M8, 28 'cron, 50 sonnar, fogg bag . . . gone!

[jonoslack]

HI Everone
We went to visit our son in Leeds over the weekend, we arrive late on Friday night and headed for a busy Italian Restaurant for supper around 10.30. When we finished there was only one other table occupied.

After the 5 minute walk back to the hotel I realised I'd left little bag with above mentioned on the floor by the table. I rushed back, everyone had left except the staff, and the bag was gone.

They were very apologetic and very concerned, but they said that the party of 12 at the next table were regular and trusted customers (they certainly looked okay, if rather well lubricated), and that the staff were above suspicion.

Woke up early on Saturday with a hangover and big regret. I went back to the restaurant, and they were not hopeful, the manager said that he couldn't really ring up the people on the next table and accuse them of theft. Police were uninterested (£6000 and they're uninterested )

The only consolation was that I'd taken 2nd body and WATE out of the bag before we went out . . . I had left the frankenfinder in there though.

 

[jonoslack]

Second installment

We had a grand lunch and a big walk on the moors on Saturday, I was trying to forget the missing gear.
When we got back to the hotel, I nipped around to the restaurant and the manager said that he actually had rung the guy who had booked the party of twelve, and that it was just possible that something might come up.

11 that evening, after dinner and a couple of drinks, I got a call - it was back. I rushed around and there it was, all present and correct. I left a BIG tip for drinks for the staff - the receptionist said that the manager had actually told the customer that the camera and lenses were registered, and that the owner didn't want to cause trouble, but they would have to look through their CCTv footage (which they didn't have).

The only thing missing is the leather tab on the bag - everything else present and correct.

Phew.

It was not insured . . .

 

[Dale Allyn]

Wow!!! Jono. I'm very happy for you!!! Though, of course, I'm sorry that you had the scare in the first place.

Congratulations on the recovery! And double kudos to the manager for stepping up to call the other customer too.

 

[Terry]

Wow....I guess their trusted customer probably won't be bringing those same friends back to the restaurant, just from the embarrassment factor alone. Curiosity who left first you or the party of 12?

 

[docmoore]

Great response on the part of the manager.

For fear of doing this I always lock things in the safe or wrap the camera/bag strap around my leg so that I cannot leave without it. I am sure that in the event of a fire I would rue that habit.

Bob

 

[Bob]

I inadvertently gave my wallet containing every credit card I have to a pair of Gypsies at the Chatellet station of the RER.
I really doubt that anything will come back.
Jono, you are really lucky
-bob

 

[Robert Campbell]

Lucky you; and well done that manager!

 

[Don Libby]

Well done! My heart was sinking the more into the thread I read however it did end up okay.

Very glad that everything worked out okay. Congratulations.

Makes you rethink the logging chain attachment doesn't it?:clap:

Oh and Bob - there must be more to the story than that!:toocool:

Don

 

[Dale Allyn]

Oh and Bob - there must be more to the story than that!:toocool:

I was afraid to go there.

 

[Terry]

I was afraid to go there.

Me too.

 

[gallery7]

Man that is awesome. you must have paid some serious goodness forward earlier in life my friend!

28 'crons can be very dear! (well the other stuff too).

 

[helenhill]

What A Story...Great Pacing...a novella in Itself...near tragedy... and then a Fairy Tale Ending :clap:

You are Truly BLESSED.... a Kiss to Your Angel

 

[cam]

I inadvertently gave my wallet containing every credit card I have to a pair of Gypsies at the Chatellet station of the RER.
I really doubt that anything will come back.
Jono, you are really lucky

no! no! no!

just now?

tell me no!

 

[cam]

and, Jono -- thank god for the second installment!!! my stomach was inching up my throat! i'd probably still be kissing and hugging the manager!

 

[beamon]

Dunno what line of work you're in, Jono, but unless it is writing - it's wrong!

Like others, I was reading through the first post and my heart was sinking. In the closet just to my right is my Fogg bag with my M6 and three lenses, soon to be joined by an M8.2 as soon as my just shipped Nikon D700 and 24-70 AF-S lens arrives at David Farkas' store as trade.

I brightened as you launched into the 2nd post as that conveyed a sense of hope to my head. The outcome justified my lagging faith in human kind and now, for at least a while, I'm convinced that the world has a chance at survival! ¡Viva todo el mundo!

 

[ecliffordsmith]

Hi Jono,

Wow, my heart sank when I read part 1. I am glad it all came back!

Bob,

Sorry to hear about your wallet. Especially when you are travelling.

I work in Brussels and often get the train bound for Amsterdam in the evening back to Antwerp and there are an amazing number of thieves on that train.

 

[Bob]

Yup, just as we were arriving from Boston, took the RER from CDG and a pair of Gypsy's (as Cynthia referred to them) were working the crowd. A woman who looked far from underfed passed through the train handing out slips of paper imprinted with a sob-story about being homeless, in both French and English translations, which implored the receiver to return the slip with some cash. When she passed by to collect her donations, Cynthia looked at her and said "NO". Her epethetical response is not for repeating. On the way off the train at Chatellet carrying our bags, we were jostled. A moment later I found my wallet to be missing.
The police were nice and transcribed my report into French which I was asked to proof-read and sign. They told me that we happened to be on the highest risk train, station, day of week, and time in all of Paris.
Visa International, delivered an emergency replacement card in less than 48 hours to my hotel.
The only real loss, besides my wallet, was about 290 euros which was what was left from what I had converted from travelers checks at the airport.
I like Jono's story much better.
-bob

 

[jonoslack]

Yup, just as we were arriving from Boston, took the RER from CDG and a pair of Gypsy's (as Cynthia referred to them) were working the crowd. A woman who looked far from underfed passed through the train handing out slips of paper imprinted with a sob-story about being homeless, in both French and English translations, which implored the receiver to return the slip with some cash. When she passed by to collect her donations, Cynthia looked at her and said "NO". Her epethetical response is not for repeating. On the way off the train at Chatellet carrying our bags, we were jostled. A moment later I found my wallet to be missing.
The police were nice and transcribed my report into French which I was asked to proof-read and sign. They told me that we happened to be on the highest risk train, station, day of week, and time in all of Paris.
Visa International, delivered an emergency replacement card in less than 48 hours to my hotel.
The only real loss, besides my wallet, was about 290 euros which was what was left from what I had converted from travelers checks at the airport.
I like Jono's story much better.
-bob

HI Bob
I've been there as well - twice in the last eighteen months, cash gone - credit cards all needing replacing. Still, they do get faster at it these days. We have joint accounts (generally), so we end up having cancel both sets of cards, we ended up skiing with only one working card between us!

I do sympathise though, it leaves a nasty feeling.

 

[jonoslack]

Hi Everybody.
Thanks for the sympathetic replies.

Of course, I was VERY lucky. On the other hand, I was also VERY careful as to how I approached the issue with the manager.

1. I revisited the restaurant 4 time in 24 hours. Each time I was very apologetic, very polite and very sure that the stuff couldn't be sold as all the serial numbers are registered with Leica UK.

2. I made it absolutely clear that I didn't want anyone punished or brought to justice, I just wanted the gear back with as little fuss as possible.

3. I suggested looking through the CCtcv, but he said they only had it on the door.
4. I suggested £200 addition to the staff tip fund and £100 for the person who returned it (I thought it was probably a member of staff).

5. At every point I made it clear that this must have been a mistake and NOT theft . . . the word was not mentioned at any time.

So, basically I was trying to cultivate the attitude that I was a nice guy, not stroppy, very worried, and not going to go away. The intention was that it would be easier for him to sort it out than to simply sweep it under the table. I think the phrase 'MUST have been a mistake' was probably the critical one.

So, of course, I was very lucky, but to some extent you do make your own luck, and the way one responds when frightened / angry / upset can have a very big effect on the outcome.

Whatever - glad you liked the story - of course, my M8 seems a much nicer thing after a few hours without it!

I'll let it speak for itself:
Rishworth West Yorksher, Both Wood
M8 28 'cron

 

[ecliffordsmith]

Hi Jono,

I think you have offered us all some good advice there should we find ourselves in the same situation.

I think you are right that persistence and politeness must have been key here.