Sorry, just have to vent a little....

OMG!!! right now my avatar would pass off greatly as my self portrait... This entire story just pisses me off, and I am not even the victim! My cousin got married a week ago, and just returned from his honeymoon. (I know, not very long but hes kinda busy) So he went out to manhattan just today with his video camera. (It had all the wedding stuff in it. The vows, the cake, EVERYTHING) He gave his keys to a parking valet guy (If I were to know who he is, and find him, I would bash his head in or something...) and went about to do what he needed. He came back and realized soon that he was missing his camcorder. OMGFASDFCZXBBQ!!!!!! He called the police, and they soon told him nothing could be done about it. The thief would have sold it by now or gotten away or something. They said that since a parking valet is a low occupation (No offense to all parking valets on this forum) and some illegal immigrant was likely to be the thief so for some reason they cant be sued or something since they dont have any papers or anything... So my sister my mother and I are all ranting about it saying he should sue and sue and I guess thats what hes gonna do. I know many of you will think it was his fault for leaving the camera in his car in the first place. A parking lot in the middle of manhattan... I mean, "Cmon" was what I first said. But my cousin has little knowledge about newyork since he moved here recently. I really cant/wont blame him b/c He doesnt know too much about the streets around here and since losing his entire wedding footage is such a great loss.... I wish I can just get this guy tied or something then just torture him or something.... or hold him till my cousin gets there and then let him take him out. I mean, its not even the camera thats most important, but the footage itself...

Moderators feel free to lock this or take out the torture part or anything you find innaproptiate.

I would never blame the victim for leaving something in a car. If I leave a million dollars in my car and leave the doors unlocked at Wal-Mart and someone steals it then they are the criminal and thug not me. Think I'm stupid for doing it all you want but dont blame the victim.......EVER. That is one thing that is wrong in this world today. The victim gets more grief from everyone than the perputrator (sp?). We should all be ashamed of ouselves every time we even think "Well, they put themselves in that situation to begin with." Hogwash I say. Dont ever punish a victim by telling them they are stupid, punish the bad guy for not having any morals. Make the bad people ashamed for what they do, not the victim.

That stinks! I lock my house and my car/truck in my own driveway. I know folks who leave their house open and keys in their rides...NOT ME! Anyway we all know that locks are for honest people. If a crook wants something of yours, they'll figure out a way to get it.

No chance of going back and finding the valet? He could be recognized again by your cousin, yes?

Wise words from LifeNRA.

Ever hear a male police officer interview a rape victim? I have. Had the victim crying in minutes.

I very nearly got arrested when I repeatedly told the officer to stop questioning the victim until a female office showed up. He wouldn't, so I got his Sergeant on the line who told him to shut the F up. I heard the Sergeant YELLING this to this idiot officer.

No offense meant to the many fine police officers who might read this.

Sorry for MY vent.

Hope the video shows up somehow.... this REALLY sucks bigtime!

When is this country going to reinstitute public corporial punishment for "adam henrys?" (Obviously never! but what a great, howeverly, politically-incorrect deterrant! )

Larry

Back in the early-1970s, it was perfectly OK to leave doors open and windows unlocked - I wouldn't even dream of doing that any more. :/

LifeNRA said:

I would never blame the victim for leaving something in a car. If I leave a million dollars in my car and leave the doors unlocked at Wal-Mart and someone steals it then they are the criminal and thug not me. Think I'm stupid for doing it all you want but dont blame the victim.......EVER. That is one thing that is wrong in this world today. The victim gets more grief from everyone than the perputrator (sp?). We should all be ashamed of ouselves every time we even think "Well, they put themselves in that situation to begin with." Hogwash I say. Dont ever punish a victim by telling them they are stupid, punish the bad guy for not having any morals. Make the bad people ashamed for what they do, not the victim.

Click to expand...

Punish the bad guy??? Ha Ha you gest. His Dad may have been mean, His mom might have been at work or drunk or entertianing guests. No way it is his fault with that global warming and gas going up odds are he was abused by a Uncle or cousin or that strange guy that lives six blocks down on the right. Sorry I needed to vent abit. I have been robbed (house, not me I would not give a mugger 30 seconds much less a dime) Good guys and bad guys is the world I see. Some of the good guys can play hardball; works for me.
Topper

Check the nearby pawn shops asap. It's a long shot, but then those wedding memories are irreplaceable. Besides, if it turns up there, you've got a potential source of fingerprints.

O.K., Mags, lets take a deep breath here, and maybe you can explain why you are so upset about this thing that happened to someone else? Was it your camcorder? If so, I can understand your anger.

It is a very sad occurrance, and it apears your cousin was naive in the extreme, careless in the bargain, and apparently has been living in a dream world, somewhere. But, he and his bride lost their (?) camcorder and the memories it contained. A very hard lesson, and not likely forgotten.

People do crazy stuff all the time. I had a family as customers who were European, and they kept the family jewels (literally, about $20,000 worth) in the trunk of their car. Long story short, car got stolen, I was talking with the husband when the police arrived at their door, telling them the car had been recovered, sans jewelry. I don't ever want to eavesdrop on anguish like that again. The wife freaked.

Somebody has been watching too much TV. Who's your cousin gonna sue? The parking lot operator assuredly has wording on his ticket which denies all liability, and an attorney on retainer, who he writes off as a business expense.

They will spend more just retaining an attorney at $250-350/hr. than the camcorder is worth, and sentimental value is worth nothing in the courts.

That dog won't hunt. It's like your little cousins and your lights and other stuff. GONE, and best learned from and gotten past. Especially by people that are not directly involved. Save your passionate nature for the playing field. It does more good there.

Working on the opposite coast in a downtown policing area, I can tell you that there's an implied contract with parking lots, and the liability agreement is printed on every ticket stub that should have been given to the victim. I do a lot of these types of investigations, and have never seen any property recovered. The most I can do his complete the incident report.

A majority of these lots employ questionable people, and the turn over rate is extremely high. I'd almost go out on a limb and say that whomever boosted the camera also probably either quit of failed to show on the next work day. That seems to be a common pattern.


--dan

I agree with all of above. The ticket should said we are not responsible, that way they are not liable, or so they think. Now a days you need to lock up stuff, you cant trust anyone. A few times I have heard foot steps in my hall way and someone try my door. I wouldnt think of trying door knobs myself, but thats the culture now a day. My dad is a valet parking hog, I always try to get him to park his own car. At least he gives the valet the valet key, which only lets them drive it, not get into the trunk or glove box.

One thing to do is itch a mark on your things, name or ssn number. Yeah, I know they could steal your ssn number, but I was told this by a cop. THis way you can id it. I was told if you own a tool box, every single tool, socket, screw driver, etc in your box.

Get used to it.

I have been ripped of many times......after a while you just kinda blow it off..

Not worth getting that worked up over...


New cars with dashes ripped out and windows broken.

Motorcycles stolen.

Video camera?

minor issue..

Well, this situation certainly sucks, however that's what our nation has come to. Years ago, I stopped going to any place that has a "valet only" service. One could argue whether the items should have been left in the auto or not, but that still doesn't give some ***hole the right to lift it. Solution #1 is to stay out of NYC and #2 if you can't avoid #1, park it yourself or use public transportation.

lock are just to keep innocent people out

Right on!!!! When I am with someone who uses keys to get in a door, I always volunteer to open it for them without a key. I did that to my parents house til they bought a dead bolt for it. THe college I attended used coded locks with the push buttons. Ofcourse you can guess it, I found the code. THe code was written on every door in plain sight.

Hospitals that use keypads dont clean them, so you can see which button is hit first-last. Not too inconvient to just sit and wait to see someone else pass and see the order they press the buttons.

Car and truck doors arent difficult either. "WE" locked the keys in a van this weekend at a truck show. One of my co workers used my cane to open the door. Sure beats getting the cops or security and tell them to open it.

nemul said:

lock are just to keep innocent people out

Click to expand...

Not difficult at all to break a winder, door jam or use pure force to get what you want. No lock can prevent that. I use to enjoy going to the junkyard and smashing into cars in my younger days. THis was long before monster garage.