Stolen upper

[Riodog]

Besides what Geeknow just said you should name the restaurant so the rest if us know to beware.
Rio

[glockk9mm]

So since its not a serialized item they can't return it if they find it right? So he should just Take it as a loss, and a lesson to be learned from what I can see here, and maybe use better common sense next time.

[AEC1]

There is not much that cna be done.

Once you drive off the Valets lot you release them of all responsability. That is part of the agreement. Scratches, dents ,missing items and all. Their defense is that how do you prove it happened while they had control of your vehicle. If you can do that they valet is bonded with insurance and other then loosing his scate job and possible criminal charges he cant be touched.

[sb_pete]

Do the valets work directly for the restaurant or are they subcontracted out?

Was this at night or broad daylight?

Do the valets park only in a fenced in lot used exclusively by the restaurant?

While it is VERY UNcommon for valets to steal from people's cars, it is conversely quite common for them to leave your vehicle unlocked and out of immediate sight. It is not at all uncommon for unscrupulous people (often local high school aged kids) to be aware of this fact and to take advantage of it.

A company like ACE in SD will simply pass something like this off to insurance. Smaller companies can not afford the kind of coverage ACE has and will deal with situations like this out of pocket.

Just a heads up for everyone. If you tip a valet going in and ask him where you can park it yourself, they are liable to be very accommodating. Just drive up, slip the guy $5 ($10 if dinner averages more than $30 ea) and ask him where you can park it. 9 times out of 10, they will just show you where and say thanks. If they hesitate, just say you have documents in the car and it needs to be secure. Heck, this is always true anyways - I mean you do have your car registration in the car right?

99 times out of 100 or more, a valet is not going to do anything more than admire your car if its cool, make fun of it with his co-workers if it sucks or is particularly smelly or dirty or whatever, or fart in it while bringing it to you if you're an a-hole to him. That said, while stealing stuff from your car is pretty rare, it does happen. More often, small dings and unsecured parking happen. If you want the convenience and security of the valet lot without having to worry about the valet stealing from you or parking the car unlocked out of sight. Just tip the kid and ask him to park it yourself. Guys with exotic cars, tuned cars, motorcycles, big trucks, and trailers do this all the time.

[AEC1]

Do the valets work directly for the restaurant or are they subcontracted out?

Was this at night or broad daylight?

Do the valets park only in a fenced in lot used exclusively by the restaurant?

While it is VERY UNcommon for valets to steal from people's cars, it is conversely quite common for them to leave your vehicle unlocked and out of immediate sight. It is not at all uncommon for unscrupulous people (often local high school aged kids) to be aware of this fact and to take advantage of it.

A company like ACE in SD will simply pass something like this off to insurance. Smaller companies can not afford the kind of coverage ACE has and will deal with situations like this out of pocket.

Just a heads up for everyone. If you tip a valet going in and ask him where you can park it yourself, they are liable to be very accommodating. Just drive up, slip the guy $5 ($10 if dinner averages more than $30 ea) and ask him where you can park it. 9 times out of 10, they will just show you where and say thanks. If they hesitate, just say you have documents in the car and it needs to be secure. Heck, this is always true anyways - I mean you do have your car registration in the car right?

99 times out of 100 or more, a valet is not going to do anything more than admire your car if its cool, make fun of it with his co-workers if it sucks or is particularly smelly or dirty or whatever, or fart in it while bringing it to you if you're an a-hole to him. That said, while stealing stuff from your car is pretty rare, it does happen. More often, small dings and unsecured parking happen. If you want the convenience and security of the valet lot without having to worry about the valet stealing from you or parking the car unlocked out of sight. Just tip the kid and ask him to park it yourself. Guys with exotic cars, tuned cars, motorcycles, big trucks, and trailers do this all the time.

This is great advise. I doubt most establishments run thir own valets. ALot of overhead, insurance for the valets, rent for the lot, insurance for the lot, etc...

[TheBundo]

Well, I just talked to my friend, he is now scared to report this to the leo's he feels that he is going to be introuble for waiting this long. I'm sure that he is learning his lesson not to trust strangers with your vehicle and personel belongings. And the oll receiver was in a locked container as well as his othe firearms, the only thing taken was the upper that did not have a separate storage since it didn't fit in any of the other cases, so all it took was a quick peek inside the trunk and it was in plain view. Lesson to be learned I guess. Will He be in anykind of trouble with the p.d.?

2 words - Valet Key

[wildhawker]

I worked as a valet for 4.5 years at a 4 star resaurant in Livermore. I can honestly say that I never helped myself to a cent of anyone's change or anything in their cars. If they pissed me off, I'd change all their presets on the radio to spanish stations though LOL.

Having said all that, I don't let valets park my truck anywhere I go.

The real news here: there's a 4-star restaurant in Livermore?!? :P

[sb_pete]

2 words - Valet Key

Yeah, limited use though. Mostly they just allow you to lock the trunk and glove box so that the person with the valet key can't access those areas. If you have a wagon, hatch, SUV, minivan, van, p/u truck, etc, this is of pretty limited utility.

That said, it is a good idea to have it anyways. Valets sometimes lose keys. This is rare at restaurants, but more common at private functions where there is no real "lot" and they have ad-hoc "key stations." Most often, this is because they are rushed with lots of cars, a valet parks a car, puts the key in his pocket while hustling back to get the next car, gets in another car, key falls in between seats of second car, key is lost. If you had used a valet key (or even just a spare key), you would still have all of your keys including the key to your car. No AAA or hassle necessary. You also would not have put your other keys in the custody of a stranger. It is one in a million stalker kind of stuff, but there have been news reports of valets making copies of a customer's house keys (I know of 2 stories in the last five years nationwide, so you're a hell of alot more likely to be struck by lightning, but hey.

Special note for Mercedes and BMW owners: don't just pull the key fob off your keychain leaving the dead-battery-backup laser-cut key on your keychain. While this keeps you in possession of your other keys and leaves the valets with a means to start and lock/unlock your car, it also gets lost more than any other kind of key. They are also expensive to replace ($400 or so if proximity type). The reason I say this is because doing this leaves the valets with no means of hanging the key or attaching a note to it. The only thing to do with them is put them on top of a valet tag on the ground or on top of something. They get lost. They get separated from their tag. It is a pain and may be a delay or worse for you. The cars come with a real valet key. Put a little key ring on that, leave it in your glove box or something, and use that instead. *rant off*

If it is a restaurant or hotel or place with a lot, just be polite, be firm, and hand the valet a tip while asking where you can park it yourself. This is more the "bribe" kind of tip than the "reward for good service" kind of tip. This is similar to tipping a bartender excessively to ensure that you don't wait at the bar while he serves patrons with cleavage first. If the valets are slammed with cars, or it is a private event with no lot, or you drive a jalopy that could be accurately described as an "eyesore," be prepared to just tip the guy, drop your passengers (if any), and tell him you will follow him to where you can park it. That or just don't use the valets.

hth,
-Pete

[bigcalidave]

That was ****ing stupid... That's all I have to add to this conversation.

Really ****ing Stupid...

[xlimey]

"...That was ****ing stupid... That's all I have to add to this conversation.

Really ****ing Stupid..."

+1...

Maybe the "gf" that your friend had to take to dinner on the way back from his shooting trip was "really hot" - and it affected the blood flow to his brain that day?

As a professional photographer and gun owner I often travel with expensive or potentially lethal equipment in the vehicle. The equipment/firearms are always locked out of public view. When loaded, the vehicle is never out of my sight - ever. When it is parked -nobody parks it but me...period.

I suspect that - absent the presence of the "gf" your friend would have been quite happy to use a drive-through burger joint - or eat when he got home...

[savageevo]

please let us know which restuarant you went to in palm springs, the people who live here wants to be aware so we do not use the valet service. I would report it. its amazing what these detectives could find. There could be a camera in the area recording the thug opening the trunk and taking the upper.

[glockk9mm]

please let us know which restuarant you went to in palm springs, the people who live here wants to be aware so we do not use the valet service. I would report it. its amazing what these detectives could find. There could be a camera in the area recording the thug opening the trunk and taking the upper.

I will post the name as soon as my friend tells me, (if it's not violating any forum rules) I wasn't with him so I can't say which restaraunt this is. And I agree that was dumb of him trusting the vallet staff, I'm sure there really isn't much he can do to find his upper, this was one expensive lunch.

[fairfaxjim]

I would report it. its amazing what these detectives could find. There could be a camera in the area recording the thug opening the trunk and taking the upper.

To not report a theft from you, particularly from someone who is trusted to provide a service, is not helping anyone. The restaurant management does not want customers staying away because they are getting ripped of by the valet, and why let them get away with continuing to do it?

Also, cars come with a nifty little thing called a "valet key" that lets them park the car but not get in the trunk. Yeah, I know that they can get in there many other ways, but this is a theft of convenience, your friend gave them the key. At least with the valet key they have to spend some time and break in to even see what's there. With the key, it is like being on display in a window. However, and I'm sure your friend has learned this lesson, when it comes to guns in vehicles, never trust anybody.

[retired]

Prior to driving to PS, have your friend call that PD to advise them what occurred. Make sure he speaks with an officer and not a clerk (the W/Sgt. might even be better).

He should ask the leo if it will be necessary to return to PS to have the report done by their agency or if he can have a courtesy report taken by the local agency where he lives due to the distance.

Courtesy reports are taken frequently by agencies for other agencies, especially in cases like this where a great distance is involved.

PS shouldn't have any trouble with LBPD taking a courtesy report, but I obviously have no idea what LBPD's policy is on taking them. As I just mentioned in another thread a few days ago, I took a courtesy report of a 211 and 245 from a gentleman who lived in my patrol area (Paramount), tho the incident occurred in LAPD's area and the officer refused to take it (oops, I wasn't going to mention the other PD.).

Still make the phone call to the restaurant as was suggested and the manner in which geeknow mentioned.

Please let us know how things work out if you will.

[workinwifdakids]

Since an upper is a functional part of a firearm, could your friend not call the ATF stolen firearms hotline? Some federal interest might shake something loose. If not, it would certainly exonerate your friend should the firearm be used in a crime.