Theft by Meet and Greet at LHR

[RetreatRetreatRetreat]

Went on honeymoon and used a company via Holiday Extras to book a hotel and meet and greet parking. It went like a dream. Hotel great. Drop off easy. Amazing honeymoon and the car was there immediately when I arrived.

Got in the car, first thing I do is go to put my mobile phone in the holder. It's not there. Search the vehicle, nope it's been nicked!!

Went to complain and they got up video of me entering the parking and tried to say that it wasn't on there. It was clearly visible and even they admitted it in the end. They apologised and said to make a complaint. They let me take a photo of the evidence of me entering with it in the car. I said, I'm not complaining, I'm involving the police, this is theft from a motor vehicle whilst entrusted to your care. They say no a complaint is what is needed!

I'll be honest, the holder cost not a lot, but my dad who lives miles away abroad bought me it and I've had it years and I loved it.

I wrote an email complaining immediately and I have also reported it online to the police, (not that they will do anything) as well as to holiday Extras.

I feel slightly unreasonable due to the low value but also, it's a trust thing and it feels like it has tainted our honeymoon slightly.

I paid £260 to be robbed. AiBU or should I push this further. Im so enraged.

Have you checked the mileage? Some of these companies allow their friends and employees to drive around in your car while you are away. Maybe that is how your phone holder got stolen. There are so many reports of people getting speeding/parking tickets while they are not even in the country.

I took a picture of the mileage. It had only been driven 15 miles (I deliberately left it low on fuel).

I'm not expecting them to do anything, I needed a crime number, you know, because a crime has been committed 🤷🏼‍♀️ and next time it may not be a mobile phone holder, but something much more precious.

Don’t be such a jerk.

if an item has been stolen it needs to be reported to the police for insurance purposes.

Has it been valeted and the holder removed for valeting, and is now beneath the seat?

You can get a crime number over the phone to 101 or online. No police involved at any stage, just an admin person.

@Getofftheladder I'm no jerk, I'm a rational person that realises that any excess on insurance will be more than the cost of the "stolen" phone charger.

And I assume you've read the OP they said complain, which will likely lead to them paying for it I assume? But no, OP wants the police involved!

I don't think I'm the jerk......

We used a meet and greet parking at Gatwick in the summer and got the car back damaged. They'd hit the back of someone on a roundabout while driving to the offsite parking. Although there was also damage at the back not explained by that accident. Also suspicious of mileage but we didn't record it before we left.

Never ever ever use them again

I would report to the police and would urge anyone else who's experienced similar to do so. They are unlikely to investigate individual incidents but multiples would show a pattern emerging and could lead to further investigation.

You really must lead a sheltered life. The Police will not give a shit about a plastic phone holder, or any valuables that are left in a car, regardless of how many reports there are.

By your logic, no one should report any low value crime, we can all just walk into anywhere and steal anything as long as it's worth under £25?

Exactly my point!

Easy , never use meet and greet, entrust your car and its contents to a complete stranger to poke about in?. Even when I worked and I could use it when travelling, I told our secretary, dont' worry, I'll park it myself. A lot of people wanted the prestige of arriving at the door, but not me, I was pretty germ phobic before lockdown and if anyone used my car I would run over the inside with wipes, never mind the thought of them rifling through my glove box.

We used a meet and greet at Manchester airport about 5 years ago.

Got the car back minus about half a tank of diesel. Didn't think to record mileage as never once thought it would be an issue.

MrsRobinsonsHandprints they will give a shit if it turns out that there's multiple thefts and a chance of a quick and easy clear up. But if thefts aren't reported the police can't do much about it, and everyone moans that crime's going up and the police do nothing about it.

@RetreatRetreatRetreat yep that's about right!

What insurance are you hoping to claim off?

They won't!

We thought about using this kind of service before but our car is too small for us and our luggage, defo worth reporting

@Getofftheladder Insurances purposes? The OP's insurance excess will be way more than the cost of a cheap phone holder.

Erm, I'm sure you're very clever for doing that, but how does that help OP?!

I’d love to be the 101 call handler in this situation

get a grip and make a complaint, get a cheque and get it looked into by management

the police rightfully will not give a shit

I don’t think OP is expecting the MI5 to get involved. Of course you’re entitled to report to the police when you’ve been robbed, even if it’s unlikely they’ll investigate. That’s for them to decide.

FGS
Make the bloody complaint and get a new holder. All this about is being purchased by your dad is utterly ridiculous. It is a piece of plastic. Just get them to pay and buy another one.

I'm actually laughing at the idea of reporting a missing plastic phone holder to the police and thinking they'll do something about it.