jacket stolen

[Chase13]

On friday, the jacket of one of my regular customers was stolen. The mat is unattended, so the chance that I will get it back will probably be slim. I have a sign up that you are responsible for your own safety and property. The customer left the mat without the jacket. When she came back, it was gone.

The problem is that the coat hangers are just out of view of my cameras. I think I know who took the jacket. She can be seen putting her hands up and then placing something in her basket, for a split second, you can see some red, but it is very small. There is no way that I could prove that it was the jacket.

What would you all do? I have told the customer that we can not see who took the jacket, but that we will keep our eye out for it. I will watch for the lady who I think took the jacket to see if she slips up and where's it to the mat.

What would you say to someone if you say them wearing the jacket?

Thanks,
Chase13

[Gary C]

If you are pretty sure then I wold ask them for the jacket back then tell her never to set foot in your store again. If you just are not sure I would offer to pay for 50% of the jacket as a good faith offer as long as she is a regular.
If the jacket is under $150 then $75 is not all that much as a biz expense it's even less in real dollars That offer can bring you alot of good will.


Gary

[Kitty]

If I wasn't sure Id make some comments and bizarre story to the one I thought took the jacket, but Id have to be pretty darned sure of my suspicions...........Id tell the lady that the last time she was in the store, there was a theft. Police have your tapes and you are so upset that one of your customers may be implicated. You are sure, that any customer of yours simply mistook another customers jacket as their own. It is only because it was the jacket of the DA's cousin are the police involved. You hope the jacket turns up, before the police view those tapes.... Act distraught............LOLOLOOL

[Howard]

I wouldn't accuse anyone of stealing. Period, end of discussion.

I wouldn't pay for someone's loss due to negligence. Period, end of discussion.

Think of the reverse situation and how you would react and what you would expect.

[Gary C]

Howard, A lot would depend on how the customer was reacting as to how I would deal with it.

Gary

[Lar Hylobates]

How much are we talking about??

When I first bought my mat, I was doing a construction project and using a circular saw in the parking lot.

A customer came out (non english speaking). She looked at her shiny Honda that had some saw dust on it and started to try to speak. Before she could say anything I pulled out $20.00 and handed it to her, she still wanted to speak so I pulled another $20.00 and handed it to her.
She got in her car and drove away.


The car had the kind of dust on it that surely blew off the minute she started driving.

At that moment in time I was in the middle of something and really didn't want to discuss some ridiculous issue with an idiot that would actually think that I should be responsible for some minor dust so I made it go away.

You know what, I'm $40.00 poorer and my life hasn't changed one bit.

Good luck monkey

[CharlieS]

I have a similar situation in my unattended mat.
About 2 weeks ago, I left my own entry floor mat in the dryer when I was cleaning up. The next day, a lady comes in, takes it out and folds it, leaving it on a folding table. She leaves. 20 minutes later, she returns, walks straight to the table, picks up the mat, and departs.

I have it all on video, very clearly. On the one hand, I left the mat in the dryer, and don't have any sympathy for those who do the same with their clothes. On the other, this woman clearly knew that she was taking something that wasn't hers.

So far, I have not been able to find someone who can identify her, and I haven't seen her again. I saved the video. So I'm torn. Do I ignore it (not my style). Do I forget it. Do I let this lady have it, when sooner or later I will meet her?

Part of me says that its my own fault. No one has ever taken a mat directly off the floor, or the various fake plants I have in this unattended store.

My thinking is that, I will simply casually mention that I would greatly appreciate it if she would return my mat. Then see how she responds.

Charlie

[Howard]

It appears to me that what you guys are proposing is that "situation ethics" should be the standard.

I suppose it is nice to "pay off" and avoid hassles, especially when you are feeling good or flush. Again, I suppose it feels good to not pay off when you are in a bad mood or looking for a fight.

However, neither action (or the variables possible) sets a reasonable standard that allows us all to understand the rules, to get along, and to respect each other. "Situation ethics" does not support a civilization.

In our small scale "civilization' (aka: the Laundromat business), or in any interaction with others, it is neccesary to have standards. In this manner, we all know what is good or bad, expected or frowned upon, and accepted or rejected.

Don't mean to preach, but I am doing so because I am passionate about setting standards for the common good. Each of us has to do his/her part.

A theft is a theft, committed by a thief. No ifs, ands, or buts. Theives should not be tolerated.

Unfounded accusations are unacceptable. Suspicions are not sufficient for punishment.

And so on.

[CharlieS]

Howard, therein lies the rub. You are absolutely correct. The bottom line is that this lady took the mat, and knew exactly what she was doing. I really don't want her business.

Provided I ever figure out who she is.

Charlie

[pete f]

Just last week i got a call from someone, they left the mat for 10 mins to go to the store, they get back and a load of jeans is missing. I went down to run the tape, but unfortunatley it was not working. So I said sorry. The customer is a regular for years, she understood. I told her I have 3 mats and get these calls all the time. At all of the mats I have signs telling do not leave clothes unattended.
I agreee with Howard if you are not positive of the identity of a thief, do not accuse. I did that once years ago and it was a big mistake. If you are positive, then have the law deal with them.

[David]

I had put a couple of bar stools in my unattended laundry. My customers loved them and they stayed put for about 3 months. Then a customer, I'd never seen before, did their laundry and promptly packed the stools up also.

I have it on tape, but the police couldn't identify them.

I plan to printout a picture of the suspects and place the pixs in the laundry and ask my customers to identify them. I'm not accusing, just asking customers for help identifing them.

I plan to do that today. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Kitty]

This reminds me of an incident that happened last winter prior to Christmas at the Italian restaurant I moonlighted in. The owner has an extensive wine list. Italian wines he ages himself. Mostly for his use, but offers the wines to his customers. One evening a couple came in and inquired about the list, it is customary for the wait person to get the owner to assist in the sale. The owner sold the customer a 70$ and brought it to the table. The server was to add the bottle of wine to their tab, but the employee did not ask about the wine, nor added the wine to the tab. The customers left without paying for the bottle of wine, they knew the wine was not added, as the bill total was 29bucks or so. The owner has the capabiliy to make a picture form the video and he posted the picture of this gentleman on the counter of the restaurant. A caption asking "do you know this person?" (This is the busiest restaurant in town)......Someone did know him, the gentlemans employer, he paid the owner for the wine, just to take the picture down.

[Lar Hylobates]

This type of posting a picture or a name is a very effective way of tracking deadbeats.

I saw once on a "news" show a guy who put a bad check list on a huge sign on the road in front of his store in a small town. He claimed the checks were usually paid quickly by as you said, anyone with an interest in a cleared name.

[Kitty]

This restaurant owner also has a lovely picture frame filled with approximatley 20 NSF, fraud and checks from closed accounts prominently displayed at the front of the restaurant. Some checks are dated 1980...