Has a valet ever stolen something from your car?

[georgina]

That sounds like total BS on their part. If you had the valet park it for you, wasn't it them that left the doors unlocked? That bogus response alone would have had me going to the wall for a resolution even if it meant I had to annoy the heck out of everyone from the parking authority to the surgeon who did my procedure.

We've used valet tons without problems but only when we're travelling. I can't remember ever leaving one of our own personal vehicles with a valet, only ever a rental with absolutely nothing in it.

DH had forgotten he left them in there. I was having radiation on a tumor in my head, we had just moved out of state and went back to the University of Pittsburgh medical center to have it done. He realized it fairly soon after, but we had a 4 hour drive home. Honestly not worth the trouble. We just don’t valet any more.

 

[AppleDumpling]

No, I’ve never had anything stolen from my car. Don’t use valets often, last time was several years ago, but haven’t had any problems with them.

I’ve also never had to pay to use a shopping cart. That’s not a thing around here.

 

[Skywalker3]

Once had a copy of the vhs video Rochelle Rochelle stolen but my idiot friend left the window down

Rochelle Rochelle Just watched that one.

 

[ronandannette]

DH had forgotten he left them in there. I was having radiation on a tumor in my head, we had just moved out of state and went back to the University of Pittsburgh medical center to have it done. He realized it fairly soon after, but we had a 4 hour drive home. Honestly not worth the trouble. We just don’t valet any more.

Well, I'm sorry that happened to you - especially under those very trying circumstances. Those people suck!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I haven’t noticed anyone taking money from a valet - car wash, yes. Lesson learned.

However, Nov ‘22, I had dinner at a Disney hotel restaurant and valeted my car. As I left the parking lot I realized that they took my car for a joy ride. At first, I thought, ‘hmmm.’ But as I drove home I atarted getting mad. I called the hotel and reported it, and the manager called me back and asked for details. I just told him that I wasn’t asking for anything, but their person put about 16 miles in my car and could have got in an accident or damaged my car. The manager called me again the next day to get a few details. Now, I always mark my odometer and check it when I pick up my car. (Not that I valet often, but you get to valet there for free when you dine at their restaurants.)

 

[SpaceMan5]

Nope, too cheap to pay for valet service.

 

[DVC-Don]

No, but I did see a valet crash a Cadillac at the Grand Floridian. Head on with another car driving in. Lot's of damage.

 

[BayouQueen]

Gosh, no. Never. Knock on wood.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I usually give $5 so they don't steal stuff, and remove all useful valuables like Easy Pass and phone wires. When I was in Miami I went to a Whole Foods just to load up on $5's for tipping, as a born and raised ex NYer I expect spite stuff if I don't tip. Can I ask, did you tip when you handed over the keys?

 

[pindecisive]

No, but I would send a message to the company. It can be they have a kleptomaniac and they already suspect something, it can be the straw that breaks the camera's back.

I agree that I would let the hotel know.

However, Nov ‘22, I had dinner at a Disney hotel restaurant and valeted my car. As I left the parking lot I realized that they took my car for a joy ride. At first, I thought, ‘hmmm.’ But as I drove home I atarted getting mad. I called the hotel and reported it, and the manager called me back and asked for details. I just told him that I wasn’t asking for anything, but their person put about 16 miles in my car and could have got in an accident or damaged my car. The manager called me again the next day to get a few details. Now, I always mark my odometer and check it when I pick up my car. (Not that I valet often, but you get to valet there for free when you dine at their restaurants.)

I had my credit card information stolen from a card reader at a consignment store. When I called to let them know the girl told me the owner had been the one who checked me out I don't know that I believe her, but the card was used to pay for a two day pass for a theme park and a hotel. I called the hotel day of and let them know the card was stolen and it wouldn't be charged for the total so they could stop her when she checked out.

There is a ton of theft right now, so stealing from a valeted car doesn't surprise me. We only valet rental cars (so there's nothing in them), but maybe getting the valet's name in addition to the odometer is a good practice if it's your personal car.

 

[snowwite]

We had GPS stolen years ago.
My sister was a manager at a Boston hotel and one of the valets was arrested after a guest saw his own sports car being driven around town by the valet. The hotel has it’s own garage so it’s not like he was parking the car.
Trust no one!

 

[mylilnikita]

never. No one's risking a job for $4.

Lol. For some people who are given an opportunity, they will take it.

 

[mylilnikita]

I don’t use a valet. However, I don’t trust anyone and don’t leave anything at all in my car at car wash or to have work done.

 

[Allison]

Lol. For some people who are given an opportunity, they will take it.

Exactly. There are people who don't want to believe things are stolen from strollers at Disney. It happens every day because people leave things behind and the opportunity is there. It isn't just the squirrels doing it.

 

[AllieGatorAde]

Hi everyone! I’m new I saw this thread and just wanted to say please report any theft or car/luggage damage (any - no matter the value) if you’re at a hotel. My husband manages guest services at a 5* resort which includes the bellman and valet departments. They take things like this very seriously! The hotel will investigate, if it’s determined to be true (every inch of the driveway and parking lot is on camera) you’ll be compensated, and the valet will be fired. If a car is driven outside of a camera area the valet will be fired. He’s only had it happen once in almost 20 years (car damage).
But… this is only true at places that have a valet department. Most restaurants and hospitals use an outside valet company as a contractor. The hospital/restaurant/etc doesn’t have direct control over the valets - and the contractors tend to be lax. Those are definitely places to be very aware of anything you leave in your car!

 

[Mle8308]

I usually give $5 so they don't steal stuff, and remove all useful valuables like Easy Pass and phone wires. When I was in Miami I went to a Whole Foods just to load up on $5's for tipping, as a born and raised ex NYer I expect spite stuff if I don't tip. Can I ask, did you tip when you handed over the keys?

Always tip, both in and out. Usually $5 each time. Still had stuff stolen.

 

[Mle8308]

Hi everyone! I’m new I saw this thread and just wanted to say please report any theft or car/luggage damage (any - no matter the value) if you’re at a hotel. My husband manages guest services at a 5* resort which includes the bellman and valet departments. They take things like this very seriously! The hotel will investigate, if it’s determined to be true (every inch of the driveway and parking lot is on camera) you’ll be compensated, and the valet will be fired. If a car is driven outside of a camera area the valet will be fired. He’s only had it happen once in almost 20 years (car damage).
But… this is only true at places that have a valet department. Most restaurants and hospitals use an outside valet company as a contractor. The hospital/restaurant/etc doesn’t have direct control over the valets - and the contractors tend to be lax. Those are definitely places to be very aware of anything you leave in your car!

Unfortunately most places contract out valet, it's cheaper, especially liability wise. Unfortunately there is little accountability, unless you have a camera inside your car actually recording the valet, not much will happen. I was also a Director of Rooms at a 4.5 star hotel in a major city (got out 10 years ago!) and there was little they valet company would do. They might transfer a valet to a different location, but that's about it. It was usually the hotel who would take care of the guest. And we couldn't really terminate the contract as there really weren't any other companies in the area. I looked into it. We (the hotel) did not want the liability of having the valets as our employees.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Always tip, both in and out. Usually $5 each time. Still had stuff stolen.

Well it can't be 100% but it does reduce spite theft and vandalism. In the end a thief is a thief, is a thief - no getting around it, but I tip and remove stuff so I have never had it happen by a valet.

I have had other theft incidents though, I mean in a city it is silly to not expect it so all you can do is limit loss.
Car keyed, yes.
Windows smashed and purse stolen, yes.
Bike stolen as a kid, yes.
Jewelry stolen, yes.
Blaupunkt radio stolen, yes.

I get everyone is different but the change from my car wouldn't even raise an eyebrow for me, I'd be annoyed I forgot to empty it to be honest but that might be a city mouse country mouse thing.

Only way to completely prevent theft is to never have stuff to steal, so to be Yoda.

 

[Mle8308]

Well it can't be 100% but it does reduce spite theft and vandalism. In the end a thief is a thief, is a thief - no getting around it, but I tip and remove stuff so I have never had it happen by a valet.

I have had other theft incidents though, I mean in a city it is silly to not expect it so all you can do is limit loss.
Car keyed, yes.
Windows smashed and purse stolen, yes.
Bike stolen as a kid, yes.
Jewelry stolen, yes.
Blaupunkt radio stolen, yes.

I get everyone is different but the change from my car wouldn't even raise an eyebrow for me, I'd be annoyed I forgot to empty it to be honest but that might be a city mouse country mouse thing.

Only way to completely prevent theft is to never have stuff to steal, so to be Yoda.

Even if I tipped the original valet when dropping off, doesn't mean another valet didn't get in the car to move it. In a lot of city garages where you can't self park it's a game of Tetris people don't normally see. They want to pack as many cars in as possible, so a lot of the time they have to move a car to get another one out for a guest waiting. I've actually seen them park cars so close together they can't open the doors so they leave the window down to climb in that way. So the person you tipped may not be the one taking items or change. I've never reported it because it was less than $5 total (and a pack of gum) and I left it out, even though I knew better. And I live in a fairly large city (Boston - and yes in the actual city), so not exactly a country mouse. Didn't really raise an eyebrow from me, but that was not the original question. The topic of the thread was if anyone had anything stolen, I did, and I take responsibility for leaving change out.

 

[Sykes]

I don't keep anything of value in my car, so no. If they want to help me dispose of the stack of old Kohl's/Amazon return receipts in my center console then they can be my guest.