Stolen Item from Hotel?

[ConnorMcLeod]

Some hotels have a log of who & time of when the housekeeping goes to clean up the rooms. That's one way to check. Unless you know roughly what time you discovered the theft, then they can go thru the log if they have one. Most likely suspect is the housekeeping. This happens almost at any hotels big or small, 1 star or 5 stars. Never leave your prize possessions or valuables in the hotel rooms unless you keep them in the safe. Trust no one

One suspect is the house keeper, of course.

The house keeper usually leaves the door open when you are cleaning the room, so to 'prove' to people they are not stealing things. Once I returned to my room while the house keeper was still around. She did not request me to wait outside (courtesy I suppose) and let me enter the room. Imagine a random person walked in, claim he/she stays at the room, he/she can then take things out from the room very easily.

 

[shahrulesa]

I came back from Mt Emily at 1.30., The flash was in my Think Tank Lightning Fast and attached to my UD35 shoulder strap.

In the room I put the bag down, take out the camera and charge the battery and remember putting my lightning Fast next to it. Called housekeeping and ask them to clean the room. Housekeeping came and I was working on the pictures on my laptop. She left about 15 minutes later and I went out to cineleisure for about 10 minutes. At 5.30 when I was going out realized that the flash was not in the room - didn't want to assume I called my colleagues who were with me in the afternoon and checked with the bus service. Came back at 10.30 I called the duty manager and informed her of the situation. Only the following morning, after pestering them did they say the camera did not show anything. I asked to see the recording and the lightning fast was with me in the elevator. By that time they ask to wait till pm before the staff comes back on shift. At 6, called them and was told 'the result is negative'. That is when I made a police report. All the hassle is one thing, I also had to cover two low light session without flash - dinner at restaurant and talks in an auditorium at TTSH

The police investigator called me on monday, emailed him some details - my flash serial number, the cctv recording but till now no reply and no replies saying they received my email as well.

Somehow I feel that the case is not taken seriously by both the hotel and the police. This case, even with cctv, still no action is taken after almost a week and I need to chase them for every single update. Now I'm wondering what should I do to get them to pay for the stolen items

 

[nixontkl]

so far I never really trust hotel in terms of personal belonging safety, especially small items like camera or laptop, in which they are easily replaceable by buying another one of the same model. what i always do is that I carry a hard case luggage in which I may empty out part of its clothes into my hand carry bag or backpack or even the hotel wardrobe and lock my electronic or gears into it whenever i leave the room.

even safe is not 100% safe to put in, got once at Bangkok, me and my friends we somehow manage to screw up the safe enough that it lock up and we had to get the hotel staff to come up with a master key to open the safe. so the safe got a master key that is held by the hotel staff which they have access to it anytime. so thing twice abt using the safe sometimes.

 

[Gizmore]

so far I never really trust hotel in terms of personal belonging safety, especially small items like camera or laptop, in which they are easily replaceable by buying another one of the same model. what i always do is that I carry a hard case luggage in which I may empty out part of its clothes into my hand carry bag or backpack or even the hotel wardrobe and lock my electronic or gears into it whenever i leave the room.

even safe is not 100% safe to put in, got once at Bangkok, me and my friends we somehow manage to screw up the safe enough that it lock up and we had to get the hotel staff to come up with a master key to open the safe. so the safe got a master key that is held by the hotel staff which they have access to it anytime. so thing twice abt using the safe sometimes.

Well to be honest, nothing in this world is 100% safe isnt it? I'm quite sure there will be people who used the safe and subsequently forgot the number programmed onto the safe. So what is left there? Smash the safe?

 

[shahrulesa]

The hotel actually have the key to the safe or some of them comes with time lock - will automatically open after a set time (eg 2 days).

Anyway, received a call and an email from the hotel. They claim no one else was seen entering the room and the housekeeping claim didn't take anything? I seriously feel they are covering up for something. Think about it, if no one else enters the room but housekeeping, who else could it be? Worst part is they don't seem to even care if any of their employee is stealing stuff. The police also seems like not interested in the case - still have not even received a confirmation email from them. Maybe I should go there tomorrow and make a scene at the front desk!

 

[CS TAN]

typical answers from the establishment. They will just hope that you will just let it go and forget about it totally.

not happy with their reply? you should go back to the hotel and demand a little more information regarding their investigation. Let them tell you what they have done and the evident of them actually doing it. e.g. interview reports of the housekeeping since you have filed a police report.

Also go back to the police and ask what standard procedure they normally take. If you don't go back to them, I am sure they won't do anything. Their last effort will be your typed up police report.

 

[shahrulesa]

That's the thing, I emailed the police some documents that could help out in the investigation (my flash receipt and serial number, picture of items, etc) but couldn't even get confirmation email that they received it. When I talked to the hotel and informed them that I made the report, they say the police had called them. Called! Does that mean they didn't even bother coming down looking at the videos and interviewing the staff. Sent an email through SPF website asking for the Tanglin's officer's contact and received email today saying they have forwarded my request to the branch. So as the days pass, I guess finding the flash back is probably not going to happen, but I would at least like to know they are doing something about it.

And yes the hotel is Meritus-Mandarin Singapore.

 

[CS TAN]

Is this a locally managed hotel or are they managed by an international hotel group? If it is the latter, you can try to pressure them by sending email to their HQs.

 

[shahrulesa]

I found their CEO name but can't find his email.

 

[aryanto]

That's the thing, I emailed the police some documents that could help out in the investigation (my flash receipt and serial number, picture of items, etc) but couldn't even get confirmation email that they received it. When I talked to the hotel and informed them that I made the report, they say the police had called them. Called! Does that mean they didn't even bother coming down looking at the videos and interviewing the staff. Sent an email through SPF website asking for the Tanglin's officer's contact and received email today saying they have forwarded my request to the branch. So as the days pass, I guess finding the flash back is probably not going to happen, but I would at least like to know they are doing something about it.

And yes the hotel is Meritus-Mandarin Singapore.

dont write at clubsnap.
Write to all newspapers, CC to STB, CC to police, CC to embassy, CC to whoever you think will read and you have their email/mail address. Make sure they are all aware that you CC that many people.

 

[hisphotography]

Happen to me this weekend in Singapore. Someone took my Canon 580EX II. It was in my Think Tank Lightning Fast - they guy probably thought I keep money or hand phone in it Reported to the hotel staff and they can't find the culprit, so ended up lodging a police report.
Now dunno what's going to happen. Just wondering any of you have any thoughts about this issue - comments, experience, without dwelling too much on what happened to me since the investigation is still on.

hi shahrulesa. the hotel that your mention it was near to cineleisure right? well.. im 1 of the hotel staff in ochard area but not the hotel that your mention it.. my hotel is near to ochard tower somewhere there.. guess that your flash has been stolen from one of the bellhop or housekeeping (either one). coz i have came through many things in my hotel. but not stealing coz my hotel is very2 tight very security cams. every where you walk you'll be recorded in the CCTV (except for toilets and hotel rooms of coz). thats why stealing cases in my hotel was rarely happened in my hotel. that hotel that your staying in security was not tight at all!!! seriously! you must complain bout the security management. may i know how many star is that hotel?

 

[hisphotography]

you know what shahrulesa, you have the right to drag along the manager or AM in charge on that day to the police and they must have to write statement. your flash is not a few cents, its very ex i know that. you have the right to do that. the AM in charge on that day must write the statement to the police coz its their responsibility! cmon shahrulesa, dont keep this silent. you must do your part too.

 

[contaxable]

you know what shahrulesa, you have the right to drag along the manager or AM in charge on that day to the police and they must have to write statement. your flash is not a few cents, its very ex i know that. you have the right to do that. the AM in charge on that day must write the statement to the police coz its their responsibility! cmon shahrulesa, dont keep this silent. you must do your part too.

you see, what these thieves know is the fact that tourist do not stay very long. Also, they wont want to spend their time at the police station.

An insider job can be smooth as butter where no cctv can capture the culprit holding the item in question.

As for police, they are only recording the event by typing into a computer. They wont take action without concrete evidence even if you pursue the matter hard enough.

 

[Richter]

Wonder if anyone installs their own pinhole camera in the room they stay to record things when they are not around.

 

[hongsien]

Wonder if anyone installs their own pinhole camera in the room they stay to record things when they are not around.

Not so easy to install, need a router and an MSN or Yahoo or other chat software, or ftp server to upload. Or connect to your laptop, but then again, your laptop in the room is what is likely to be stolen.....:bsmilie:

 

[adamadam]

Not so easy to install, need a router and an MSN or Yahoo or other chat software, or ftp server to upload. Or connect to your laptop, but then again, your laptop in the room is what is likely to be stolen.....:bsmilie:

http://www.news.com.au/macbook-thief-caught-on-camera-by-owner/story-e6frfrw9-1111116316865

There's a few stories like this haha

One where there's photographs of the man taking photographs of himself

 

[hongsien]

http://www.news.com.au/macbook-thief-caught-on-camera-by-owner/story-e6frfrw9-1111116316865

There's a few stories like this haha

One where there's photographs of the man taking photographs of himself

Moral of the story: Never steal a laptop with a built-in camera! :bsmilie:

 

[shahrulesa]

lol... maybe not speedlites but would be nice if there's a way to scan the exif data of all pictuers posted on the net to find stolen cameras. Anyway, received a reply from STB today. The normal sorry and could we have the details kinda reply.

 

[andeelym]

I will have to applaud the "efficiency" of the police.

I once lost a bag with personal stuff inside and also have a govt confidential document at a local pub. The police came in, took statement, didn't even bother to look around, took a glance at the useless CCTV footage and left. Left me a case number but never got back to me. And after I called after a week, all they can have to offer is that its a common theft and that there's nothing they can really do.

From what I've learnt from the management of the pub, mine is the second case in the month where the thief targets notebook bags, mine is unfortunate to be one, but thankfully no notebook inside as its an everyday bag too. I was like WTF and was comtemplating to set up a trap with the management and settle things ourselves instead of depending on the useless police.

Pardon my tone but that is what I feel from the whole event.

 

[aryanto]

lol... maybe not speedlites but would be nice if there's a way to scan the exif data of all pictuers posted on the net to find stolen cameras. Anyway, received a reply from STB today. The normal sorry and could we have the details kinda reply.

you mean you have not given them all the police case number etc? why not give them all detail in the first place?