What are my rights as a hotel guest: Theft personal property

Tony:

Thanks for your concern. First, we do have respect for service people and we tip the maids every day and extra on check out day.

There was no mini bar in our room, we drove so there was no cab driver, bus driver, airport check-in, etc. etc. As my husband told the police officer and security as everyone is so nice at the hotel we do not wish to be accusational, however, the items did not disappear on their own so it had to be someone with access to our room. I don't have a "prime suspect," however, common sense says that the person or person(s) who took our property had to be someone with a key. I'm guessing the records will show whose pass key was used and when and I'm hoping there is surveillance footage from the hall. We are not privy as to how many people in a hotel have pass keys. Not only that, we called to have the room cleaned before we went out and it was cleaned when we returned. This was not a long period of time, lunch and playing a few games.

Speaking of vulnerable, how about if we had left my Mom in the room for whatever reason, say to go next door to Starbucks and whoever took our items found a handicapped women alone, then what????

actually, i mentioned it a grand total of one time. i commented on you saying you did not use the safe because it was too tiny. that seemed odd to me. then you came back and mentioned the box and being that it hadnt initially occured to me that the BOX was the problem, i left it alone once you explained that.

it didnt come up again until your buddy discostu (who by the way, is reading this and will likely post a response not directly related to my post in hopes that i wont think he is reading it, but he is) accused me of saying something out of line, when i did not. my response to him was explaining "this is what i said, this is what i did not say". if you mistake me having to reiterate something to someone who didnt catch it the first time as harping on it, then that is your mistake. but its okay, i forgive you.

Even though I live 7 hours from Tunica, it would be worth the time and dective work if the prize is homemade Chess Pie!! My fave, and a worthy reward!

Sorry for your loss. I'm in hotel rooms on business travel 150+ nights each year and I know how easy it is to leave items in the room. I've not had anything stolen, but I'll qualify that by saying most of my stays are 1 night @ time and I believe that is less risky. I also have a "process" when I'm leaving the room to check-out, since I'm in hotels every week, that has saved my leaving items several times.

I did leave my 1 ct diamond wedding ring in the hotel room by accident several years back and realized it as I was driving home. By the time I called the hotel, the maid had turned it into lost and found, so there are still honest hard-working people out there! I returned the following day to pick up the ring and personally gave the maid a $100 Walmart gift card as a thank you. Ever since then, i don't wear my wedding ring on business travel. Can't say it's because I don't trust the staff, I don't trust myself!

I sincerely hope it works out well for you.
diane

Diane: Thank you for your kind comments and story. Your story give us hope. Maybe, just maybe if some heat is put on our jewelery could show up in lost and found, stranger things have happened. Thanks again.

As long as your husband trusts you.

I know some people that don't wear their wedding ring on business travel but it's not because they are afraid of losing the ring.

Jenaphir: Dana Carvey might want his "holier-than-thou Church Chat" skit back: And I forgive you for the irrelevant, self-indulgent semantic commentary.

jasonwood, I'm sorry to read some dirtbag stole something of great sentimental value. I hope that somehow you get the items returned.

As far as you're going back and forth with a certain poster, dont waste your time, I guarantee she will get in the last word.

Homeowners ins should cover if you don't get the stuff back(which i really hope you do). We had a lot of things stolen from our car when on vaca one time and found out we were covered for the replacement cost of everything,less 5oo deductible. I would keep on the hotel about the whole situation if it were me,probably no the police so much.

I thought pawn shops were obligated as well as wanting to be involved in dealing with stolen goods? Isn't that a huge non-no for them?

J

Theives are essentially small businesses; there are millions of them. In a tourist destination like Tunica, there's almost certainly not enough room in the jail cells to house them.
Legitimate businesses, such as pawn, have no interest at all in being involved, in any way, in a problem that no one can fix. They probably all do a good job complying with the laws that are imposed on them, and probably all believe that by doing so, they fulfill their social obligations toward crime victims. That is, after all, what laws are for - to let us all know what obligations we have to others.

Pawn shops are supposed to check received goods against a list provided by the police of stolen property. Depending on laws of the state they have to keep items 60 days or some period of time for things to be checked out. If they are holding an item, or sell the item, that is stolen, they can be held criminally liable. The items could be found.

So sorry for this. Is it possible your husband sold them for gambling money? I know this sounds terribly insensitive, and I'm sure he did not, but things happen.