What I really hope is that someone will turn the stupid thing on so I can track it.
I'm going to guess that she threw it away (without turning it on) when she realized that she was caught. She isn't going to want someone to find it in her apartment. Which sucks. I'm sorry this has turned into such a hassle.
I can see how it may not be the police department's highest priority.
And I didn't say it should be. No one is under the illusion that this is the most pressing situation they have to deal with. But there's a lot of middle ground between highest priority and refusing to handle it at all.
This is appalling. I would definitely escalate it. I would think corporate would want to know that a franchisee is employing someone who appears to have stolen from a customer. Regardless of whether the company is legally responsible for the item, they presumably do not want their brand associated with thieves.
Have you talked to your credit card company, insurance companies... any of that?
My homeowners insurance has a $1000 deductible, so more than the iPad is worth ($895) and I bought it with a Best buy card, so I don't know if they have any coverage like American Express. :/ I have to find out.
It's a Mastercard, right? Definitely worth calling to see!
This is appalling. I would definitely escalate it. I would think corporate would want to know that a franchisee is employing someone who appears to have stolen from a customer. Regardless of whether the company is legally responsible for the item, they presumably do not want their brand associated with thieves.
There comes a time where fighting the battle is no longer worth it, even if it is on principle. Like one of the other people said, it is very likely that the iPad has either been tossed or destroyed as they realize that they're not going to be able to use it without implicating themselves further. Unless the cops catch her with it in her possession, then I doubt that they're going to do anything about it.
Every car rental I have been in has had a disclaimer on the rental agreement is that the management is not responsible for items left in the car. This really does take the onus off of them.
This is appalling. I would definitely escalate it. I would think corporate would want to know that a franchisee is employing someone who appears to have stolen from a customer. Regardless of whether the company is legally responsible for the item, they presumably do not want their brand associated with thieves.
There comes a time where fighting the battle is no longer worth it, even if it is on principle. Like one of the other people said, it is very likely that the iPad has either been tossed or destroyed as they realize that they're not going to be able to use it without implicating themselves further. Unless the cops catch her with it in her possession, then I doubt that they're going to do anything about it.
Every car rental I have been in has had a disclaimer on the rental agreement is that the management is not responsible for items left in the car. This really does take the onus off of them.
True, but I don't think this situation is anywhere near this yet.
I don't think the manager is covering for the employee. Didn't he tell rennido last week that he 100% believed her about tracking it to Jessica Bitchface's house? I think the owner doesn't know yet and/or is too swamped from his recent business travel (or something like that).
Every car rental I have been in has had a disclaimer on the rental agreement is that the management is not responsible for items left in the car. This really does take the onus off of them.
No, it really doesn't. Okay, maybe it takes the onus off a bit, but a disclaimer like that does not give the employees permission to play finders keepers with anything left behind, and it doesn't mean that it wouldn't make good business sense for the company to rectify the situation so that (a) rennido is willing to remain a loyal customer and (more importantly) (b) rennido doesn't raise hell on social media, tell all her friends to avoid this company, etc.
rennido -- one more angle -- if all does not go well contact consumerist and see if they want to blog about it.
This is appalling. I would definitely escalate it. I would think corporate would want to know that a franchisee is employing someone who appears to have stolen from a customer. Regardless of whether the company is legally responsible for the item, they presumably do not want their brand associated with thieves.
There comes a time where fighting the battle is no longer worth it, even if it is on principle. Â Like one of the other people said, it is very likely that the iPad has either been tossed or destroyed as they realize that they're not going to be able to use it without implicating themselves further. Â Unless the cops catch her with it in her possession, then I doubt that they're going to do anything about it.
Every car rental I have been in has had a disclaimer on the rental agreement is that the management is not responsible for items left in the car. Â This really does take the onus off of them.
But legal responsibility and concern for reputation are two separate issues. I have several clients in the customer service industry, and countless times I have advised them that they have no legal responsibility to provide a customer with XYZ, yet they have still (wisely, IMO) recognized that doing XYZ is a smart move for reasons of public perception and reputation. While I agree that the iPad may very well be destroyed, I wouldn't be totally shocked to see the company offer some sort of compensation upon being informed that an employee took something that she knew belonged to a customer and then lied about it. But obviously only the OP can decide whether she wants to take the time to pursue it.
Does the company have a FB page? I wonder if posting there would help.
I can see how it may not be the police department's highest priority.
And I didn't say it should be. No one is under the illusion that this is the most pressing situation they have to deal with. But there's a lot of middle ground between highest priority and refusing to handle it at all.
Yeah.....my police department has refused to allow me to file a police report for when my house got broken into. They are too busy.
while I think you don't stand a chance with the company being responsible for your I-pad, if I were the owner I'd want to know the details that clearly show that my employee had it in their home. I would not want to have that employee working for me. I'd pursue just because she had the chance to say she had it and didn't step up. She needs to see what the consequences can be!!!
I also want to express my frustrations at the sentiment that just bc a rental company says "not responsible" it actually makes them not responsible.* Disclaimers, binding arbitration, contracts we as consumers have no choice about (except, you know, not use that service). It all contributes to the power businesses have over people. To bad, so sad, you made a mistake so the business has all rights, you have none. Really? Hey, you could say bitchface stole from the company's lost and found. Does that help make this a crime?
Sorry, but yeah, I went there. Too many folks keep telling OP to forget it bc she gave up her expectations ppl would steal something just bc she rented a van.
#notalawyer so this is based in nothing but my head
* eta: meant as a general rant on disclaimers. I don't really know if it applied here. But it always surprises me how many people just shrug it away. This post has obviously brought out strong feelings in me lol
Which rental company? With some, the survey would be a good place to talk about this, and that will automatically alert a manager. Others (cough...Hertz...cough) don't give a shit generally.
Putting aside how Bitchface's actions would be classified legally (because, as Catlawdy pointed out, presumably none of us are familiar enough with the larceny laws in the jurisdiction and the specifics of the contract to say), can we at least all agree that this is stealing in the moral sense? Bitchface took something that wasn't hers, despite the fact that she could have located the owner quite easily from the information in the rental agreement or, at the very least, put the item in the "lost and found" (I have had to retrieve my own items from rental car company "lost and founds" more than once--they all seem to have them). I don't see how the fact that @rennido left the iPad in the car excuses that, regardless of a disclaimer of liability in the contract.
Surely no one is actually suggesting that what Bitchface did is somehow okay, right?
As for the bolded part, there are b & m and virtual places dedicated to this very concept of returning what belongs to someone else. It's called "Lost and Found". Good thing for the mother whose child I found wandering around the mall that I play finders but I don't play keepers.
This dealership is pissing me off. When I worked as an office manager for a business not all that unrelated to the op, I would have been pissed, embarrassed and absolutely cooperative if an employee was accused of stealing. Doesn't matter if they did or not-that would come later- but it still needs to be investigated properly. And having her dad talk to her? I must have missed this, but how old is she?
As to the bolded, unless you've read the actual contract and are familiar with the applicable laws of the jurisdiction as to contractual terms, theft by finding, theft of mislaid property, and the factors that would be determinative of whether property was lost v. abandoned and how that would impact civil and/or criminal liability, I suggest you stop drawing the legal conclusion that it wasn't actually stolen b/c someone left it behind.
LOL. To say I was drawing a legal conclusion here is a stretch of my intent. Clearly I have the unpopular opinion to walk away from the situation, as stated. I personally wouldn't pursue it. I will make sure to add IMHO to my post
If you contact corporate at avis and they do nothing to try to fix the situation then I personally will not rent a car from them in the future. They should not be OK with one of their employees stealing something and lying to a customer and police.
If you contact corporate at avis and they do nothing to try to fix the situation then I personally will not rent a car from them in the future. They should not be OK with one of their employees stealing something and lying to a customer and police.
I agree that you take it to corporate. I had an issue with a local franchise for another car rental company and contacted them through twitter. It was fixed immediately when the local branch was pretty much like "sorry but we can't do anything."
Post by WinterWine on Jul 23, 2014 17:55:00 GMT -5
WTF- that is crazy!! I would definitely blow up social media with this shit!! Keep the story fact- oriented and away from emotional attacks as much as possible. I think a succinct summary of the facts and timeline are pretty damn compelling. Hope this finally gets you somewhere..
Avis, how do you handle when an employee steals shit?
I'm at a loss.
Just tell the story succinctly in a public forum and ask corporate to intercede. Go to the Avis FB and post:
An Avis employee stole a $900 iPad that I inadvertently left in a van that I rented last week. Police even traced it to her home, yet she denied it! My iPad has still not been returned. The owner of the franchise I rented from seems unconcerned about either my stolen property or the dishonesty displayed by their employee. I hope you can help me!