"After serving a year in Iraq, Army Reserve Spc. Patrick Rogalin came home and found that everything he had put in a storage locker — essentially everything he owned — had been sold."
This young man spends a year in Iraq and gets screwed, not once but twice. All I will say, if it is true, the company involved will never get any of my business!!!!!! >:( >:( >:(
Here's a link to the full story Returning Soldier Finds Belongings Sold (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/01/09/national/a120235S05.DTL&feed=rss.news)
Bruce
Another example of Charlie's saying "You're so busy doing the business of being in business that you forget what you are in business for". or something to that affect.
It is primary, for the sake of this society, that businesses make rational decisions that will not hurt their customers. So much is done "by the book" that clerk type minds forget to think and entrepreneurs forget the "good will" side of their business.
While this company is legally within it bounds to have sold the mans goods, it is morally in error. The only thing that will make them aware of their moral failings is the society itself. Some companys may acknowledge their misjudgement and make restitution. Those who don't make things right deserve every bit of Nose thumbing and snubbing the general population can give them. Not only did this outfit sell the mans belongings, but, continued to accept rent afterwards when he showed good faith in continuing the payments. Even putting the fact aside that he was a servicman in a war zone, they did wrong.
I'll be calling them or writing a letter. >:(
Not being a lawyer but having some sense of outrage over PS's behavior I'd say that as soon as they started accepting payments again they were obligated to return the personal property. Sometimes I'd wisht I knew enough law to fight back - and win .
Good Luck to him.
Hey Bruce,
Doesn't the Soldier's and Sailor's act cover this sort of thing? That being said, how many times did we return from patrol or a run to find out several more of our shipmates had been "cleaned out" by the "love of their life" who was now ...........shall I say "spending time" with another?
On the news this morning they reported that the company is stepping up to re-imburse the solder $4000 for the stuff............
Plus many people have donated $$ to him to help with his expences.
Goes to show you......... given a chance most people will do the right thing, and others will do more than they need to 8)
$4,000 is better than two but he said it was worth $8,000 and their insurance would have paid $5,000 if it were destroyed. Perhaps they don't have deep enough pockets. But, the fact remains that they sold his Stuff.
At 20 years old he may not have accumulated much nostalgia. We'll probably never know. But, at 20 is when a lot of the nostalgic things are acumulated or recognized. First guitars, special tools, Dad's old pipe, Mom's frying pan.
It seems prudent, to me, that this company recognize the intrinsic value of the goods, not just their market value. Perhaps they have and will consider this the next time they sell the contents of a storage shed. If they haven't, the next person that is treated this way should make an example of them.
There are times when these companies must clear out the sheds. This one seems to be out of line.
there was a case on the news last night about a soldier in the nashville tennessee area that his dad broke into his house and stole cash and other valuables worth about $40,000.00 and went on a gambling spree and blew most of it. they did not say where the soldier was, but his daughter in law was on tv and said she could never forgive him. they had the father in law in jail. i know some people that would post his bail for him.and put him in a sink hole on top of a few others.
Well I just left them my thoughts and opinions at their customer service web page.
smiley_furious3 smiley_thumbsdown smiley_furious3 smiley_thumbsdown smiley_whip
http://www.publicstorage.com/Corporateinformation/CustomerServiceForm.aspx
You know, if the owner of the company had went to the max. $5k amount and fell all over himself by saying how sorry he was, in person to the solider while trying to shake his hand, saying "I have idiots working for me", it never would have been news.
Even an insincere person with common sense would just pay the $5k, not speak a word about it, and then put a policy in place so it never happens again.
Thanks Yall. Just put in my two cents with the company. Hope it helps.
I had not heard any figures other than the $4000 this am and was not aware the value was 8k.
Sounds like the company needs to step back up to the plate.
(I gotta do more research before I share the news I hear in my morning wake-up stupor! :-[)
Dave,
Thanks for the link to the company. All I will say, they got a full quarters worth, not just 2 cents, but a full quarter from me.
Bruce
Just got an email back from the storage company. They said they reached common ground with the young man. Did not give any amount $. I hope the kid came out ok. Good job to this forum.