Storage Space Robbed

[schvezon]

Hi all,

I was notified on Sunday that my storage space in Long Island City (NY) was found without a lock on it. My girlfriend went to check on the unit and facetimed me to show that all of my components, 2 wheelsets, and 2 frames had been robbed from the space. The storage space has no cameras in the corridors of the building where the units are and cannot see who may have broken into the unit.

I'm totally traumatized by this as it is over 20 years of collecting that is essentially gone. I carried a light insurance policy on the on the unit as required by the facility and I have no renters insurance. I'm basically ****ed.

What is worse is that it is entirely likely that someone broke into my unit and moved the things to another unit. I'm not sure what the aim is but it feels like I have no recourse and I can't believe that storage units as a business model can exist with no liability for maintaining a safe environment.

Ironically, the thieves didn't steal my brand new rock lobster or my falconer which points to a lack of taste but they did take the time to empty 4 bins of groups, small parts, and NOS bits that I would have used eventually. It is thousands of dollars in loss and I feel totally hamstrung.

[AngryScientist]

Oh man, I'm really sorry to hear that, totally sucks!

These days, with how inexpensive network type camera systems are, it's inexcusable that they dont have cameras in most/all areas.

Around me they just keep building these big box storage facilities too. I imagine they must be pretty profitable.

So they just basically told you, sorry, you're out of luck?

[schvezon]

It boggles the mind that they don’t have surveillance in the corridors. They are basically saying you’re screwed, file a claim, sorry about your stuff. It is amazing to me that they don’t care that someone who uses the space could be using it to rob other people and store the stuff outside the view of the one camera they do have.

It is extremely profitable without a doubt considering the storage units in NY are basically chicken wire and corrugated steel panels held together with tech screws.

Theoretically, if you wanted to scam the insurance companies, you could store your things, have someone else move them to another unit, file a claim and then repeat the whole process. It is a joke.

[m_sasso]

Do they not have a camera on the entrance and exit to the building? Check the footage from the time frame you suspect.

[schvezon]

Originally Posted by m_sasso

Do they not have a camera on the entrance and exit to the building? Check the footage from the time frame you suspect.

The company has no obligation to share the footage and I know the time frame. It is actually quite narrow. 9 days. 5/31 to 6/9.

They told me they have no footage of someone leaving with my goods, including a complete serotta. If that is to be believed it means that the goods are still in the building. That is what is so frustrating.

[Turkle]

People in NYC are really casing places for opportunities like this.

Every time I ever had furniture delivered to one of my NYC apartments, someone broke in the next day and stole all the bikes out of the hallways. Every time! Those delivery guys were all just casing the place and tipping off their friends if there's stealable stuff in there.

[krooj]

Originally Posted by schvezon

Hi all,

I was notified on Sunday that my storage space in Long Island City (NY) was found without a lock on it. My girlfriend went to check on the unit and facetimed me to show that all of my components, 2 wheelsets, and 2 frames had been robbed from the space. The storage space has no cameras in the corridors of the building where the units are and cannot see who may have broken into the unit.

I'm totally traumatized by this as it is over 20 years of collecting that is essentially gone. I carried a light insurance policy on the on the unit as required by the facility and I have no renters insurance. I'm basically ****ed.

What is worse is that it is entirely likely that someone broke into my unit and moved the things to another unit. I'm not sure what the aim is but it feels like I have no recourse and I can't believe that storage units as a business model can exist with no liability for maintaining a safe environment.

Ironically, the thieves didn't steal my brand new rock lobster or my falconer which points to a lack of taste but they did take the time to empty 4 bins of groups, small parts, and NOS bits that I would have used eventually. It is thousands of dollars in loss and I feel totally hamstrung.

This sucks and I'm sorry for the distress - it's truly unnerving to know that you're not safe. This exact thing happened to me in a unit in Santa Cruz, about two years ago: ~30k in bikes stolen. Three irreplaceable road bikes, one of which was a gift from my late father.

Know that renter / home owner insurance will not make you whole in these circumstances. With StateFarm, they required a spreadsheet containing each component, when it was purchased and how much it cost. The insurer will then apply a depreciated value to everything, so you might come out close to whole or it could be an insignificant fraction. In my case, I recouped around $20k - a small consolation.

The only way around this is to carry these valuables on a separate policy, which generally requires an appraisal. We do this with my wife's jewelry and my cameras.

Also consider two things: were you ever watched / observed inside your unit? It's highly likely this was premeditated and also possibly an inside job. There is very little recourse and local law enforcement couldn't give less of a ****, so expect nothing to come of reporting it.

[schvezon]

I feel the same. The only people who know what we’re in there were the people who work there. I only brought things in and out a handful of times and was always the only person there. I genuinely think the employees are involved. No one else knew what I had and what was in there. Also, my girlfriend and a friend who owns my LBS went to clear the rest of my stuff out and they said there were some fixie guys hanging out on the platform where the entrance was. I’ve never seen cyclists there in my life and also the facility knew I was still in Belgium for work. It all seems so suspect.

I also know that I am essentially powerless.

[Likes2ridefar]

This happened to me a few years ago. It sucked and I feel your pain. Hopefully you are insured..sorry I just read you aren’t. a hard lesson to learn but our insurance is only 32/m so would recommend moving fwd. I recovered nearly everything with minimal drama. It still hurt and I lost some sentimental stuff that couldn’t be replaced. We have cameras all over and the thieves even left blood but nothing ever come of it that I heard.

I did the spreadsheet and provided links to all items to purchase new and had photos of most stuff and they didn’t question anything.

[zap]

Sucks. Being a victim of theft is not pleasant.

edited

Originally Posted by Turkle

Those delivery guys were all just casing the place and tipping off their friends if there's stealable stuff in there.

Targeted residential thefts are on the rise. I too started wondering if the likes of Amazon delivery drivers are casing neighborhoods for associates. Residents in the next neighborhood over from casa Zap recently installed additional highly visible cameras close to the curb facing the street just above pretty aggressive warning signs.

Police are also informing us that thieves are placing well hidden camera's in gardens/forested area's facing targeted homes.

[dana_e]

If you need any parts and such, post your needs and the forum will provide...

[Wolfman]

Dude, I'm with the others on this... I'm so, so sorry. Total gut punch.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by dana_e

If you need any parts and such, post your needs and the forum will provide...

Seconded.

[Peter P.]

If you had insurance you wouldn't feel so bad.

Sorry to be so harsh, but it's really a mistake on your part.

[54ny77]

[edit: nevermind the suggestion to file a renters policy claim. I missed that sentence in the original post but just caught it.]

Sorry to hear of that, it really sucks.

Also, for those who rent storage units, MAKE SURE to check w/your carrier on extending contents coverage (on your owner or rental policy) to items in a storage unit. You will likely have to take photos and document everything in terms of contents and value. I've had to do this various times over the years, including when storing a vehicle (which had extended coverage from my auto policy.)