Effing Scroat bags !

[houtslager]

Just got back from a work and play trip to the Netherlands, and found my shop had been broken into ! FCUK !
All my cordless tools nicked, some old 12v DeWalts and a full set of Makita 14.4v - impact drill, drill/driver, multi saw, jig saw, plus extra batts, then a couple boxes of drills and really usefull knic knacks one collects to get the job done .

Insurance won't pay up saying the Electrician was active on premises, and left main door unlocked ! Fecking edjet, now lawyer wants 300 per hour to file an action against the sod !

ARGH ! sometimes I just want to throw my teddybear outta the window and say sod it ! sell all my gear, buy a small yacht and sail offf !

Anyone got a better idea ?

 

[n0legs]

Bad news my friend, very bad news.
Where's the insurance company's proof the electrician didn't lock the door?

My suggestion,
Have a drink and chill out. Have a look and see what you've got left and decide what needs replacing immediately. Get the workshop secured up and keep an eye out for second hand sales :wink:

 

[finneyb]

Does you have a Legal Assistance add-on to your House Insurance policy, credit card or Bank account ?

Brian

 

[rafezetter]

If there was no proof of forced entry then either the electrician left the door open or he let them in, either way I'd contact the police to get a crime number (if you haven't already) then call the electricians company and tell them what the police suspect. If he's self employed he'll have public liability so claim off that. If he was there doing work while you were away the security of the building falls to him - especially if he had keys.

As I said without any sign of forced entry, it's pretty obvious what happened, and a judge will agree that whomever was on the premises last was responsible for the security and all that remains to be ascertained is if the sparky was complicit in the theft... (the only proviso to this would be if you nominated a 3rd party to lock up after the sparky).

I would tell the sparky (or his company) that if they refuse to admit liability then you'll take it to court with all the communsurate fees which could very well add thousands to the final cost.

I've had to threaten court a few times and on every occasion just telling them their bill will be increased significantly by court fees and extra "compensation" for the hassle, was enough to dislodge them.

You could also just drop in conversation, by-the-by as it were, that you've mentioned this incident to all your mates in the trade and named the company in question as a "cautionary tale". (it's only Libel if accusations are proven false, and as no investigation has happened yet you are entitled to your speculations)

"I was just down the pub the other night and mentioned that this had happened and the last person out the door was from company X before I got robbed..."

If that doesn't work, give me a PM, I know ppl, who know ppl in Netherlands

 

[Steve Maskery]

Karl, you have my deepest sympathies, it's a horrible feeling.

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

Sorry to hear that.
Place an email alert on the local classified for sale ads, you never know they may be stupid scrotes and try and sell the gear locally.

 

[Graham Orm]

Very sorry to hear that. I think everyone who's been in the trade for a while has had this experience, I know I have 3 times over the last 30 years.

Some good advice given above. Whoever turned the lights out last was responsible for locking the door. It's down to them. Good luck. Please keep us informed how you go on.

 

[JakeS]

(it's only Libel if accusations are proven false, and as no investigation has happened yet you are entitled to your speculations)

A word of caution: while this is true in much of the world, it's not the case in England at least - not sure about the rest of the UK. As I understand it, under English law, the burden of proof in a libel case lies with the defendant to prove that the statements issued were in fact true. IIRC the US enacted a law protecting their citizens from being extradited under foreign laws that aren't compliant with their own free-speech laws specifically for this reason, in light of our rather liberal extradition treaty with them.