[Freeda]

File a police report and an insurance claim. Calling them and suggesting that you have video,, as was suggested above, is another thing I would do.

[merrymini]

Filing a report with the police has long term ramifications. They are probably doing this to many people and eventually will get caught if the police see a pattern. If you have photographs of the items, there is a chance you may get them back. They probably pawned them.

[Girlcopper]

Originally Posted by PugMom

agreeing with the others, I'd call police today. one can suspect you probably aren't the 1st person to make the call on them; you would be helping others by reporting right away. I'd do it, for sure, especially with the value of items missing.
p.s.: do you know if they are insured or bonded?

Insured or bonded? Theyre scammers! Yes, you can call the police but you wont get your stuff back. Its your word against theirs. They didnt break into your house, you allowed them in. Chalk it up to experience. Did you check them out before hiring them? Did you put expensive things away? Did you keep an eye on them?

[La lamy]

Such a shame. I've lost "trusting" people a long time ago unfortunately. I would not leave any valuables unlocked if I had to have my place cleaned by others.

[Jewelz]

Originally Posted by merrymini

filing a report with the police has long term ramifications. They are probably doing this to many people and eventually will get caught if the police see a pattern. If you have photographs of the items, there is a chance you may get them back. They probably pawned them.

this!!!!!

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by Travelingal702

A mother and daughter team had been cleaning my house for a few weeks. Suddenly, they stopped coming, with no explanation. I've just discovered that two items, worth over $1,500.00 have gone missing. They have been the ONLY outsiders in my home. Now I know why they stopped coming. I know exactly where these two items were and now they are gone. Do I have any recourse of action? Or would it be their word against mine. I am so disappointed. I trusted these people and now I've been betrayed.

I’m sorry for your loss. Let’s remember, though, that there are hundreds of people cleaning other people’s houses every day in The Villages. Maybe a thousand. This sort of accusation is surprisingly rare. Sometimes (not yours), it’s a case of the cleaning person putting something away for the client, but more often the client forgets where it is. If there is dementia involved, the “missing” item may have been given away years ago. Some people have many thousands of dollars worth or jewelry, or coins, or stamps, or figurines, or toys. It’s a huge temptation, yet nearly all cleaners just say NO to that temptation. Some temptations can be lessened a lot if valuables are put away, especially when the cleaners are coming. (I know that when I’m at a resort in Mexico, I keep all valuables in the room safe, including phone, wallet, jewelry.)

My girlfriend’s parents were both hospitalized with Covid-19 in early August down in Stuart, Florida, three miles south of The Villages. He died after three weeks of agony. She survived after the same agony, tested negative finally, and is back home making a partial recovery (having to give up car, home, furnishings, now on oxygen, being moved north to Pennsylvania to live in a dementia unit).

For some reason, he took his entire fat wallet with all his credit hands to the hospital. That disappeared. It finally turned up after he died. He had been moved to a hospice unit in a different hospital, but the nurses were keeping his wallet in a safe. He always wore a gold cross on a gold chain around his neck. He said the x-ray tech made him take it off for a chest x-ray, and he never saw it again. Was it stolen? Was it misplaced, did it accidentally end up in the trash bag of used protective gear? Who knows? It hasn’t been seen again. Did this cost the x-ray tech his job? Maybe. Did he steal? Probably not. But my girlfriend’s dad was barely conscious much of the time. Why wear jewelry to the hospital? Because he thinks the cross will keep him safe?

As for my girlfriend’s mother, she wore her wedding ring and a $15,000 ring with a fancy stone to the hospital. She has dementia. She claimed they were stolen. Actually, they were in the hospital safe. They were returned to the family when she left. But they had to ask about them, and meanwhile there was worry and arguments and fighting. When I’ve had surgery, I’ve been told to NOT bring any jewelry, or wallet, etc. If I forget, they are locked up.

So, people, be wise—don’t advertise. (Your wealth, that is.)

[Kgcetm]

Report the loss to the sheriff's department and if they think you have sufficient evidence they can question the housekeeper. Don't let the loss go unchallenged.

[Jima64]

you need to file a police report for the insurance to take you seriously probably. may never get the item back but let the cleaners know you had a cam recording, I know I would. As to using a bonded service, I believe the thief has to be convicted before the bond works in your favor.

[PennBF]

We have a cleaning lady who I would trust my life with but I we do secure our valuables. It just makes sense to have things you value or are valuable be placed in secure locations, (e.g. safe deposit box, etc.). It is sad someone would steal but this is a big world made up of all kinds of people.

[mikeritz53]

Originally Posted by mixsonci

I think you should name them to protect the rest of us from hiring them and possibly getting ripped off also. They are probably looking for work now and I just hired a mother and daughter team to clean my house and I really don't want to start off by suspecting them. People are going to be afraid of hiring mother/daughter teams and that's not right. You can't put something like this out there and just leave it hanging.

Nice to be able to name them, but keep in mind they can sue you for defamation of Character and loss of business if you cannot prove they did it.

[William S. Cook]

Do not publish the names.
Provide names by a private message

[Villagesgal]

If it was something unique that could be pawned. Call all area pawn shops and ask if they have anything like your item that came in recently. If they do, go look at it, if it is your item, call the police and report it, the pawn shop then has to give the police the name of the person who pawned it, if it's your cleaners or their relative, bingo, you have your proof.

Defamation. fyi, the term "publish" or "publication" means to spread false information as either orally as slander or in writing as libel.

"Publication" is a term used for both of these. Be careful as to what you say or write. Even privately written slanderous information can be spread.

I was actually surprised recently when a lawyer at a hearing didn't know the definition of publish so it's a normal conclusion to think it means in writing.

[Villagesgal]

If it was something unique that could be pawned. Call all area pawn shops and ask if they have anything like your item that came in recently. If they do, go look at it, if it is your item, call the police and report it, the pawn shop then has to give the police the name of the person who pawned it, if it's your cleaners or their relative, bingo, you have your proof.

[Marine1974]

Think you should ask her privately and be a bit more compassionate.
She is the one who was ripped off .