Bandits hit me for a tool box yesterday at the Home Depot. They did not get a fortune: slip joint pliers, tape measure, two old screw drivers, two small no-name adjustable end wrenches, and several other small not too valuable hand tools. Lucky me, I was parked right under the parking lot camera. I was just at the front of the row between the contractors door and the exit. The time was 7:45 a.m.
Management at HD said they would not help me, I had to file a police report.
The police told an interesting story. They said the HD lawyers are afraid of being sued by the thieves. So most often HD doesn’t see anything. If a felony is committed on the HD parking lot then they are willing to get involved. Otherwise they see no evil.
You can do it. We can help… Yeah, right.
Replies
So does that mean if I steal something from HD I can sue them! Just gota get it out to the parking lot. Sounds like a win win.
Too bad you don't keep an emergency $1000.00 bill hidden in the tool box. That would make it a felony, or at least that used to be the dividing line.
The nearest HD to me, (North Haven CT) seems very aggressive in deterring parking lot bandits. I see LE all over the place, constantly. I wonder if there's any discretion on the part of the store management? Maybe getting a bunch of big customers together and threatening to take their business someplace safer would help?
Wonder if they'd be more interested if you told them you were planning on writing the story in to the local paper?
"HD won't protect customers." or some other pithy title.
I'm not sure what they're supposed to do here.
no matter what ... U have to file a police report.
do you mean they won't let the cops look at the tape?
Jeff
That is correct. Either they say they don't really watch the parking lot or that machine happened to not be working. Now it happens to work when somebody gets killed.
I said to the cop, witholding that evidence is obstruction of justice. The cop claims the courts are siding with the merchants.
Part of my cynical character says HD doesn't care cause they now want to sell me replacement tools.
The cop claimed the perps could be from out of state. I have only have had problems at store 3003. It's not in the best neighborhood. But it's far from blighted.
I am planning on stopping in at HD today to talk with the manager in charge of loss prevention. If he knows my name, i.e. the cops have talked to him, I'll be impressed.Big Macs - 99 cents
Kinda a similar incident....
A woman was attacked and raped in a local Wal-Mart's parking lot.
She sued Wal-Mart saying that they should have had cameras in the parking lot.
She lost the suit.
Furthermore, we are throwing a benefit for my sister. We are having a live auction and silent auction. We can't get any of the Big Box stores to donate anything for the auctions. The local mom and pop outfits, well that's another story. We've been impressed by their support.
Furthermore, we are throwing a benefit for my sister. We are having a live auction and silent auction. We can't get any of the Big Box stores to donate anything for the auctions. The local mom and pop outfits, well that's another story. We've been impressed by their support.
What's wrong with sis? There's some generous folks on BT and if you throw in tool giveaways, they'd probably go nuts!
jt8
One of the HD's I "patronize" has signs in the parking lot saying "don't leave money, tools, cell phones or other valuables in your vehicle...we are not responsible for theft of such items".
Renaissance Restorations
Antique & Victorian Home Restoration Services
http://www.renaissancerestorations.com
I'm at a complete loss here,the crook can sue HD for what reason??I DIDN'T DO IT...THE BUCK DOES NOT STOP HERE.
Was it in the bed out in the open? Or did they have to physicaly pry something open to get at your tool box?
It irks me that they won't let you look at the tape. We're gonna have to find a way to politley get across to different managers that if they don't help us then we can't help them. It's hard for one guy here and there to have a voice though.
Who Dares Wins.
See if you can get the manager's email address or better yet a name and phone number.
Post it here and we'll all give him a shout and let him know how their "bread and butter" feels about their blind eye.
I'm with D here.......
I'd crawl up their azz so far they'd be payin me to take the tape.
Make it your job to get them to cooperate. DON"T GO AWAY and make sure that they know you won't.
Quick call from Bob Walker might have them thinking otherwise!
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
Count me in..A-holes....they have tapes but won't let the cops see it.what if it were a rape?
To builders.stealing our tools is rape to a minor degree....but as I always say...lie to me....steal my bullshid but stay away from my tools and family other wise.......
Give us the store managers Email address
BE infuriated
andyThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Mebbe we should all flood FHB mag. to print THAT little gem of info. THAT would get HD's ATTN.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
I think Mr. T will be in here soon to remind you that, since FHB is owned by Lowe's they will not mind the negative press against HD.
Jon Blakemore
Why start small?
The guy you want to contact is Bob Nardelli. The big cheese.
The people at the top DON'T want to hear negative things affecting their bottom line and their public perception.
The stockholders DON'T want to hear news that could cause their investment to lose money.
A nice letter to the Big Cheese with a copy (or two) to the local news (TV, newspaper) WILL get some attention and action.
http://www.homedepot.com/HDUS/EN_US/corporate/about/corp_values.shtml
http://www.homedepot.com/HDUS/EN_US/corporate/corp_respon/docs/2001_report.pdf
And I am wondering why those two links show up as my having already visited them.
I have never knowingly been to any HD links before...
Maybe there is an HD cookie or redirect somewhere on prospero ???
The person you offend today, may have been your best friend tomorrow
I looked at both and then copied the links to Word and from Word pasted them into the thread. Perhaps you are seeing the color change that happened after I opened them?
No.
They are automatically made into links when you post them here. The color that anyone at all sees here, is tied to whether they have personally visited the links or not.
Once it is a link in a thread/post here, then one has to "visit" it in order for it to show as visited.
The only way it should show as visited on my computer is if I had already visited the links before I saw them here. I have never intentionally visited a home depot link.
Therefore, my browser has been made to visit those links without my knowledge. A redirect. I don't expect that from Taunton. But it is par for the course, for Prospero...
Also, my history was reset less than two weeks ago. So, the redirect has to have happened within that time frame. I KNOW I have not visited a home depot link in that time frame. I am positive I never did, before that, either...
This is no big deal, actually. Except for the fact that just visiting certain pages, can put malware on your computer. And I don't like silent/invisible redirects for exactly that reason. I don't like my browser visiting any website that I am not aware of...
The person you offend today, may have been your best friend tomorrow
If you haven't found http://www.doxdesk.com give it a try. If you have a parasite (non-invasive advertising and popups) it finds most of them. I had a nasty one once and cleaned it right up following their instructions.
View Source on those links and the font color is #800080
Which looks like LKGHLIYGBLYHUKRCJY
So no, you have not been redirected.
SamT
I shoulda done that.
:)
The person you offend today, may have been your best friend tomorrow
Hi Jon,
"since FHB is owned by Lowe's they will not mind the negative press against HD."
A friend of mine is an Art Director at Taunton and I checked on this. She informs me that Taunton is a private company and not owned by anyone. However, they do contract with the Big Boxes to sell their publications.
Sorry to burst your bubble!
Egon
Tell that to Mr. T.
I hear he has incontrovertible proof!
Jon Blakemore
That's whay they have to say ...
publically ...
because if it ever came out that WallMart owns them all it'll all go down the drain.
Jeff
It'll never happen, but it's a great idea. Too many advertising dollars at stake.
But they could pose it as a "public service message" warning to all contractors.
I am not sure I ever saw a HD ad in FHB..if I did, I musta zoned it out.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
You're probably right.... guess I ASSumed again!
Eugene..with FHB carrying on about that dopey PO stuff...you actually think they'd get PO-LITICAL? PA-LEASE.
Thats like saying the next BT Fest should be at your or my war zone...lol.
Be The Berkley Barb
andyThe secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
I hear you.....
Four things to stay away from if you don't want to be picking up your teeth with broken fingers....
my dog
my tools
my wife
my truck.
Don't ask me to pick what order those things fall in though..... ;)
They would get at least 4 emails, including mine.
Jon Blakemore
If it really is store 3003 like he said
I did a little homework.
Bridgeton Mo
Close to st louis
314 291 5288
home depot=
Store managers name is Paul Haitsch
Seems as though the manager ended up cooperating after all. But nice work with the research anywho bro. I'll keep you in mind next time I've got a grudge to settle though! ;)
yeah I'm a vindicative little SOB...
or so I've been told
I heard the same thing too...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
I ever tell you about the college professor that pissed me off?
nope
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
No time at the current moment...
but I will ;)
And I thought it was just me. Every time I visit HD I lock up the boxes and all the doors. I even check on the van once in a while if I'm waiting in a long line (like almost always.) Always felt a little funny walking through my routine. It's the only place where I button up the vehicle like it was going to be parked in downtown Bahgdad.
I usually leave the kid (22 pizzed) in the truck.
Workin so far!.
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
"I usually leave the kid (22 pizzed) in the truck. Workin so far!. Eric"
For decoys, maybe the rest of us should just put blow-up dolls in the passenger side of our trucks. - Rookie
You'd come back to the truck to find the tools gone, AND the doll ravished.
The person you offend today, may have been your best friend tomorrow
I don't think I want to be seen on the HD tape early in the morning blowing up my inflatible guy! ewee!
Maybe get a blow upgirl.
shades of Airplane_____________________________
bobl Volo, non valeo
I am liking the idea of a dummy tool box with rat traps/road kill inside.... thief takes home and surprise! Although, I think there where some very successful lawsuits about traped thieves suing homeowners/victims... ahh, sometimes I love our justice system
Hey JohnT8,
Thanks for asking about my sis. She has cancer. If anyone is around the St. Louis metro area, the benefit is Nov 19th at the Collinsville, IL VFW. The SMASH band is gonna play. Should be a good time, that is if the start of deer season doesn't hurt attendance. The band has a web site http://www.smashband.com .
And now back to the original thread.... yep it's a bumer to have anything stolen off of you and it's a shame the HD cameras didn't pan over just a wee bit more. My motto when it comes to that stuff is outta sight, outta mind. Still can't believe how many guys leave trucks full of really expensive stuff in the back, air compressors, chopsaws, the $600 good ones, nail guns, etc. Wish I had bought a truck with a full 8 foot bed and an extended cab. I'd stick a shell on the back of it. I have to drag my stuff to the front and sit it on the driver and passenger seats.
Chills, I must live in nicer neighborhoods and go to nicer big boxes. Lots of my stuff is left in the open, i the bed of the truck. I do put my nail guns and staplers in the tool box, but that is always unlocked too. I do lock my truck because it has the electronic lock...otherwise that would be left unlocked too.
I don't park next to "suspect" vehicles though.
blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, all of it is considered bottom of the barrel by Gabe. I am not to be counted amongst the worst of the worst. If you want real framing information...don't listen to me..just ask Gabe!
Hey, Nick, nice to see you again. Been too busy to post?
I do it different. There is a "Contractor" section at my HD. I used to avoid it (paint a sign on the van "Steal me, steal me") but I realized that the staff smoking table is right there. Now, I park right at the table, and make a point of asying "Hi" to the staff sitting there.
I lock up the van too.Quality repairs for your home.
Aaron the HandymanVancouver, Canada
Thanks for the concern. It has been busy, but I've been around.
Good idea parking at the smokers table, unfortunately the employees here take their break in the back. Another way I get the employees to know my vehicle is to return the carts back to the front of the store after I use them, and often pick up one from the lot on my way in (I can't stand all the carts scattered throughout the lot.) The guys who normally do the cart roundup appreciate it and know me and my (real obvious) van.
I never met a tool I didn't like!
I saw the manager at the store he was helpful. From the video you could not see my vehicle. So things are fine. I got some new tools.
Farmer..........ur not gonna let us down like that eh? just when we're all ready to jump all over this??
Breakfest in the parking lot.......that'll square things up!
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
Well I'm going to let you down a wee bit.
Like I said, I am at the front of the aisle between the contractor pickup and the HO exit. But my truck is just off the video screen. The LPM, Loss Prevention Manager, brought it up on the computer at the desk near the contractor door.
So video coverage on the parking lot is spotty and better in the middle. Five years ago when I got ripped at this HD, there was no video.
LPM said it was his first day back. I got to the store at 2:00 pm and he had not heard anything about the incident. So communication between the cops and HD was poor.
I am ashamed to admit I forgot to lock the tailgate on my truck. The tonneau cover was on. Everything was out of site. I try not to take anything to this HD. But I was running late and it was 7:45 am.
I only had my #1 toolbox with me. That's the tool box that if I was going to be stranded on a desert island, I'd pick it first. It carries a hack saw frame, pliers, tack hammer, torpeo level, a mini pry bar, two old screw drivers, my new Stanley utility knife .... It was a nearly worn out twenty inch plastic tool box.
Some of my good friends were in that box, but I'll get some new friends. My twenty-five year old wire strippers were needing to go. But I just could not bring myself to put them out to pasture. I bought a new top-of-the-line set of Klein's.
Big Macs - 99 cents
Edited 11/10/2004 10:04 am ET by FarmerDave
Not that I enjoyed getting robbed last year but, i'd probably let them keep all the power tools just to have my hand tool boxes back. I miss my "old friends" its amazing what accumulates in my tool boxes.
One of my good friends is currently "under-employed" at HD and works the Pro desk. The stories he tells me about people stealing from the store and how stupid security and his management are, I'm not surprised that you had trouble.
Very sorry to hear that. Perhaps a big dog in the cab with the windows down?