'd earned from another rewards program. I hope whoever took it gets what they deserve

On our last trip I got a purse that went across my shoulder and I kept it on me at all times. It stinks to have to be so cautious at DW, but like any other place bad stuff can and does happen. Protect yourself!!!

 

[MHTeacher]

I didn't exactly have anything stolen, but it was a very strange experience. In July, 2003, we were waiting at the bus stop at CSR to go to Downtown Disney. It was our check-out day, and we had a flight that evening. After we were on the bus heading to DD, my DH asked me for the camera. Well, I had left it at the bus stop. It had pictures of our dinner at Chef Mickey's from the previous night. My DH called the resort on his cell and told them the situation. They told us they would send someone to check on it. When we came back to the resort to gather our luggage to head to the airport, we checked about it at guest services. We were told that a man had reported finding it, but he was going to take it home with him , and IF anyone inquired about it, he left his name and number. Well that was on Sat., July 12. We called him on the next Monday, July14. He told us he would send it to us. We called back in mid-August. His wife told me how busy they were and they had gotten a box to send it , but just hadn't gotten around to it !! I finally got my camera near the first of Sept. I guess I should just be thankful I got it before my next trip to WDW.

1980's-Off site
May 2001-All Star Sports
July 2003-CSR
Nov./Dec. 2005-Wilderness Lodge 48 DAYS !

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Never had any problems like that in WDW.

 

[Missy1961]

Mine happened at Disneyland 10 years ago. My nephew was wearing a baseball cap that was a bit too small, so it fell off. Some older kids must have found it. My SIL saw them with it, but when I asked them about it, they claimed they didn't have it. We checked lost & found, but they hadn't turned it in. It was a kid's cap, so there was no way it fit them. Not an easy thing to explain to a 4 yr old.

 

[vetrik]

We didn't have anything stolen, but I did have a situation on our trip in Sep. where I felt lucky that nothing happened. We were staying at Pop Century, and when we arrived using Magical Express, we checked in and went to our room and then headed straight out to Epcot. We didn't come back to the room until 9 or so that night. Our luggage was in the room, but whoever delivered it had left the metal lock from inside across the door jam (I know some people do this when they're carrying things in and out so it won't close and lock), so our room had been sitting totally open and unlocked from whenever our luggage was delivered. I was so glad that our room was on the 4th floor, in an out of the way location, because someone could have just opened the door, walked in, and taken all of our luggage and carryons at any point during the day (fortunately we had most of our valuables with us).