I hate thieves(rant)

[Bella the Ball 360]

My son went to the prom last night. Before telling us about his night he took off his tux, and hung it up in the garment bag. He was particularly happy b/c they had gotten a silver key chain as a memento. He also had 55.00 in cash which he had taken with him just in case. This morning my huband not realizing that the money and key chain were in the pants of the tux, took it to the cleaners while my son was still asleep. Now why my husband did not check the pockets is beyond me. My son woke, and wanted to know where his tux was. I told him and he was very upset...he told me what was in the pockets. I had seen him replace the key chain when he got home last night. Immediately we called the cleaner and ....well you know what the reply was no money and no key chain. I know this is a bunch of garbage!! I called myself hoping to give them a second chance I even asked if they could check the pockets again since it was the money my son had saved and the key chain from his prom.

They said the pockets were empty. I am so ticked off I would like to go and just take the clothes and not let them clean them. I intened to let them know in no uncertain terms when I pick up the items what I think of their honesty policy and I will tell every person I know not to go to them.

Just for a point of clarification I know the money and key chain were there I saw my son put them in last night and then he went to bed and did not get up until the suit was gone. There was no way the items could have fallen out...they were in a garment bag AND I checked everywhere just to be sure before I made a scene.

I just cannot believe that someone can be so dishonest. This is a really good and honest kid who would never do anything illegal. I guess it will be a lesson for him that people are dishonest and sadly you always need to be on your guard.

 

[alliecats]

Disgusting.

 

[EthansMom]

Did you talk to the manager? It's possible that you talked to the same person/people who took the money.

I recently had my wedding band go "missing" out of my jewelry box about the same time that I had several family members over for a get-together.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Unfortunately it is not a chain but one of those mom and pop places. My husband is a fairly good customer too. There was only one person in the store all day. The thing is it is cash BUT when you see a key chain mixed with the cash that says .."Reach for the Stars Class of 2006" in a tux pocket, you do not need to be a brain surgeon to figure the tux belonged to a high school senior.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Did you talk to the manager? It's possible that you talked to the same person/people who took the money.

I recently had my wedding band go "missing" out of my jewelry box about the same time that I had several family members over for a get-together.

Wow that is much worse than this situation. It is bad enough that a stranger is dishonest and has no conscience but a family member...that must be a really horrible feeling.

 

[snappy]

I can relate. DS leaves his CD collection in his car. He says he always locks it at school so we are pretty sure it was stolen when he was parked in our driveway. He has been collecting CD's for 3-4 years. He just can't comprehend why someone would do this. I treied to explain that everyone is not as honest as he is.

 

[Froggyswife]

I left my purse once at a theater when the movie was over I went to the bathroom realized I had left it went right back in and it was gone. Went to the manager he got the fellow that cleaned the place and he said he didn't see it. I was the last person out of the theater when it was over. Luckily I had no money in it I had for some reason given it to my husband before we went in. I guess it was a little bit of intuition going on that night. I wanted it back because it had my drivers license and everything in it (no credit cards this was a long time ago when cash was the major form of payment lol)

 

[disneymom3]

Oh that is really sad. I wonder if this is something you can complain to the BBB or Chamber of Commerce about? If it has happened to you, you could certainly be happening to others.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

I know a theft is a theft but somehow it just seems even more reprehensible when an older person or a young hard working teen is taken advantage of. However, I had my wallet stolen at work once. It was a very sickening feeling since I worked in a grocery store and I put it in the desk out back.the only people who had access were one of the 4 people with whom I worked. I had some cash but the worst thing to lose is a drivers liscence and credit cards. I gotta hope that there really is such a thing as Karma and what goes around comes around. I could NEVER feel comfortable using money or valuables that i had even found I cannot fathom how people could take things and feel comfortable using them. I guess that is why I am one of those people who NEVER finds anything. I think subconsciously I do not want to.

 

[sha_lyn]

When I worked for a drycleaners it never even entered my mind to keep something that was left in a pocket. We would make a note on the ticket and either put the item under the counter, in a bag stapled to the ticket or in the safe if was valuable etc. We even had a police detective leave his sheild in a suit pocket one time.

Is there any chance your DS could contact the prom comittee and see if there were any keychains left? That won't take the sting of the theft away, but at least he would have a keychain from the prom.

 

[JESW]

So sorry that this happened to your son...

Years ago I knew a woman who worked at a dry cleaners and she BRAGGED about all the money and items she found in people's pockets...she said she would never turn in anything she found...

If I were you I would be going back to that place and explaining how you KNEW that they were in the pocket and you would give that person one more chance to come clean...

Jill

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

So sorry that this happened to your son...

Years ago I knew a woman who worked at a dry cleaners and she BRAGGED about all the money and items she found in people's pockets...she said she would never turn in anything she found...

If I were you I would be going back to that place and explaining how you KNEW that they were in the pocket and you would give that person one more chance to come clean...

Jill

I noticed you live in Ma....me too would this place you speak of happen to be in Medford?

 

[JESW]

no, the woman was a long-time-ago penpal who lived in CA.

I really hope your son can get his things back...

Jill

 

[RUDisney]

A good friend of ours owns a mom & pop chain of dry cleaners. He would be beside himself if he knew, from a good customer, that something went missing from clothing left to be cleaned. My DH has never lost anything that he's left in his pockets.

While dry cleaning staff make little money and work like dogs, that doesn't give them the right to steal from the pockets of others.

Try to find out who the owner of the cleaners is and discuss this with that person. It may be that you'll get your items back. It may be that the person who is dishonest will lose their job, and hence, not have the availability of pocketed items any longer, if this has been a trend that the ower is aware.

 

[EthansMom]

Wow that is much worse than this situation. It is bad enough that a stranger is dishonest and has no conscience but a family member...that must be a really horrible feeling.

In the case of my wedding band, DH has two half brothers who are working on recovering from drug addiction. I suspect that one of them may have taken it. But since I don't wear the ring much (it is too loose in the winter), I had put it in my jewelry box. I know I'd seen the ring in the box a couple weeks before the party and found that it was missing a couple weeks after the party. Luckily, none of my other good jewelry was in the jewelry box -- I had put everything else in our lockbox when we had people in the house previously. Any my band wasn't worth much $$$ wise and is easily replaceable.

It wasn't worth making any accusations over. I knew I'd never get my ring back. But I did call the other women in the family to let them know that my ring had gone missing about the same time as the party and that they should be careful about leaving their jewelry out. Basically, you're better safe than sorry. My SIL told me, "Well, I don't think anyone stole your ring. I leave my diamond rings out all the time and the boys (the half brothers) haven't taken them. And my rings are worth much more than yours. Jeez, someone would only get $25 for your wedding band if they pawned it." Believe it or not, my SIL's comments chapped my hide at least as much as having my ring go missing. I told SIL that I didn't say anyone stole my ring, just that it went missing and that I was letting others know that they should be careful with their belongings.

At any rate, I won't be having any family gatherings until DH puts a lock on my bedroom door. And actually, at the same party, someone broke the towel rack in our newly-remodeled bathroom and didn't bother to mention it to us, so maybe we won't be entertaining for quite some time.......

I hope your son gets his money and keyring back. I would call back on Monday and ask to talk to the owner. In all likelihood, the person who worked this weekend is not the owner and, if not, the owner should know that someone is stealing from him. If the owner does nothing, tell all your friends about the problem and take your business elsewhere.

I agree with the poster that your son should ask the Prom coordinators if there are any extra keychains. They probably had a few extras.

Good Luck!

 

[PixieDustTink]

You know what I would be tempted to do?? I would file a police report and tell them the whole thing, how you know it couldn't have gone missing any other way etc..now this might not get your things back for your son BUT a little friendly visit from the police might just let these people know that not all customers are going to accept their "honesty policy" so easily in the future. Who knows what else they have taken!!

You know something about thieves just ticks me off! We had a man who worked with us for over two years. Seemed like a really nice, funny and charming person. He said he had two boys with his ex and they would visit him in the summers etc...though he didn't participate in company events much we just thought he was kind of "shy" since he was quite a mr "nice guy" around work.

Weeeel sir, one day he came in alll upset and told us his youngest boy had cancer and he was being pressured by the hospital for treatments etc. We set up a huge fund drive and .......guess what? We had given him thousands of dollars around six thousand....come to find out after he had quit with us about a year and a half later....there was NO kid at ALL! You just never do know in this world what people will do. We all felt just totally taken, emotionally, financially and in every other way. I don't know if they ever got this guy for this either as I no longer have contact with these people. I don't live in that area any more..but, maybe that's why I have NO patience with people who take things these days that don't belong to them.

Call the police...sure you can call the school and maybe get a replacement for the keyring but, I still wouldn't put up with that cleaners practically daring you to do anything about it and lying to you AFTER they stole these things! I don't blame you for being upset!! I'm sorry this happened to you!!

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

PixieDustTink....I am going to do something. I think that man you spoke of will in some way get paid back. I have to belive it.

 

[DISUNC]

Bella,

I am sorry for your sons loss! $55 is replacable, but the key ring isn't!

Anyway.........Have you doubled check your husbands car, retrace his steps, on the lawn, on the rug in your sons room....MAYBE...the $ and the keychain fell out somewhere along the way.
I know that plenty of time I had dropped off things at the cleaners, and when I picked them up there was $ laying on the backseat of my car, Yes even keys I was going crazy looking for. They were all in the pants pockets or inside jacket pockets.

Maybe the dry cleaner isn't lying!

 

[m&m's mom]

Interesting timing on this thread.
We just got home from celebrating my parents anniversary. When we were leaving we all wanted to see my brothers new SUV ($60,000+). Well someone had smashed out the window and stole his wifes purse. She knew better than to leave it out but it had pretty dark windows and we were in a very crowded parking lot in a good part of town.
Just makes me sick that people take things from people that work hard to have nice things. Hey, I got an idea - work hard to have the things you want to settle for what you have. That's what the rest of us do.