# Staff Lost My Childs €220 Bracelet-Please Advise



## idonno-1 (5 Jul 2007)

My son lost a bracelet that cost €220 in the local bowling alley. I rang them and they confirmed that they found it and were able to describe it to me and I asked them to hold onto it until I could collect it. When I went out to collect it they said it was there but they can't find it now. It was obviously kept by a member of staff. I spoke to the manager who said she would look into it and ring me back but I got no call. I am wondering what I should do now. Should I report it to the gaurds as it is theft or do I go to small claims court. Please advise what I should do.


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## pinkyBear (5 Jul 2007)

*Re: Lost Bracelet-What are my rights*

Absolutly report it to the guards, you rang the local bowling alley, the manager said they have it - when you went to collect it it was gone.. 
The guards should get involved.


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## RainyDay (5 Jul 2007)

I dunno if you would win a Small Claims Court case on this. Do they really have a duty of care to mind your lost property?


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## ubiquitous (6 Jul 2007)

The Gardai will not be interested in investigating an incident like this. However they should be willing to record the details on their files in case you wish to make a claim on your home insurance against this loss.


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## z108 (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Staff Lost My Childs €220 Bracelet-Please Advise*



ubiquitous said:


> The Gardai will not be interested in investigating an incident like this. However they should be willing to record the details on their files in case you wish to make a claim on your home insurance against this loss.



If someone in the business was entrusted with caring for the bracelet until its return but took it instead then Its theft in my view and a visiting garda might be able to get at the truth of the matter. So why wouldnt the gardai be interested  in a reported crime or allegation  that a crime toook place  ?

otherwise this thread would confirmed

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=56591


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## Ham Slicer (9 Jul 2007)

idonno-1 said:


> Please advise what I should do.



When did all this happen?

Before going to the Gardai/Small Claims Court/Insurers I'd check with the manager again.  

Maybe he hasn't had a chance to investigate yet.


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## idonno-1 (11 Jul 2007)

I called into the Manager and refused to accept any responsibility for it, as I don't have the name of the girl who said it was found. So now I don't know what to do. Should I just accept that it is gone?


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## ClubMan (11 Jul 2007)

Off topic posts removed. Please stick to the point.


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## gebbel (11 Jul 2007)

idonno-1 said:


> Should I just accept that it is gone?


 
Sorry but yes


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## runner (11 Jul 2007)

Just to test the manager, ask him if therefore ok for you to put up a missing bracelet notice in the place, since his staff were allegedly unaware of it, and in case someone picked it up by mistake.


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## Killter (11 Jul 2007)

go to gardai


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## zag (11 Jul 2007)

In an ideal world . . . .

You go to the gardai to report a stolen bracelet . . . "And where was this article last seen ?"   . . . . "Bowling Alley, they said they had it behind the counter" . . . . "Is that so, let's go down and ask them a few questions so".

At the Bowling Alley the Garda asks who was taking phone calls that day at that time, asks them if they took your call, etc . . . and through a small amount of work establishes who had it.  Even if it doesn't result in getting your bracelet back it puts the frighteners on everyone working there so they know that next time they try it they will be on the spot again.

The reality of course is nothing like this - the perception (for some people) is that this wasn't actually a crime despite the clear indications from your post.  I agree that it is possible that someone did actually misplace it after talking to you, but since nobody is admitting to even having the conversation that you know you had, this may not be the case.  So, you go to the Garda station, report the crime and will likely be met with indifference.  "Sure, it's only an oul' bracelet missus" is one possible response, but you get my drift.

I suggest filing the report anyway, you might be pleasantly surprised and if you don't try you can't expect anything.

z


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## ubiquitous (12 Jul 2007)

A few questions that come to mind...

Should all bowling alleys be expected to have safe deposit facilities in order to protect valuables that are lost on the premises?

In the absence of a safe deposit box, how can a staff member or manager be expected to ensure safe custody of any article found on the premises? 

In this context, does an employer have any legal responsibility or liability towards a member of staff if the staff member finds themselves being subjected to Garda questioning in relation to a possible crime in the workplace, where such an article is lost, or misplaced, or perhaps stolen?


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## zag (12 Jul 2007)

I don't know the answers to the questions above, but as an employer I would be concerned if it was represented to me that one of my employees had told a customer they had some property belonging to them and by the time the customer arrived to collect it the property had vanished from my premises.

This is independant of the question of whether as an employer I should or should not provide safe keeping for lost property.  Having acknowledged that the property was there I would be concerned about how it then came not to be there any more.

This would raise concerns for me about the security of my premises and the ability to trust my employees.

Sure, there is also the issue of whether I trust the customers version of events also.

I don't think the employer has any "responsibility" towards an employee in the situation outlined above, but I would think they have a responsibility to assist the Gardai in their investigation by facilitating any enquiries.

z


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## ubiquitous (12 Jul 2007)

Fair enough. I only wonder what approach a trade union (or, God forbid, a Circuit Court Judge hearing a compensation claim by an employee), would react to hearing how an employer allowed a Garda to "put the frighteners on everyone working there" as you suggest above.


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## zag (12 Jul 2007)

Are employees granted some sort of immunity from being questioned by Gardai by virtue of being employees ?  No, don't answer that - it's a rhetorical question.

z


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## ubiquitous (12 Jul 2007)

No, of course not. That said, some staff members (or representatives acting on their behalf) might think it peculiar if "the frighteners" are put on them, as you put it, even where there is no real evidence of a crime having been committed - merely the suspicions of a customer based on a phone conversation with someone they can't even name.


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## csirl (13 Jul 2007)

The Gardai are entitled to make inquiries if they believe a crime may have been committed. 

Assuming this incident has been reported to the Gardai, they have every right to look into it as they see fit and talk to anyone who may have had access to the alleged stolen item. 

Remember that any decision to talk to employees is made by the investigating Gardai, not the owner.


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## ClubMan (13 Jul 2007)

Rightly or wrongly I can't see this incident registering too high on the _Gardaí's_ priority list or them sending a team of detectives down to investigate. On the other hand if you feel that it might help then report the issue.


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## so-crates (13 Jul 2007)

Or to look at it another way, why not report it... you may not get the desired result in the bracelet being returned but by not reporting it you can be absolutely certain it never, ever will be investigated by any Garda. Not to imply that any staff or customers are doing so but perhaps there may be an issue regarding petty theft at the bowling alley, maybe there is someone frequenting the place who picks pockets or just picks up things lying around. Or perhaps more sanguinely, someone has gone off sick or is on holidays and has unintentionally walked out of work with it and it is entirely innocently off the manager's radar. The right questions asked may resolve it.

And you never know, I once had something stolen from me on a train, the perp just lifted it straight out of my hand and ran off. Despite believing that was the last I had seen of my property and the general consensus that I was wasting my time I decided to report it to the police. Two days later I had a phone call from them telling me that they had actually recovered it! They said I was very lucky as items like that are generally lost for good but not always. I was delightedly surprised but if I had never contacted them I would never have seen it again.


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## Hasslehoff (16 Jul 2007)

Or...the girl who took the first call from you did not really care or confused your item with someone else. I am sure it happens all the time and i would ask the manager what the loss property process is but i am sure they have a disclaimer. 

But can you really expect someone who is working in a bowling alley to be conscious of this i am sure they get loads of calls each day and the flip side is how are they to know you are genuine.

If it was me i would have asked for the girls name, get her to call the manager and give the item to him and tell him that i would be down at a time to pick it up from him!! I just would not take there word for it.


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## Staples (16 Jul 2007)

zag said:


> In an ideal world . . . .
> 
> You go to the gardai to report a stolen bracelet . . . "And where was this article last seen ?" . . . . "Bowling Alley, they said they had it behind the counter" . . . . "Is that so, let's go down and ask them a few questions so".


 

I think that last bit is where normal logic becomes unstuck.  Regrettably perhaps, this sort of incident isn't of the magitude that would prompt the Gardai to take immediate (or any) action.

Reporting the issue, however, may help in making a claim from your Insurance company.  They may be the ones who determine whether to "encourage" the Gardai.  If it was a briefcase full of diamonds, they might do just that.  For a €200 bracelet, I'd say they'd just pay up.


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