Warning-Atlantis car wash

[tgould92]

I have been using this Car wash since the day it opened...until today I have been very pleased. I had my car washed as I usually do last Wed. As I was leaving the facility I noticed my Ipod was missing ($140 unit full of music)...it was originally hooked to the music system in the vehicle...I immediately returned and spoke to the manager, a Mr Derek Rudolph. He watched video of my car being washed as his supervisor searched the vehicle....upon not finding the Ipod or being able to determine who had removed it, he offered me $150 worth of free car washes...I declined and explained that I would rather have a replacement Ipod or the money to purchase a new one. He shared that he was not authorized to give me anything other than the credit, but that he would have the owner call me to work out the problem...I have called numerous times but have not received any return calls....I have not reported this as a theft to the police but intend to do so if I am not contacted post haste!!! I did not see any signs explaining that the car wash was not responsible for lost or stolen items!!!

Here is an update to my post concerning Atlantis car Wash....The Ipod was recovered from a pawn shop in Bellview by the Sheriffs office....Thank you Det. Greenwood!!! It appears that the employee that removed the item from my vehicle had her boyfriend pawn the item for $15. Doesn't seem worth it does it....she and he will both spend time in Jail and both will loose jobs....he did not work at the car wash but did have a well paying job!!!

[Topspinmo]

Why didn't you report it for thief immediately? You just let them off the hook.
I even remove the dust when I got to car washes. Cause I know anything else has good chance of being stolen and they don't remove the dust.

[mtdjed]

If you left $150 on your car seat, would you expect to see it when you got the car back?

I wouldn't leave anything of value in the car (GPS, Cell phone IPOD etc).

By the way, my son bought a 32GB IPOD Touch for $249 from Best Buy that has never been used. He might be willing to sell it at a discount if you are interested. The IPOD is here and he is in Brazil. If interested send me a PM.

[PJOHNS2654]

I have been using this Car wash since the day it opened...until today I have been very pleased. I had my car washed as I usually do last Wed. As I was leaving the facility I noticed my Ipod was missing ($140 unit full of music)...it was originally hooked to the music system in the vehicle...I immediately returned and spoke to the manager, a Mr Derek Rudolph. He watched video of my car being washed as his supervisor searched the vehicle....upon not finding the Ipod or being able to determine who had removed it, he offered me $150 worth of free car washes...I declined and explained that I would rather have a replacement Ipod or the money to purchase a new one. He shared that he was not authorized to give me anything other than the credit, but that he would have the owner call me to work out the problem...I have called numerous times but have not received any return calls....I have not reported this as a theft to the police but intend to do so if I am not contacted post haste!!! I did not see any signs explaining that the car wash was not responsible for lost or stolen items!!!

Years ago I left my off duty revolver underneath the drivers seat and sent it through a car wash. When I got home and discovered it was missing I returned to the car wash. The car wash employees didn't know, "nothing about no gun". I called the local police and together we found the gun in some weeds adjacent to the drive on area.

We interviewed the two drive on guys and told them we had found finger prints on the gun that were not mine. One of them promptly confessed and was booked for Grand Theft Gun.

This and any theft should be reported to the local police immediately and you will have a better chance of recovering the stolen item.

[fndrbndr]

Sign on a car wash in my home town: "Manage Your Valuables".

[Fredman]

I have been using this Car wash since the day it opened...until today I have been very pleased. I had my car washed as I usually do last Wed. As I was leaving the facility I noticed my Ipod was missing ($140 unit full of music)...it was originally hooked to the music system in the vehicle...I immediately returned and spoke to the manager, a Mr Derek Rudolph. He watched video of my car being washed as his supervisor searched the vehicle....upon not finding the Ipod or being able to determine who had removed it, he offered me $150 worth of free car washes...I declined and explained that I would rather have a replacement Ipod or the money to purchase a new one. He shared that he was not authorized to give me anything other than the credit, but that he would have the owner call me to work out the problem...I have called numerous times but have not received any return calls....I have not reported this as a theft to the police but intend to do so if I am not contacted post haste!!! I did not see any signs explaining that the car wash was not responsible for lost or stolen items!!!

I think they made you a reasonable offer. What proof do you have that there was an iPod in the car

[Jimturner]

I have been using this Car wash since the day it opened...until today I have been very pleased. I had my car washed as I usually do last Wed. As I was leaving the facility I noticed my Ipod was missing ($140 unit full of music)...it was originally hooked to the music system in the vehicle...I immediately returned and spoke to the manager, a Mr Derek Rudolph. He watched video of my car being washed as his supervisor searched the vehicle....upon not finding the Ipod or being able to determine who had removed it, he offered me $150 worth of free car washes...I declined and explained that I would rather have a replacement Ipod or the money to purchase a new one. He shared that he was not authorized to give me anything other than the credit, but that he would have the owner call me to work out the problem...I have called numerous times but have not received any return calls....I have not reported this as a theft to the police but intend to do so if I am not contacted post haste!!! I did not see any signs explaining that the car wash was not responsible for lost or stolen items!!!

Sorry for your loss, but I don't see the car wash having any responsibility in your loss.

[john1953]

That sucks.But I have to agree with some other posters that you should have called the police right away.I"am guessing the video turned up nothing???No question that most likely someone from the car wash has your I-pod,proving it is something else.

[bagboy]

I think they made you a reasonable offer. What proof do you have that there was an iPod in the car

I agree the offer was reasonable.

[784caroline]

"I did not see any signs explaining that the car wash was not responsible for lost or stolen items!!!"

Your statement above is NO legal claim that the car wash was guilty for the lost or stolen item. You need to prove they did it. What did the video tapes show?? If nothing all you have is "he said, she said". Sounds like the car wash offer of $150 in credit was generous and should be a lesson to you not to leave valuables in your car while its being washed.

[KathieI]

Lessons Learned... I never, ever leave anything inside the car of any value. I don't even leave maps (which are now pretty expensive) in the car. I take out my phone charger, window squeegie, anything that might "walk away" during the washing process. I do hope you learned a lesson here.

[Jima64]

Sounds like the manager was very fair. Unfortunately we do not know if he has had this problem before. Maybe when you contact the police they will have more infotmation about this business.

[justjim]

Most of us have forgot and left something in our car while at the car wash or dealership. Don't put the blame on the OP. It was the thief we should blame.

Given the circumstances I suppose I would take the managements offer---IN THE LONG RUN IT'S A WASH!

[tgould92]

It has been reported and the Sheriff's Dept is now involved.....the reason I did not report it immediately was I wanted to give the owner a chance to "make things right"....since I never received a call back from him I decided to file charges! I was an idiot for leaving it plugged in but I had been in this car wash every three or four weeks since it opened and had always left the Ipod plugged in. I trusted the place way too much!!!!

[Fraugoofy]

It has been reported and the Sheriff's Dept is now involved.....the reason I did not report it immediately was I wanted to give the owner a chance to "make things right"....since I never received a call back from him I decided to file charges! I was an idiot for leaving it plugged in but I had been in this car wash every three or four weeks since it opened and had always left the Ipod plugged in. I trusted the place way too much!!!!
It's too bad in that people are not trustworthy. I feel bad your item was stolen. Someone took something that didn't belong to him/her. You are the victim, even if "you should have known better".

[Steve9930]

The car wash damaged my car. Tore the rear wiper blade clean off. They are supposed to tape these down. Besides that the employee was at fault because he raised it up to wipe under it and never reseated it properly. They still made me pay for the wash and then just said look at the sign, they are not responsible.

[alwann]

I paid them with my debit card. Next day, looking at my statement on-line, I see a strange $35 charge in addition to the car wash. The manager responds to my inquiry with his best Sgt. Schultz: "I know nothing...nothing."

Here's the funny part. The bogus item was a donation to some religious organization. If one of the car wash people ripped me, he/she sure has a conflicted sense of morals. Haven't been back since.

[John_W]

Sorry for your loss, but I don't see the car wash having any responsibility in your loss.

If they had a sign that said they are not responsible for valuables left in the car, I maybe would agree. However, this is a clear cut case of thief. I've never had an Ipod, but don't you download songs that you pay a $1 apiece for? If that is the case, I would also add the value of the music you had recorded, $150 would be a bargain.

[Blessed2BNTV]

When I read about The Ten BIG Ones.....The Commandments.....#8 is easy to understand. I wouldn't mess with God on any of The Ten.

It is NOT the fault of the OP. We have ALL forgotten things at one time or another and it doesn't make it right to steal when we do forget, again look at #8.

[SoccerCoach]

I have been using this Car wash since the day it opened...until today I have been very pleased. I had my car washed as I usually do last Wed. As I was leaving the facility I noticed my Ipod was missing ($140 unit full of music)...it was originally hooked to the music system in the vehicle...I immediately returned and spoke to the manager, a Mr Derek Rudolph. He watched video of my car being washed as his supervisor searched the vehicle....upon not finding the Ipod or being able to determine who had removed it, he offered me $150 worth of free car washes...I declined and explained that I would rather have a replacement Ipod or the money to purchase a new one. He shared that he was not authorized to give me anything other than the credit, but that he would have the owner call me to work out the problem...I have called numerous times but have not received any return calls....I have not reported this as a theft to the police but intend to do so if I am not contacted post haste!!! I did not see any signs explaining that the car wash was not responsible for lost or stolen items!!!

Sorry to hear about your loss, but not notifying the police is like fishing Catch and Release.

[Steve9930]

If a business is bad then the best thing to do is not use the service. In my case I will not use their service again. Its a shame that people think that they can just take something that does not belong to them. Look at the Federal Government, they rip off the pubic every day.

[JoMar]

I think Atlantis is the best car wash in the area.....I always take my stuff out of the car or lock it in glove box and eliminate temptation. Our stuff is our responsibility and in these times do we really believe we can trust anyone with our stuff? I refuse to take a lesser service when in the end, I'm responsible for my stuff. If I screw up and don't take that responsibility then I pay the price.

[Miles42]

I would report the theft to the police. Never to late but should have been done before you left the car wash.

[dotti105]

That sucks that your iPod was stolen. and yes, it does sound like it was stolen. I hope the police will "encourage" the owner to make it right. Good Luck!

I had just the opposite experience at "the Villages Car Wash" on Bichara. As I was sitting waiting for my car to be finished, a guy came to find me and give me 2 $20 bills that were found under the seat when they vacuumed. I was shocked and amazed.

I had lost the 2 $20s when I thought that I had placed them in my pocket a couple of weeks earlier. I searched high and low, (obviously not low enough) to find them. I actually thought I had lost them at the square when we were dancing.

The fact that this guy, working his butt off for minimum wage would be so honest was surprising to me. Now I am not a negative person, but it would have been so easy for him to slip them in his pocket and I would have never been the wiser.

It did restore my faith in mankind. There are still some honest people out there. I wish you had not had that experience. That is a real downer. Hope it magically appears in their lost and found after the police get involved.

[BobnBev]

That sucks that your iPod was stolen. and yes, it does sound like it was stolen. I hope the police will "encourage" the owner to make it right. Good Luck!

I had just the opposite experience at "the Villages Car Wash" on Bichara. As I was sitting waiting for my car to be finished, a guy came to find me and give me 2 $20 bills that were found under the seat when they vacuumed. I was shocked and amazed.

I had lost the 2 $20s when I thought that I had placed them in my pocket a couple of weeks earlier. I searched high and low, (obviously not low enough) to find them. I actually thought I had lost them at the square when we were dancing.

The fact that this guy, working his butt off for minimum wage would be so honest was surprising to me. Now I am not a negative person, but it would have been so easy for him to slip them in his pocket and I would have never been the wiser.

It did restore my faith in mankind. There are still some honest people out there. I wish you had not had that experience. That is a real downer. Hope it magically appears in their lost and found after the police get involved.

I hope you gave him one of the $20's.:wave:

[tgould92]

I did report it immediately!

[tgould92]

Thank you for your comments about the stolen Ipod....I did not post this info in order to obtain criticism for any of my actions, but to warn the public concerning the employee or employees of the car wash that decided to STEAL the ipod. I believe I have accomplished my goal. Notice the number of views my post has garnered??? Well over 1200 potential customers of the car wash have viewed my post!!!!!!!! Thanks again!

[784caroline]

You may have accomplished your goal and I am truly sorry you "lost" your Ipad for what ever reason, BUT posts like this that accuse a business of something without legal proof, and you fully state that your intention was to warn the public with the intention of (you know what it was)..... can be subject to retribution (legal action) by the business itself. If that were to happen in this case, you would have little legal basis to stand on other than your statement that the Ipod was in the car when I gave it to them, and when returned it was not. You need more proof than that.

[bagboy]

Thank you for your comments about the stolen Ipod....I did not post this info in order to obtain criticism for any of my actions, but to warn the public concerning the employee or employees of the car wash that decided to STEAL the ipod. I believe I have accomplished my goal. Notice the number of views my post has garnered??? Well over 1200 potential customers of the car wash have viewed my post!!!!!!!! Thanks again!

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