# Ever had something stolen from your room when you've stayed at a resort?



## skimble (Aug 9, 2010)

We were staying at a CA resort last week, and I noticed a black long-sleeve sports shirt was missing from my drawer on Thursday.  It's one of my favorite shirts, and I had just seen it in that drawer a day earlier.  
My wife had a black sweater-- button up... a nice one, and it was also missing.  We are certain we had them in the room, and we are certain they are missing.  
At first, when I didn't see my shirt in the drawer, I thought maybe there's a slight possibility that I might have taken it out and set it down somewhere in the room.  We checked out on Saturday, looked over every inch of the room, and it was nowhere to be seen.  Same with her sweater.  
On the remote possibility that we left them at home, we did a search of the house when we got home, and we're 99.9% positive those items were removed from our room.  
I've never had this problem before.  I was reluctant to cry foul on something like this while I was at the resort because I'm capable of misplacing things, and I'd never want to accuse falsely.  

A few years ago, I left a resort and after 30 minutes on the road, we remembered my son's bathing suit that was hanging in the restroom drying (a new suit.)  We called the resort immediately.  They said they'd get it and mail it to us.  We called a few days later to inquire, and they said, "housekeeping said they didn't find a bathing suit in the room."  
I lost my nice Norelco electric shaver in the same way. We left it in the bathroom, called the resort immediately after we realized this (miscommunication between my wife and me) and the resort said they'd get it and mail it to us.  "Housekeeping didn't find it in the room."  

I vacation a lot each year-- about 8 weeks in timeshares.  It doesn't happen much, but do any of you have this type of experience?


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## DaveNV (Aug 9, 2010)

I've never left anything behind, probably because I do a double-check to make sure we have everything - twice.  It may seem unnecessary to walk through things twice, but it makes me comfortable.  I strip the covers off the bed, check under it, make sure nothing fell behind the dresser - whatever.  And sometimes I do find something that was overlooked.  (I do the same thing before turning in a rental car, too. Saved me over the years from losing more than one pair of sunglasses.)

As for something being taken from the room?  I can't remember the last time something like that happened to me.  That would be a terrible feeling, because if you noticed those two things missing, what else did they take that you haven't realized, and what other items of yours did they handle?  Creepy...

Dave


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## Happytravels (Aug 9, 2010)

*missing items*

This has happened to us twice..........we both double check each other but sometimes......well, things happen.  The first time it was our king size pillows at HGVC and they mailed them back to us, no problem.   Just this year we went in March, we double checked the room got on the road about 4:30 am got home later that day and unpacked to realize we were missing some clothes..........my favorite pair of jeans!!! this happened after we both checked the room emptied only half the drawers....(still don't understand how we both missed the other drawer) we called the resort they said they would look....never heard from them.  But I remember when we checked in they make you sign something about things being left and they are NOT RESPONSIBLE for items left in the room.........so they are in know hurry to go look for things left behind as they are not responsible for them....from that point on we don't put our stuff in the drawers any more :annoyed: and live out of a suitcase for the week/weeks.


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## Icc5 (Aug 9, 2010)

*Nothing forgot*

We have never forgot and left something behind because we each double check.  We learned to do that years ago when our children were small.
We did have things missing one time and it really got to us.  Our refridgerater had been raided by the cleaning crew and when we came back they were just leaving and one of them still had a soda from the fridge.  They must of liked what my wife made because they ate about half of it along with the drinks.
Bart


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## Cathyb (Aug 9, 2010)

*Lost whole box of food*



skimble said:


> We were staying at a CA resort last week, and I noticed a black long-sleeve sports shirt was missing from my drawer on Thursday.  It's one of my favorite shirts, and I had just seen it in that drawer a day earlier.
> My wife had a black sweater-- button up... a nice one, and it was also missing.  We are certain we had them in the room, and we are certain they are missing.
> At first, when I didn't see my shirt in the drawer, I thought maybe there's a slight possibility that I might have taken it out and set it down somewhere in the room.  We checked out on Saturday, looked over every inch of the room, and it was nowhere to be seen.  Same with her sweater.
> On the remote possibility that we left them at home, we did a search of the house when we got home, and we're 99.9% positive those items were removed from our room.
> ...



We had our 5 yr old grandson with us for first time, so checking out was very unique for us.  We drove off leaving a full box of food and our medicines sitting on the sink.  Within the hour we called and asked that they check our unit.  Of course nothing was reported found. 

What do you Tuggers do when you have your laptop with you.  Do you hide it every time you leave the unit?


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## Cindala (Aug 9, 2010)

Cathyb said:


> What do you Tuggers do when you have your laptop with you.  Do you hide it every time you leave the unit?



Brought our daughter's laptop down to HH last summer and our netbook to Vegas this summer. We left both out, plugged into an outlet the whole time we were there. We opted for daily maid service and my husband said no one will take it while we're checked in....it would be too obvious the cleaning service was responsible. 
After check-out if left behind would be another story.


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## dougp26364 (Aug 9, 2010)

Had a decent Kodak point and shoot camera stolen off the kitchen table at Westgate Branson Woods. Filed a report with security. I should have called the police and filed a theft report with them. Westgate checked the door lock (it records all activity and who opened the door) and they asked if I had any employee's open our door for us. We hadn't since we'd actually gone to Mansfield, MO to the Engels-Wilder farm that day. They knew who had entered the unit but they never said a word and I never got my camera, camera case and SD cards back. Didn't get an apology from Westgate and nothing was ever said about reimbursement.   Next time, I'll just file a police report and see if I can't force their security officers to turn over any evidence obtained from reading the electronic door locks.


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## california-bighorn (Aug 9, 2010)

*Giving Room # when going out*

At some resorts when you are going out or getting a taxi at the lobby they ask you for your room number.  They say it is for security purposes.  I don't like letting them know we have left the room as it is obvious we are going to be gone for a while.
A couple of times I gave them an incorrect room number just because it didn't feel right. 
I was wondering what thoughts others had on this.


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## esk444 (Aug 9, 2010)

I've noticed that many maids will leave multiple doors open on a floor when they are cleaning.  Anyone could enter a room and take things and they would never know.  Even if they noticed someone entering a room, that person could just say it was their room and they forgot something.


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## NWL (Aug 9, 2010)

skimble said:


> We were staying at a CA resort last week, and I noticed a black long-sleeve sports shirt was missing from my drawer on Thursday.  It's one of my favorite shirts, and I had just seen it in that drawer a day earlier.
> My wife had a black sweater-- button up... a nice one, and it was also missing.  We are certain we had them in the room, and we are certain they are missing.
> At first, when I didn't see my shirt in the drawer, I thought maybe there's a slight possibility that I might have taken it out and set it down somewhere in the room.  We checked out on Saturday, looked over every inch of the room, and it was nowhere to be seen.  Same with her sweater.
> On the remote possibility that we left them at home, we did a search of the house when we got home, and we're 99.9% positive those items were removed from our room.
> ...



I'm sorry you had this experience.  It must be a very creepy feeling to suspect that items were stolen from your room by the cleaning crew (and they probably were).  This is an excellent example of why we opt out of daily maid service when we stay in a timeshare or hotel.  I still try to hide valuables when we leave the room.  DH thinks I'm paranoid (he's right), but better safe than sorry.

Cheers!


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## John Cummings (Aug 9, 2010)

california-bighorn said:


> At some resorts when you are going out or getting a taxi at the lobby they ask you for your room number.  They say it is for security purposes.  I don't like letting them know we have left the room as it is obvious we are going to be gone for a while.
> A couple of times I gave them an incorrect room number just because it didn't feel right.
> I was wondering what thoughts others had on this.



I have never had that happen and we stay 60+ nights a year in hotels and 2-3 weeks in timeshares.

We have never had anything stolen from our room. A few times we have forgotten something and the hotel sent it to us.


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## Cheryl20772 (Aug 9, 2010)

We had an ultimate scare one time at a Red Roof Inn.  When coming back from breakfast, we thought it was our room with the door ajar and everything stripped from the room... heck they even took our tooth brushes! :rofl:   Turns out my husband had lead us to the room next door to ours where the people had just checked out.  We had the manager of the Inn looking into what had happened and I had my finger on the dialer of my cell calling the police when I realized we had gone to the wrong door.  

I never want to feel that feeling again. The relief when our mistake was discovered was great and we sure had some apologizing to do to the staff for the uproar we had caused... whew!


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## pedro47 (Aug 9, 2010)

We have never had anyone to take anything from our timeshare vacation unit in over 25 years of traveling.

We have left items in our unit after check-out and the various resorts chains have always mailed the items to our resident "COD."


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## DeniseM (Aug 9, 2010)

Last summer, DS and I came back to Dolphin's Cove from Disneyland around midnight, and found that the maid had left our room standing open after  cleaning it much earlier that day.  Miraculously, nothing was stolen.

Once, when staying at an airport hotel in Oakland, I left an expensive ring in the bathroom, and amazingly, the maid turned it in.  I gave her a nice tip.

When we travel with laptops, I lock mine in my suitcase whenever I leave the room.


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## MuranoJo (Aug 10, 2010)

After getting home and unpacking from a business trip in Chicago at a top hotel, I noticed an expensive silk blouse was gone--and I was sure I had packed it back into the suitcase after wearing it two nights before checking out.  (And I always canvas the room before final checkout.)

Still surprises me that people would steal others' used and probably soiled clothes.  And in some cases I highly suspect the hotel figures it's not worth it to pay the postage & handling to send something back.

I've learned to lock my suitcase before leaving the room, and yes, I prefer to store my laptop in a locked suitcase vs. even in the room safe.


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## chriskre (Aug 11, 2010)

Had a very disturbing experience at HGVC Tuscany earlier this year.

We had hung out the DND (Do not disturb) sign all week on our door.
At around 2pm one day we get a knock on the door.  Before we had a chance to get up and open the door someone was attempting to enter the room with an electronic key.  The DND sign was still on the door so no one should have been trying to enter the room.  We had the chain on the door so she met resistance and by the time I got the chain off and opened the door wide the employee literally was running down the hall and ran down the stairs trying to get out of my sight.  Obviously she was up to no good or she would not have run like a scary cat.  

I immediately called the manager and tried to warn him about what had happened but after repeated attempts at calling him, leaving him messages and showing up at the front desk he NEVER called us back.  We checked out 2 days later.  We were told on check in that since we were only staying 4 days that we did not have maid service so I see no other reason why this lady was entering my room except to go shopping.  

Obviously the manager was covering for this lady so it makes me wonder if it isn't more common than we think.  They certainly did not think it was serious enough to even address or acknowledge.  

So note to self, don't trust the big name TS employees anymore than anywhere else because you are on your own against their staff and leave all my goodies at home.   Thieves work everywhere.


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## M&JJ (Aug 11, 2010)

not at a timeshare but once when staying at the MGM Grand in Vegas I had purchased a collectable from the Paris.  When we were packing for checkout I noticed it was missing.  I went to the front desk to report this and they forwarded me to security.  After making the trek to the security desk they took me to through the back security area to report this.  As I was being escorted out after, the security team had determined that one of the cleaning staff had broken it 2 days earlier.  In the end they refunded me twice the price that I had paid for it so I was satisfied.  I was disappointed however that they chose to ignore informing until I had done an enquiry.


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## skimble (Aug 12, 2010)

Employees know they could lose their jobs for theft-- laptops and big ticket items are easy to trace.  So ironically, those items are safer than the trivial things that many of us never notice.  (a soda from the fridge, a cookie, a blouse.)  
Clothing items, especially when you have a large quantitiy of them, are easy to pass off as "misplaced" or "maybe I didn't really bring it."   My wife's sweater was nothing fancy, but it was a decent quality.  My shirt that was missing-- same thing, decent quality.  Maybe the size worked for them.  
This was the first time we've ever encountered theft like this-outright, taken from our drawer.  
We stayed in a decent area, but English was at best, a second language for the housekeeping staff.  Poverty is prevelent, and the timeshares provide good fodder for homes.  I see the carts on checkout day stocked with refrigerator leftovers.  I would imagine the entitlement to leftovers also applies to goods that are left behind.  And, when one gets overly comfortable with this mentality, the temptation to take things before they are left behind may be strong.


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## Ann-Marie (Aug 12, 2010)

Last year we checked into Vacation Village in the Berkshires.  We were there one day already, and had a lock off.  Since the first entrance door entered into a small vestibule and then there were 2 doors to enter both units, we left the inside doors open but kept the outside door locked.  We were sitting on the sofa when a family opened the outside door with a key.  They had been assigned the same unit!!  We were all startled!  Good thing we were all dressed!


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## Helene4 (Aug 13, 2010)

We were staying at a small timeshare in Poipu Hawaii. My husbands gold bracelet went missing. We searched the ENTIRE room...under beds...in drawers, and even drove back to a few places we had been, thinking that it may have dropped off of his arm! There was NO WAY this bracelet was in our room. We mentioned it to the manager .
At 2 or 3am I awoke to use the bathroom and LO and BEHOLD the bracelet was sitting on the dresser! 
Did someone enter our room while we were sleeping to put the bracelet back? Because there was NO WAY that bracelet was on the dresser once we began searching for it, nor was it there when we went to bed for the night!
Very scary !


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## sea&ski (Aug 13, 2010)

About 4 years ago we were at Park City, check out days are Fri, Sat and Sun, so busy days for housecleaning.  I noticed lots of activity on our hall and a folded washcloth outside the door to the 2nd bedroom.  Seemed odd.  My son's ipod went missing.  Of course it was attributed to loss on the slopes, but we know it was in the room.  Tore the room apart, called lost and found.  Never heard another word about it.  I assume the washcloth was "marking" our room.  And it was a small object, our laptops were all still there...


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## skimble (Aug 13, 2010)

I have a cousin who does cleaning for an office building.  Fridays are like bonus days-- she gets to clean out the refrigerator.  And, she's been told to remove Everything.  Every week, there's something in there for her to take home.  
Housekeeping gets this same perk.  
If this were a job where you were told you are to Never allowed to take items home from work, I believe there would be a different attitude toward theft.  However, since they can bring home unused food, they apply the rule to clothing items that are left behind.  
Resorts need a policy for their housekeeping staff that states:
 'With the exception of perishables, items left behind by guests, are the property of the guests and must be turned in to lost and found; removing them will result in immediate termination of employment and criminal theft charges.'
And, without application and adherence to a rule like this, guests are susceptible to theft.  
My parents are staying at the same resort I did in a few weeks.  I wonder if there's a way to set up survelance... or a way to possibly catch them in the act.


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