Would I be unreasonable to email the gym manager after my shampoo and conditioner were stolen from locked locker?

[DickieAnderson]

I’ve been going to a small hotel gym for 15 years and all the staff know me and are lovely and friendly.

I use the gym and pool at night and I’m often the only person there until closing, I usually decant my shampoo and conditioner into travel bottles but last week took the whole bottles as they were brand new and didn’t have a chance.

They were both £20 each so not cheap (I have bleached hair and swim daily so need decent stuff to deal with my hair constantly doused in chlorine) and I’m struggling for money so can’t just replace them but it’s also my own fault.

My friend had an emergency and needed me to go and watch her kids, I’d walked to the gym as it’s 3 minutes from home so was on foot to her house 15 minutes away.
I didn’t want to drag all my gym stuff so left it in the locker and took the key and planned to go back the next morning to collect my things.
There are plenty of lockers and even when the gym is full there are free lockers but it’s been quiet for months.

I had to stay at my friends with her children till the next afternoon as she was in hospital and her husband was working away, I waited until he returned home and went back to the gym for my things.

I didn’t notice until the next day my shampoo and conditioner were missing from the gym bag, I’m absolutely certain they were left in the locker. I’ve checked and nothing handed into lost property and the cleaners said they didn’t see them. There is only one member of female staff and two cleaners, would either have another key?

I know it’s my fault for leaving them and I take full responsibility but I still find it so upsetting that someone has stolen from me knowing they were aware everything in the locker was mine (my name is on my gym bag and other things in the locker were identifying) and it’s made me feel really upset.
Everything was folded nearly and in different pockets in my bag and it was clear someone had gone through it and moved everything.

Would it be unreasonable to mention it to the manager or should I just accept I was at fault and took a risk that backfired? Interested in others opinions whilst I decide what to do please.

Well you can mention whatever you want but I presume somewhere there is mention they do not take reposbility for items safety which may not be legal but unless you want to report it to the police not sure what you expect them to do?

They may go through CCTV but I would personally move on

But is there a time limit on locker usage?

Was it Wash and Go?

Yes absolutely mention it, but it's quite odd to break into a locked locker to just steal shampoo and conditioner. Are you sure they weren't left outside the bag or in the shower?

Is it allowed to leave things in the lockers overnight? At some places they warn that they will open and check anything left over.
It wouldn't explain why is the shampoo missing, but would explain why your things got ruffled.

For security I totally understand why they open a locked locker which had been left locked overnight but doesn't explain why your shampoo is missing.

I'd absolutely mention it. Maybe come at it from the - can I check what is the policy for bags left overnight? Tell them you accept, like you've said here, that's technically you shouldn't have done it but given the circumstances etc. but you're really concerned that your bag has been clearly gone through and items taken when there was no need for it.

If one of their staff has stolen something (and it should be pretty clear who, as presumably there will be cctv and only a certain amount of people will have access to locker keys, particularly over quite a short space of time) that's pretty serious and I'm sure the managers would like to know, particularly if you say it has led you to reconsider staying at the gym. It doesn't matter if it's "only" shampoo, sounds like they would have taken anything else if it had been left there too!

There are no signs saying about leaving things or it being your own responsibility or time limits.
They were definitely in my bag in the locker, I’m certain of that.
I suppose I can’t really do anything but it does sting a bit and I’ll probably wonder who it was in future 😏.

It was my own fault as I mentioned and if I had the money to just replace them then I would and put it down to experience.
I’m going through a difficult time and money is tight and it just felt like another kick when I’m already feeling at rock bottom.

Thank you, I might just send an email directly to the gym manager saying I take full responsibility but I still feel it’s a bit out of order that someone had clearly been through my bag and taken things.

There is CCTV but not in the changing rooms obviously, it will narrow it down to anyone who had key access.

What does "I accept full responsibility, but... " even mean?

I'd recommend to start with checking the T&C, I'd expect that lockers left overnight will get checked for safety reasons and I don't think there need to be visible signs for that.
Alternatively, you can start by asking whether there's such a rule.

If they had a legitimate reason to check your things, they will know who was on duty/who to ask.

I’m not sure why you say it’s your ‘fault’ and you feel responsible. Somebody stole your stuff! I wouldn’t be apologetic about saying your friend had a medical emergency, and the last thing you expect is to find someone has gone through your bag in a locked locker!

I think that's really worrying and I would absolutely take it to the management! If they have cctv they should review it. No amount of 'no responsibility' messaging removes the fact that this was a theft, it just means the gym won't pay for replacements if it's not a member of their staff. Tell them as the thief had a key you'd like your items back (if it's staff) or their lockers need replacing if someone external has a key!

If the whole bag had been confiscated because they don’t allow you to use lockers over night that would be one thing (though I would expect it to be returned with a warning), but someone going through your bag is just theft and I would absolutely report it and expect to hear an investigation outcome. This will not be the only thing they’ve taken and it needs sorting.

Tell the manager.
If I had a thief working for me I would want to know about it.

If the entire contents of locker had been disposed of due to some rule to stop people using them for long term storage, that would make more sense. Though it should be made clear somewhere when you sign up that this is the rule.

Does any of the staff have bleached hair?

You should definitely report it as someone chose to go into the bag and take just those items. So it can't have been staff just throwing away everything because lockers aren't allowed overnight use.

As a manager I would 100% want to know about this to find out what happened as I would worry that people wouldn't want to use my business if their things went missing!

Definitely report it. I think explaining the situation and saying you know you shouldn’t have left your things there but also explaining someone has stolen something from you is the best way to go about it. But you should definitely let them know that they have a thief working for them.

If the locker was actually locked, YANBU!!
If you left them unlocked I think it’s on you…

Yes, definitely email them.

they need to know their staff have done this & someone can't be trusted. Hopefully they can work out who it was from the timings.

I hope your friend is ok & things are better for you financially soon 🌷

Why are you certain you didn’t leave them in the shower area?

If you’d left it on the side, I would say don’t bother mentioning it but as someone has actively gone through your locker and taken it, then I would definitely email.

I'd definitely email but suspect that staff have access to a master key for the lockers so the culprit will not be identified.

The OP isn’t blaming the gym, she’s just letting them know that there’s a thief about. Nothing wrong with that, I would do the same.

I’d never used them they were brand new so I know I hadn’t even taken them out of the locker.

I have OCD (diagnosed) so I was very careful and checked my bag and that the locker was locked a few times.

um, yeah I think I would have taken the stuff home and perhaps driven to your friends house, but that's hindsight for you. I would question the choice of shampoo and conditioner if you can't even just replace it given the lack of money though.

Thank you so much for everyone’s comments.

I agree that if they had an issue about me using the locker overnight that my things should have been removed then returned and then I could have been told if they were unhappy. Just taking the shampoo and conditioner alone was obviously deliberate and is stealing so I’m going to email the manager today and try to find the most diplomatic way to word it.