Theft...small scale.

Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Mtatoc

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Messages
151
Reaction score
0
Weird. A guest this weekend, a one-nighter, took all the teabags from the coffee service in her room. I am assuming it was her and not her husband, but who knows? And the wine stopper we keep with the corkscrew and glasses, a pair of reading glasses ( I keep in each room for my own use but are available for guests), and the little rubber ducky by the tub. Again, weird.
We had someone take a rubber ducky once before. And we had someone take all the tea and sugar and coffee. But this was all at one time. Not items that anyone would possibly think was theirs as part of the room price.
 
Every now and again we get a klepto I guess.
I have a friend who I try not to take places that have refreshments after a concert. She loads up her purse with cookies and whatever is there - not because she is needy, I do not know why (perhaps a deprived or extremely poor childhood?) but it embarrasses ME! And when she comes here for a dinner, she will take the carcass of the bird (which is fine with me) BUT has taken ALL the dressing and much of the other leftovers that I would have had for meals for a day or two. I have come to accept it - you take-em like they is, warts and all.
 
I think some people just walk off with everything that is not nailed down. Kind of surprised they didn't take all of the wine things.
 
i think she/he/they took the rubber duck because they assumed it was a one time thing and theirs to take. i put little rubber ducks in the rooms with tubs, then even on a shower shelf because they looked so cute, and folks often took them. like soap. it didn't bother me, as if they bathed with one, i just couldn't figure how to disinfect the thing for the next person. so i thought of it as not a problem
tea, in room ... i suppose they might think ... 'it all comes with the room, it's mine to use or take home.' if i were you, i wouldn't put too many in a room ... just what i felt like someone would reasonably drink during their stay. and if they drank it or took it, no problem
the other two things ... glasses? could this have been a mistake? packing them up thinking they were their own eye glasses?
and the wine stopper ... no ...
i think i'd drop them an email note. hope you enjoyed your stay ... do you recall where you might have moved the wine stopper and reading glasses to? i've not been able to find them, perhaps you thought the glasses were yours' something like that.
you might get them back in the mail. it's worth a try.
i handmade afghan went home with someone but came back in the mail. she said she mistakenly packed it. odd ... because how and why would you mistakenly pack something like that? but, hey, i was glad to get it back.

my dear, late mom was a packer upper. sugar packets mostly. but she'd bring zip lock bags to restaurants and pack up butter, fruit and rolls ... a few jelly packets ... you name it. she'd say ... 'i paid for it, it's part of the meal.' and, do you know, when i'm out at a restaurant, i have to fight the impulse to put a few sugars in my bag. my kids laugh and laugh at me ...
wink_smile.gif
 
They liked the tea you provided and took it home with them because they thought it was part of their room charge. I agree with SS, they thought the rubber ducky was theirs because how could it be cleaned for the next guest? We had our rubber duckies by our ducks swim away too.
I think the wine stopper went home in an unfinished bottle of wine and the glasses were picked up by mistake.
Many guests think that the small items like that in their room are fair game to take home with them. I had the cord for an MP3 player to a room clock radio go missing and I emailed the guest because I thought it probably just stayed connected to their device by mistake. The guest swore they had no clue what happened to it...oh well...
 
part of the trouble is husbands who don't know what the wife has brought and packs up everything. I have had several hair dryers go in this way though they have come back in the post with a note from the wife. I would assume the glasses have gone in this way as its easy done.
 
Some people just feel that your stuff is part of their costs and pack it all. It's the same people who take an apple at breakfast to have later in the day without asking. One cruiseline actually found that a passenger was slowly taking full sets of cutlery and packing them away, they found them and she was escorted off without a refund... expensive cutlery! We have had a few things go missing, including someone walking off with the government rating guide and our Lonely Planet guide.
 
i think she/he/they took the rubber duck because they assumed it was a one time thing and theirs to take. i put little rubber ducks in the rooms with tubs, then even on a shower shelf because they looked so cute, and folks often took them. like soap. it didn't bother me, as if they bathed with one, i just couldn't figure how to disinfect the thing for the next person. so i thought of it as not a problem
tea, in room ... i suppose they might think ... 'it all comes with the room, it's mine to use or take home.' if i were you, i wouldn't put too many in a room ... just what i felt like someone would reasonably drink during their stay. and if they drank it or took it, no problem
the other two things ... glasses? could this have been a mistake? packing them up thinking they were their own eye glasses?
and the wine stopper ... no ...
i think i'd drop them an email note. hope you enjoyed your stay ... do you recall where you might have moved the wine stopper and reading glasses to? i've not been able to find them, perhaps you thought the glasses were yours' something like that.
you might get them back in the mail. it's worth a try.
i handmade afghan went home with someone but came back in the mail. she said she mistakenly packed it. odd ... because how and why would you mistakenly pack something like that? but, hey, i was glad to get it back.

my dear, late mom was a packer upper. sugar packets mostly. but she'd bring zip lock bags to restaurants and pack up butter, fruit and rolls ... a few jelly packets ... you name it. she'd say ... 'i paid for it, it's part of the meal.' and, do you know, when i'm out at a restaurant, i have to fight the impulse to put a few sugars in my bag. my kids laugh and laugh at me ...
wink_smile.gif
.
Seashanty, I thought of those same excuses for them. Nothing was worth enough money to question them. I'm just glad they didn't take something else. Like a chair or lamp or the mattress! ha!
 
Isn't it called PETTY THEFT? It even sounds petty, doesn't it.
People think nothing of pilfering, they feel they are entitled to pilfer.
 
i think she/he/they took the rubber duck because they assumed it was a one time thing and theirs to take. i put little rubber ducks in the rooms with tubs, then even on a shower shelf because they looked so cute, and folks often took them. like soap. it didn't bother me, as if they bathed with one, i just couldn't figure how to disinfect the thing for the next person. so i thought of it as not a problem
tea, in room ... i suppose they might think ... 'it all comes with the room, it's mine to use or take home.' if i were you, i wouldn't put too many in a room ... just what i felt like someone would reasonably drink during their stay. and if they drank it or took it, no problem
the other two things ... glasses? could this have been a mistake? packing them up thinking they were their own eye glasses?
and the wine stopper ... no ...
i think i'd drop them an email note. hope you enjoyed your stay ... do you recall where you might have moved the wine stopper and reading glasses to? i've not been able to find them, perhaps you thought the glasses were yours' something like that.
you might get them back in the mail. it's worth a try.
i handmade afghan went home with someone but came back in the mail. she said she mistakenly packed it. odd ... because how and why would you mistakenly pack something like that? but, hey, i was glad to get it back.

my dear, late mom was a packer upper. sugar packets mostly. but she'd bring zip lock bags to restaurants and pack up butter, fruit and rolls ... a few jelly packets ... you name it. she'd say ... 'i paid for it, it's part of the meal.' and, do you know, when i'm out at a restaurant, i have to fight the impulse to put a few sugars in my bag. my kids laugh and laugh at me ...
wink_smile.gif
.
seashanty said:
my dear, late mom was a packer upper. sugar packets mostly. but she'd bring zip lock bags to restaurants and pack up butter, fruit and rolls ... a few jelly packets ... you name it. she'd say ... 'i paid for it, it's part of the meal.' and, do you know, when i'm out at a restaurant, i have to fight the impulse to put a few sugars in my bag. my kids laugh and laugh at me ...
wink_smile.gif
My mother, too. It was a Depression Era thing with her. She still has an old instant coffee jar in the kitchen full of pilfered packs of sugar.
 
I agree that a lot of it comes from the Depression Era mentality, a feeling that you have to stock up when you can, "just in case". It even passes down to the next generation sometimes, but I think it goes back to the family being poor in the Depression.
 
I agree that a lot of it comes from the Depression Era mentality, a feeling that you have to stock up when you can, "just in case". It even passes down to the next generation sometimes, but I think it goes back to the family being poor in the Depression..
Arkansawyer said:
I agree that a lot of it comes from the Depression Era mentality, a feeling that you have to stock up when you can, "just in case". It even passes down to the next generation sometimes, but I think it goes back to the family being poor in the Depression.
Yeah, but these people are not depression era, they're baby boomers like us.
 
I agree that a lot of it comes from the Depression Era mentality, a feeling that you have to stock up when you can, "just in case". It even passes down to the next generation sometimes, but I think it goes back to the family being poor in the Depression..
Arkansawyer said:
I agree that a lot of it comes from the Depression Era mentality, a feeling that you have to stock up when you can, "just in case". It even passes down to the next generation sometimes, but I think it goes back to the family being poor in the Depression.
Yeah, but these people are not depression era, they're baby boomers like us.
.
Children of Depression era parents. My Mom went through the Depression in Chicago - moving as a child from apartment to apartment in the middle of the night because they could not pay the rent. However, instead of hoard (her younger sister went that route), Mom taught us quality counts. She DID instill in us ways to cut corners - without stealing or taking from a businessman (a la sugars in a restaurant was a no-no because it hurt a business). I am not a boomer by 1 year - big whip. We were brought up with the use it, re-use it, use it up, and do without.
 
I agree that a lot of it comes from the Depression Era mentality, a feeling that you have to stock up when you can, "just in case". It even passes down to the next generation sometimes, but I think it goes back to the family being poor in the Depression..
Arkansawyer said:
I agree that a lot of it comes from the Depression Era mentality, a feeling that you have to stock up when you can, "just in case". It even passes down to the next generation sometimes, but I think it goes back to the family being poor in the Depression.
Yeah, but these people are not depression era, they're baby boomers like us.
.
Proud Texan said:
Arkansawyer said:
I agree that a lot of it comes from the Depression Era mentality, a feeling that you have to stock up when you can, "just in case". It even passes down to the next generation sometimes, but I think it goes back to the family being poor in the Depression.
Yeah, but these people are not depression era, they're baby boomers like us.
It's just an excuse for why my mom walks off with all the sugars and shampoos. However, growing up with someone like that you kind of figure that's what you're supposed to do when good stuff comes your way.
Not saying that's what your folks were thinking. It could still all be completely honest and someone is going to unpack the suitcase and be mortified that they have all of your stuff.
 
i don't know why my mom did it other than what she said 'i PAID for it' supposedly, fruit and rolls on the table were not to go back to the kitchen and put on another table ... so i got the point.
anyway ... i would still contact these folks about the eyeglasses and the bottle stopper. as if it was a mistake and they tucked it away in the room or inn someplace.
 
i don't know why my mom did it other than what she said 'i PAID for it' supposedly, fruit and rolls on the table were not to go back to the kitchen and put on another table ... so i got the point.
anyway ... i would still contact these folks about the eyeglasses and the bottle stopper. as if it was a mistake and they tucked it away in the room or inn someplace..
I agree with your Mom on the things that would be thrown away - rolls/fruit/butters. No sense in wasting good food.
That was another thing about the Depression Era - food was NOT to be wasted. Daddy grew up on the farm and they hardly even knew there was a Depression. they grew their food, clothes were made from feed sacks, milk, butter, and cream from your cows, beef from the bull calf that was fattened up, eggs and meat from the chickens, fruit and vegetables were canned and jelly made, and a pig was butchered for pork. Coffee, sugar, flour, and tea were among the few staples that needed to be purchased.
 
Why is no one calling a spade a spade? They stole. Depression era or not. They stole. Period. One of the 10 Biggies that they broke. Depression Era or not.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
thumbs_down.gif
 
Why is no one calling a spade a spade? They stole. Depression era or not. They stole. Period. One of the 10 Biggies that they broke. Depression Era or not.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
thumbs_down.gif
.
Penelope said:
Why is no one calling a spade a spade? They stole. Depression era or not. They stole. Period. One of the 10 Biggies that they broke. Depression Era or not.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
thumbs_down.gif
I did. as I always do... haha
Petty theft and pilerfing.
And they weren't depression era. Even if they were they stole.
cheers.gif

 
Why is no one calling a spade a spade? They stole. Depression era or not. They stole. Period. One of the 10 Biggies that they broke. Depression Era or not.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
thumbs_down.gif
.
Penelope said:
Why is no one calling a spade a spade? They stole. Depression era or not. They stole. Period. One of the 10 Biggies that they broke. Depression Era or not.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
thumbs_down.gif
Mostly because people can see where it could be an honest mistake. One person is packing to leave the B&B, the other person packed to go to the B&B. Person A does not know that Person B did not bring a wine stopper or an extra pair of glasses. And we all know that if it is something that looks like an 'amenity' it's fair game to take it. Tea. Shampoo. Shower caps. Candy.
Had they cleared the room entirely then there's nothing honest or mistake about it.
 
I agree that a lot of it comes from the Depression Era mentality, a feeling that you have to stock up when you can, "just in case". It even passes down to the next generation sometimes, but I think it goes back to the family being poor in the Depression..
Arkansawyer said:
I agree that a lot of it comes from the Depression Era mentality, a feeling that you have to stock up when you can, "just in case". It even passes down to the next generation sometimes, but I think it goes back to the family being poor in the Depression.
Yeah, but these people are not depression era, they're baby boomers like us.
.
Children of Depression era parents. My Mom went through the Depression in Chicago - moving as a child from apartment to apartment in the middle of the night because they could not pay the rent. However, instead of hoard (her younger sister went that route), Mom taught us quality counts. She DID instill in us ways to cut corners - without stealing or taking from a businessman (a la sugars in a restaurant was a no-no because it hurt a business). I am not a boomer by 1 year - big whip. We were brought up with the use it, re-use it, use it up, and do without.
.
My excuse is im a Yorkshire lass (definition of a Yorkshire person is a scot with the generosity taken out!) I myself wouldn't have taken things like glasses or wine stopper as would expect to be charged the cost of new for replacements.
 
Back
Top