Well, eight days on the road for work, a weekend of a R&R with friends, and I am exhausted. I just got home, but by the time you read this, it will be 12+ hours later.
By the time the plane landed at Newark Airport this evening I just wanted to be home, make some dinner, shower, and go to bed. Well, to the contrary, I got to experience a bit of personal drama. I am a regular customer at a place called Vista Parking on frontage Road in Newark, NJ just a mile or two from the airport. Listening to the video about your car being secure, I am about to report the contrary.
I opened the rear door of my truck to load my suitcase into it, and several pieces of gear that I normally keep in the back of the truck came falling out, and I immediately noticed my get home bag was missing. It is usually strapped into a plastic bin I keep tied up in the back of my SUV. The contents of the pack were basically one to two days worth of food (MREs), Buck brand hunting knife, folding knife, fleece, first aid kit, hat, gloves, socks, t‑shirt, fire making gear, emergency blanket x 2, emergency poncho, etc. I was devastated, angry, very angry. Most of the components of the pack can be found here:
- Car preparedness for the urban or suburban dweller
- Car preparedness Part 2, The First Aid Kit
- Car preparedness, Part 3, hunting and fishing gear for your car kit.
- Car Preparedness, Part 4, Food
- Car Preparedness, Part 5, Hygiene, Navigation, and Fire
- Car preparedness, Part 6, My Comfort Supplies
I thought, who could possibly want that gear? Then I checked the rest of the car. They went through the center console of my truck, and then I noticed they pulled off the fuse box cover and left it on the floor of the truck. The thing that hit me, is there was a letter in the center console with my NJ address on it. Need less to say, I high tailed it to the apartment. There are many reasons I was worried about getting here quickly. Thank goodness I do not have a family to worry about. Needless to say I took my hidden key from its hidden location, and I am going to re-key the door tomorrow. It is hard to know when the pack was stolen out of the truck. It could have been today, and if that is the case the criminal asshole that took it because it was something he felt entitled to, could very possibly show up at my door at 3:00 a.m.
I am glad my apartment was not the target of a burglary due to this issue so far. I am pretty confident that it will not be, but I am re-keying the lock tomorrow anyway. I’m not happy that I am going to have to be more vigilant around my apartment for a while now too. Every time I come home and leave for any reason for any period of time, I am going to look around more now for someone that looks unusual or out of place in my neighborhood. Not to mention, I am going to have to find a way to better secure my guns and ammunition than I do currently. This has really set off a chain of thought and actions that is sort of a pain in the ass.
I am going to have to replace the gear too. WTF! As if I just happen to have a ton of extra money floating around right now.
What sucks, is that I know all they really wanted was the backpack and took everything. That is what really sucks. Additionally, I am never going to use Vista Parking again. Not because they are bad. They have been very good and trustworthy up to this point. It is the one person who screwed me that has negatively impacted their business. I used to refer people to them. Not anymore, and negative publicity online is not too good a thing either. I am trying to keep in mind that is one loser criminal scumbag that ruined a business relationship. I parked there about a week a month, and averaged 75 — 100 dollars a month in parking fees. 1,000 dollars a year in business isn’t much to sneeze at. Too bad, because they were convenient, but not so much going forward.
Sorry, Vista Parking, you lost a customer tonight due to one asshole’s need to feel entitled. If he had asked, I would have given him the bag no questions asked, because that’s the kind of person I am.
I hate assholes.
The Fax Cover Page I sent with the complaint form from Vista Parking this morning:
To whom it may concern:
I am very disappointed and angered that upon my return from my eight day business trip that a backpack containing camping gear for a camping trip the weekend of October 29th, was stolen out of my Toyota FJ Cruiser while I was away on business. Upon my return I was going to meet a friends at a camp site for the weekend, however, I could not do so because someone from your organization had taken it upon themselves to feel entitled to my property, which is of NO value to an urban or suburban dweller like themselves, unless all they wanted was the backpack. In addition to the report that is attached, I have identified several additional items missing, such as an esbit brand camping stove and fuel, first aid kit, lighter fuel for the backpack, and I am sure there are several other items that were not addressed as I do not remember what they were. These items are of absolutely no value to someone that does not know how to use them. Attached to this email is the complaint document I filled out at the Vista Parking Location at 20 Frontage Road, in Newark.
The thief went through the back of my truck, the center console, the two glove boxes, and ripped the cover off of the fuse box in the cabin of the truck looking for whatever might be there of value to them. I realize now you have people sign off on electronics in their car at check in because you cannot trust your own employees. This is sad.
This is not a good person or a good employee, but a thief, pure and simple. I was angered and violated at this. There was also a letter with my address on the passenger seat that was previously in the center console of my truck that had my address on it. I raced home as quickly as I could at that point because I hold gun permits and have guns in my home, and was afraid that this thief knowing my address, and the fact that I was not at home because my car was parked with you had taken advantage of the situation… What if I had a family? I am re-keying my locks this weekend to be safe. I feel at risk in my own home until this is done. Your thief has unknowingly cost me more money than the camping equipment in the back of my truck and the cost of the locks, as I do not feel safe in my own home.
Now, I have been a customer of Vista Parking exclusively for well over two years, I believe. I spend an average of 75 — 100 dollars a month at this lot consistently. That is over 1,000 dollars a year. I have never questioned your staff, have treated them with respect, tipped them appropriately with the exception of one time recently when you ATM, the ATM at the airport, and the ATM machine in the Howard Johnson’s was not working and I had no cash on me, and it was after midnight when I returned. I felt horrible about not being able to tip for their services, because I tip everyone for their services, and have been in the service business myself in the past.
I am disappointed at this. It further inconveniences me because I feel I can no longer use Vista Parking going forward as a vendor. I need to find another way to and from the airport. It is too bad one person’s inappropriate behavior and feeling of entitlement cost you a customer, and inconveniences me going forward. This is nothing short of a “pain in the ass.”
Jack XXXXXXX
That really sucks. I was wondering if it was an inside job, and then it seems pretty clear in your complaint. Just wondering if you filed a Police report as well?
I guess we have to assume that anything left in a car, at any time, is going to be stolen. (Remember the busted window on the car on your street?) I could happen anywhere — but I do understand the additional anger here because you are paying for your car to be safe while you are away.
If you think about it, the real failure here was the letter with the address on it. A car in long-term parking is a dead giveaway that nobody is home. Thankfully, the asshat who stole from you was happy with what he got and didn’t seem interested in escalating to b&e.
Another thought, now that we know you can not trust them, why go into the guns at home issue? You’ve just told a company that apparently has criminals working for them that you travel every month, and yes, there are guns there. I would have left that bit out, but that’s just me.
Good idea to change the locks, but I’m not sure if a key was stolen? If not, I’m not sure I get it. One lock would be as easy to bust as another. (Actually, its the door frame that gets busted but that’s another issue!)
Which leaves me with my final thought. Does preparing for bugging out as you do, (very, very unlikely to have to do) with all the gear, etc actually put you in more danger for an event that is VERY likely to happen, like a car break-in, which could have easily led to a very successful B&E of your dwelling by a more motivated criminal.
That said, I’m sorry to hear all this. You sound like a really decent guy, and it sucks that it happened to you.
I have no doubt it was an inside job. Access to the key and the truck and all that. However, I agree in hindsight with what you are saying as well… Thanks.
that sucks. provided the bill is paid for by my job, i always use P4 or P3 at newark. I haven’t heard of any recent incidents in these lots (they used to be really bad but they have cracked down on theft). i was thinking about using one of the off-airport lots but now forget it.
John, I used to use short term parking when I was with another company because they had no issue with paying for it. The money was in the budget. I suppose half the blame is mine because I had the gear in the truck and “assumed” that it was secure, since I have had no issues there in the past. I would stick with the short term parking. There are a lot of cameras there and I had NEVER had a problem with them when I parked there.
Very sorry to hear that.
Think your SUV was specifically taregted? Someone knew or thought you carry a lot of stuff in it?
Sounds too thorough to be a random act.
I park(ed) in that lot a week a month for a few years… So that means the truck is there three months a year in that lot. I don’t think it would have taken a rocket scientist to see a pattern or recognize the truck. All someone would have to do is take a look in the back and when a similar truck comes in check the back. The boot of my truck is pretty unique with all the gear in it, so it would have been easy to recognize. Yes, I think it was targeted, and no I don’t, because of the entitlement mentality of people today. It is hard to say.
What I can say is that after discussing with a friend, there was more gear in there than I remember, and it is more costly a loss than I thought.
I would think that is was a matter of opportunity. I don’t think someone would be waiting for the “guy with the camping gear in his truck”, but rather, someone with ill intent had access and simply took advantage.
I would think if you were specifically targeted, you might have found problems @ home as well. Thankfully, that was not the case, so its likely “just” a crime of opportunity.
An easy score, not really caring what it was, just that it was something for free.
Likely, you’re not the only victim of this, and that’s why I wondered if a Police report was filed.