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Message |
    
Zoesky1
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 700
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 8, 2005 - 9:09 pm: | 
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How's this for irony: discovered today that my two-month-old digital camcorder and one-year-old digital camera were both stolen -- evidently by the guy who installed my Slomins alarm system a few weeks ago. I won't get into the gory details, but there is absolutely no one else who could have done it. I reported it to Slomins, the insurance company, and will file a police report tomorrow, but beware -- until Slomins completes their own investigation, one of their installers is up to no good. And I lost all my Christmas videos that I had shot. I just hope between my insurance and Slomins, I get reimbursed for the full amount of both items (about $800). Watch out for Slomins! |
cmontyburns
Citizen
Username: Cmontyburns
Post Number: 681
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 8, 2005 - 9:17 pm: |
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Why won't you get into the gory details? Many of us in town have Slomins systems, and there is probably someone signing up every day.
Please, go into the gory details. How do you know it was the slomins installer? |
e roberts
Citizen
Username: Wnwd00
Post Number: 302
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 8, 2005 - 10:01 pm: |
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or at the very leasy descibe what the person looks like so if he shows up we can avoid them. |
ina
Citizen
Username: Ina
Post Number: 167
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 12:40 pm: |
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Sorry for you loss, Zoesky. That sucks big time. |
Zoesky1
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 701
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 1:19 pm: |
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OK, here are the gory details:
I work full time in the city, so I was not present when they came to install, but my nanny let them in, as she will do when there is a pre-set appointment of any kind. She has full authority to let people in the house as long as I tell her ahead of time. So she let him in. He came in and spent hours doing the installation; was there for at least five hours. She didn't hover over him, because that's not her job and she was ferrying the kids around, etc. Anyway, the camcorder and camera were in one bag, a small black camcorder bag that was in my built-in cabinets where the stereo is. They weren't out in the open, but if you open the cabinet, there they are (were). I believe he had to open that cabinet in order to get to various wires that go through it -- it's a built-in cabinet, but there are outlets in it, various cables and wires...
So that was early January (Jan. 4, to be exact). Last night I went to use the camcorder for the first time since then, and the bag was gone. I have used my stereo in this interval, but didn't notice the bag being gone; just wasn't looking at it not being there. I am the only adult living in my house, so it's not as if a spouse used it and moved it. I have known my nanny for 4 years and she's beyond even the slightest reproach. But on the off chance I myself moved it and somehow forgot, I turned my house upside down last night looking for it. It was nowhere. This morning I asked my nanny if she noticed anything funny that day, and she did say the installer complained that the dog was growling and asked for the dog to be put outside. Usually he doesn't growl at people. So that's odd, although of course could just be coincidental. I filed a police report this morning, but more for informational and insurance purposes than anything else. The Slomins guy just called me -- the VP for the area -- and he was very good on the phone, very professional, not at all defensive, and said they were going to do a thorough investigation of his guys, knew how long they had worked for Slomins, etc. I have to say, it is a mystery, because after talking to the Slomins VP, I have to wonder why anyone would jeopardize their job over $800 of merchandise. Slomins guy said not only do they fire employees who steal from clients, but they also prosecute, even if the clients themselves choose not to. So why would anyone risk all that? Yet these items are GONE, and there has been no one in my house since then doing any work who could have removed anything. Anyway, I just hope my insurance company (Chubb) will reimburse me for at least part of the cost even though apparently nothing can be proved. Has anyone had any experience with this kind of theft and getting reimbursed?
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Dave
Moderator
Username: Dave
Post Number: 5211
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 1:22 pm: |
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Suspect no.2: the nanny |
Zoesky1
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 702
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 1:27 pm: |
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Dave, there's just no way. This is no regular nanny. I mean, everyone who knows her (all my stay-at-home mom friends, the people who run my daughters' school, my ex-husband) all think of her as "Supernanny." She's 45, not a kid...she's a thorough professional...she acts as if my house is her own in the sense that she is fiercely protective and absolutely trustworthy. This is the kind of nanny who I can trust with my credit cards -- not to mention, of course, my kids. She absolutely loves my kids and (as far as I know) her job, and wouldn't do anything to jeopardize a good thing. Plus I have known her for years, and she is a stalwart, religious, moral person. I think it's the Slomins guy. |
mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 224
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 1:41 pm: |
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Zoesky, how upsetting. For the amount of $ (esp. after your deductible), you may want to consider not filing a homeowners insurance claim. I think I remember reading that some insurance companies are dropping homeowners for very little reason, and once dropped it's hard to find insurance. Discuss it with your agent?? Can someone help out with actual facts/citations here? |
Zoesky1
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 703
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 1:46 pm: |
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Yes, I am going to drop the claim, because I just found out this morning my deductible is $1000. That sucks. |
Dave
Moderator
Username: Dave
Post Number: 5213
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 2:25 pm: |
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You're likely correct....
do you have a butler? |
Bobkat
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7536
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 2:49 pm: |
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This is called a "mysterious disappearance" since there are no signs of burglary and nobody saw the actual theft.
Your best bet is to send a letter to Slomins indicating that the only stranger in your house up to the time you tried to get the camera bag was the Slomin installer and that you consider them responsible. Include copies of the bills. A carbon copy to your lawyer might not be a bad idea. |
Zoesky1
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 704
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 3:23 pm: |
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G??G??ry that. Mostly I am bummed about losing all the video I had shot on Christmas. You just can't get that back. And of course the idea of someone just appropriating my things out of my own house...! Argghh! Now I'm getting mad all over again. |
trapper
Citizen
Username: Trapper
Post Number: 123
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 3:45 pm: |
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Suspect # 3...
methinks the canine doth bark too much |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 938
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 3:54 pm: |
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take a good look to see if anything else is missing.
had a friend -- something similar happened to in princeton (not slomins -- another handyman).
they found more things missing -- that they didn't even realize.
what a hassle, and the loss of the video is a shame
/p |
Zoesky1
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 705
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 4:32 pm: |
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Yeah, after I noticed it gone, I did a quick sweep -- checked jewelry, computer stuff, etc. Nothing missing. My theory is that it was a quick impulse thing -- he saw the bag, it fit into his work bag or box or whatever, and he just took it.
Or who knows? Maybe I've gone crazy. Does anyone remember the movie "Gaslight," where the husband would move pictures around to make his wife think she was going crazy? |
Mark Fuhrman
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 1267
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 - 4:40 pm: |
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Suspect #4--we know it's not the husband |
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