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Bobbie_552001
Member
03-26-2003
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 1:41 pm
When we need help and advice....who do we come to?? Our tvch family of course. I just got back from a trip to Vegas where I had a direct flight from Cleveland to Vegas through a major airline carrier. I checked two bags at Cleveland and those bags where picked up by myself in Vegas and never left my sight until I unpacked upon arriving at my motel room. Problem....my jewelry, all of it, every piece that I ever owned was stolen from a checked bag. There was no slip inside the bag that would have stated that the bag had been searched. I called the airline company baggage supervisor in Cleveland this AM. All they could tell me is that I need to return to the airport (which is two hours away and of course only opened from 8-5 Monday through Friday) and file a complaint. I suggested, nicely of course that perhaps I should get the local police involved and they immediately stated that they would let their cooperate office handle that, and they didn't feel that the police should be involved. Any suggestions on procedures or steps that I can take at this time? The pieces that where in that bag, can never be replaced, but I feel so helpless and violated now. Thanks....
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Lancecrossfire
Moderator
07-13-2000
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 1:44 pm
I would contact the police! For two reasons--they don't want you to, and it was a crime.
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 2:53 pm
I agree...I never ck anything valuable anymore..you can't even lock your suitcases anymore.... The TSA is the ones that checked our luggage and put a note that they had to cut our locks off
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Bobbie_552001
Member
03-26-2003
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 3:05 pm
Thanks Pamy and Lance. I should have known better but I rarely have a carryon as I travel mostly by myself and never know how far I'm going to have to carry it once in the airport. If I ever do have nice jewelry again it will stay behind. I've cried most of the day...#1 at my own stupidity and #2 I just can't explain the feeling of being violated. Those "items" have been part of me for many years. Thanks again.
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 3:09 pm
Bobbie..hang in there...hopefully the police will help you get to the bottom of things......don't they have cameras all over airports now for security???? MAKE them ck those tapes!!!!! they need to find the thief!! I also find it susipious they didn't want you to contact the police. Keep us up to date. (((BOBBIE))
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Weinermr
Member
08-18-2001
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 3:27 pm
I agree with Pamy. Find a way to make them check their security tapes and identify the b*st*rds! I hope it all works out for you.
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 3:37 pm
Oh, Bobbie, Bobbie, Bobbie. That is horrible. I wouldn't hold out hopes of ever seeing any of the jewelry again, but just in case, sit down and write out a detailed description of everything. If you have any pictures or photographs of anything, put that with your description. You never know when somebody might crack the case and pull a big raid and round up all sorts of stuff including your jewelry and have no idea who it belongs to. Airline baggage handlers are notorious for stealing anything they can get their hands on, which is why you never want to put ANYTHING of value in checked luggage. NOTHING. EVER. We found that out back in the days when 35 mm cameras still had a lot of value, and Bigdog foolishly put his in checked luggage. Pamy, it wouldn't matter whether or not the bags are locked. The thieves (not the TSA) have keys to ALL luggage. They carry HUGE rings of all luggage keys. And yes, there are cameras all over the place, but the thieves know where they are and how to thwart them. When I lived in Miami, I was detailed to work in Washington, D.C. for 8 weeks, and I flew Miami-DC every Monday and Friday. I got my bags rifled exactly half the time. At first I used luggage locks. They broke those open. Then I got case hardened luggage locks. They broke the zippers. Then I quit locking the luggage, but I had some ribbons tied on, and often the ribbons were zipped into the zippers, and I hadn't done it. I would file a complaint/claim with the airline, and you probably don't have to go back to the airport to do it. Then I would file a complaint with the police department at each end of the flight if they will take the report. It is possible they won't take the report because you don't know for sure where the crime occurred, and that may be why the airline told you not to contact the police. They may know from experience that the police will not take the report. In Las Vegas, it seems the airport is right in the city, so that would probably be Las Vegas Police Department. On the Cleveland end, you need to figure out if the airport is in the city or the county. If city, file a report with the Cleveland P.D. If county, file with Sheriff's Department. Also contact your homeowner's insurance. I think they are the ones who ended up reimbursing us for Bigdog's camera. I am so sorry this happened. I hope none of the jewelry was heirlooms. And for the future, my little clubhouse buddies - NEVER, EVER put anything in checked luggage that you can't afford to lose. This includes prescription medicine. Not that it is valuable to anybody else, but it is valuable to YOU if you arrive without it. Carry all your jewelry, all your cameras, all your computers, all your medicine, all your cash, all your credit cards, all your traveler's checks, and your passport on your person.
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Schoolmarm
Member
02-18-2001
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 4:02 pm
They are doing a story on this topic tomorrow on the CBS Early Show! Maybe they will have some good advice. Someone else will have to watch it, as I have to go back to work regular hours tomorrow. May I reiterate what Juju said? DON'T ever check anything of value. You get a carryon PLUS a purse or briefcase/computer case. Or better yet DON'T travel with it. Why tempt the low lifes!
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Max
Member
08-12-2000
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 4:07 pm
What Juju said. Sorry this happened to you; it's a heck of a way to learn that no valuables should be checked. To add insult to injury, you will most likely find that the airline has a very low limit of liability clause in their "contract" with you, the traveler (represented by the ticket) which will not even begin to cover whatever you lost. You can usually take one or two carry-on items in addition to a purse or briefcase. That's where anything you highly value should be packed. Once your bags are checked, all bets are off as to what happens to them and their contents. I've had trips where my luggage got a better itinerary than I did. You never know where it's going to end up or who will have had their grubby paws on it and/or in it before it comes back to you. Again, I'm sorry this happened to you.
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 4:42 pm
My safety dep box has insurance..if I take anything out of it and it's stolen they reimburse me....just a thought
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Mocha
Member
08-12-2001
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 4:46 pm
(((Bobbie))))
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Egbok
Member
07-13-2000
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 5:18 pm
Awww Bobbie, I've just read your thread and I'm so sorry this has happened to you! I know of the violation feeling you are now experiencing. You'll never see your surroundings the same ever again but I hope in time that you will have some sense of peace. Take care. (((Bobbie)))
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Essence
Member
01-12-2002
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 5:57 pm
(((Bobbie)))
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Lucy
Member
10-08-2002
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 10:02 pm
Bobbie, I'm so sorry that you've been robbed of your jewelry. On our trip back from Hawaii last weekend, my husband's suitcase was lost and tonight we've been filling out a claim form provided by the airline (Hawaiian). Just with swimming suits, t-shirts, shoes, etc., we have a total of $1150. We already know that whatever we are reimbursed will be a fraction of that amount. My husband had his laptop and cellphone chargers in the bag which we've already been told aren't covered. File a claim asap! I'll let you know how our claim works out. Sorry once again.
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Wendo
Member
08-07-2000
| Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 11:51 pm
Bobbie, sorry to hear about your theft. I had my computer bag/purse stolen out of my sisters office back in May and I had some stuff I cared about taken. It completely stinks. As others have noted, it's always best to keep anything of value, either financial or emotional, in carry on luggage. If you're not planning on using carry on, leave it at home. As far as checked bags, here's a tip I got off MSNBC.com's website since the TSA required checked luggage to be unlocked; use cable ties. One, when you get the luggage and they're gone with out a note from the TSA, you can immediately open your luggage to see if anything is missing. Then you can file a complaint immediately. If the TSA has no need to go into your luggage, at least the tie is there as a barrier, though an easy one to get into. You can get cable ties at computer stores. Here's a link so you can see what they look like: Cable ties I always use colored ones so I notice right away if they're missing. Good luck with your claim and the police!
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Monday, August 23, 2004 - 9:31 am
Good suggestion, Wendo. I have been using cable ties for the past year. Only trick there is you have to remember to pack or carry something to cut them off with. You can put a small folding knife or scissors in an unlocked pocket of your checked luggage. Or you can do like I do and carry a largish nail clipper in your carryon or purse. You can also buy the cable ties in the electrical department of hardware stores or Home Depot or Lowes.
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