We Were Robbed in ATL Hotel (Lawrenceville: legally, car, expense)

[mg83]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Buckhead has been notorious for petty theft for years...after all, it's like asking why Jesse James robbed banks? 'Cause that's where the money was...

That's a given - but crime in Atlanta (to me anyway) seems like it's where the money is, and it's also where the money isn't.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

Im sorry about your having to deal with a robbery.

Once again, that is not a ROBBERY! A ROBBERY is when someone exerts physical force on you or points a gun to your head and tells you to give up the money! You were a victim of BURGLARY! I had my car BURGLARIZED in Atlanta too. Let's do a virtual reenactment of both!

Robbery

*Storms into the room*

"PUT YOUR HANDS UP, THIS IS A ROBBERY! *waves gun* MOVE AND I WILL SHOOT!" *steals stuff*

Burglary

-*walks into parking lot*
-*looks for unlocked car or stuff in clear sight*
-*finds a target, takes a good look around, breaks lock or window*
-*sees another person and runs or hides*

[mg83]

It's like... you're either a victim of petty crime in this town, which could be annoying, inconvenient... or you're a victim of violent crime. Just a nice trip to AJC.com, yet another dead person (shooting, possible robbery) in DeKalb - found dead in the street. Every damn day. DeKalb = Baltimore.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

somebody got a key from the desk and went into your room and stole stuff. does the hotel have a safe? you have an obligation to try to lock up your valuables. your daughter left the room locked but lots of cleaning people got access to rooms. their defense in court will be you did not use the hotel safe as required and even maybe your daughter stole the money. nasty stuff.

Oh, I would not be so certain of that. They could not possibly have a safe large enough to keep the valuables of each and every guest and what a staff it would require to put the items in and take the items out.

It is also conceivable that management has been instructed to make no admission of liability and fingers crossed the problem will just disappear. Also, if there are staff members involved in burglarizing the guests they could also be involved in criminal activities against the corporation. It is the corporation's responsibility to find out.

I'd pursue this.

[bayarea-girl]

Compelled to Reply, you are so right. But Georgia really needs to clean up the crime. What are Georgians doing to stop some of the criminal activity? Does the state have a plan? From what I remember about GA the police don't play and the law is crystal clear. In N. CA/East Bay where I currently reside (until June) people are getting robbed at gun point while sitting in restaurants in broad day light. In San Francisco you can see people opening smoking marijuana or taking a hit of something so GA count your blessings and I hope things aren't as bad as in CA.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

What are Georgians doing to stop some of the criminal activity? Does the state have a plan? From what I remember about GA the police don't play and the law is crystal clear.

"Georgia" pretty much hates Atlanta, so the state will be of little help when it comes to Atlanta issues. Police forces are county and city entities. Crime problems in Atlanta (or metro Atlanta) are dealt with by county and city police forces. Unfortunately, many of the local police forces have total buffoons in the highest positions, resulting in a less than stellar police force.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by JPD

"Georgia" pretty much hates Atlanta, so the state will be of little help when it comes to Atlanta issues. Police forces are county and city entities. Crime problems in Atlanta (or metro Atlanta) are dealt with by county and city police forces. Unfortunately, many of the local police forces have total buffoons in the highest positions, resulting in a less than stellar police force.

Many of these points ring true on some level.

If you go to New York State, you'll find that many there would just as soon cut NYC off and let it float into the ocean. Same mentality here - Georgians see Atlanta as the toilet of Georgia, and the only reason the Governor even pays any attention to it at all is because while in office he lives in the city.

The suburbs of Atlanta likewise like to play the huff and puff game, and try to claim that they could survive on any level if the city didn't exist. Not true. The entire metro region if not all of North Georgia would be a dry poverty stricken husk if not for the economic engine that is Atlanta. You can only make so much money with chicken farms. The problem is, many of these suburbs ignore the fact that they're so close to Atlanta in every way... including "spillover crime", and they try to operate their towns with Mayberry-style police forces. They simply don't "get it", in that when you have 12 police officers and only 4 cars on the street at any given shift, and 2 of those are always parked at the local covenience store so the officers can flirt with Darla Mae, you're NOT going to be effective at reducing crime in your area. Private security is of no help either, as most security companies don't properly screen employees, and half of them have rap sheets of their own!

So that's Atlanta's biggest problem. It's a huge city with unfortunately a poor city government and a high crime problem. It leaks into suburbs which try to identify themselves as "not part of Atlanta" and try to operate as though they're a small Southern town in a Norman Rockwell painting. Atlanta needs to get it's act together, but most of the suburban leaders need to get their heads out of the clouds and realize that good OR bad, they're part of the Atlanta problem too, and do what needs to be done to curb the issues that come with that.

[Silent Assassin]

I'm not sure if anyone had already told her this, but calling probably isn't the best course of action in a situation like this. They hear you talking, but the person on the other end may not be the right persong to be pushing your points to.

Put something on paper, and send it to atleast 2 different higher level persons. Make sure it's CLEAR that you have cc'd someone else. That will definitely make one of those persons respond. When it's indirect contact, which a telephone call to voice your concerns usually is, they can easily apologize for your loss, and keep it moving.

Put it in writing, and they have to respond on corporate letterhead, and there's a paper trail involved. You will also get more done, and find out EXACTLY who it is you need to speak with about this problem.

Calling is fine, but putting something in writing is ALWAYS the better option. Doors magically open when it's evident that you have contacted another party, and not just one individual.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

On two different business trips to Atlanta I was robbed at two different hotels. The first one my car was broken into in the Hotel parking lot while I was checking in late at night. The contents of my suitcases were all over the parking lot, that hotel was in Midtown. The 2nd time it was at the Atlanta Hilton Hotel, my wallet was stolen while I was in the shower, however I think that was an employee of the company I worked with. One thing I know for sure there are criminal types always watching the public with the intent of robbing you. It is a lousy way to live but we always have to be on guard in todays society. I do feel Atlanta has a huge crime problem, and I find it annoying when I hear the comment Oh its everywhere, well it is, but Atlanta's crime is way beyond its everywhere. Im sorry about your having to deal with a robbery.

Really if you are coming to Atlanta, stay in Buckhead or the burbs if you can. You don't really want to stay downtown because it is full of criminals and homeless beggars. You will not have a pleasant experience there.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Buckhead has been notorious for petty theft for years...after all, it's like asking why Jesse James robbed banks? 'Cause that's where the money was...

It is actually getting alot better and quieter since the city finally got the guts to shut down the rap and "hip hop" joints on Peachtree and E Paces. Alot of the criminals and rowdies that those places attracted have moved on to DeKalb now and the bars that are left tend to cater to an older and more upper class patron.