Is there any recourse against movers who stole from us?

[Singapore Newbie]

Hello,

We recently used a local move and the moving guys stole things from us. We've filed a police report and gone through the investigation with the movers, but they are not going to reimburse us for over $10k in stolen items (sunglasses, handbags, etc.). None of the movers have admitted to taking anything (do they ever admit to it?). Movers claims that they told us to remove small valuable items, which we did (jewellery, important papers, etc.), but I don't consider an LV shoulder bag in its original box, a small item. If I were to move everything of value in my home, then I might as well move myself.

Home insurance won't cover the loss because it wasn't by forced entry.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of situation? What rights do I have? Thanks.

[x9200]

How do you know it was somebody from them and not from outside? Has this disappeared from a sealed box? As per your loss it does not matter too much but calling them thieves while they may be just guilty of negligence is rather a big thing.

[Taitaiwife]

You could try CASE (consumers association of Singapore) for a small claim. Removals contracts are pretty terrible - when you read the fine print they have all kinds of get-out clauses and even taking out their insurance is not necessarily water-tight - and always costly. I wonder if CASE challenged it they might find this type of contract unreasonable.

I agree with your frustration, but after reading the small print I ended up moving loads of our of valuables myself. I also packed and unpacked the stuff myself and made sure all the boxes were taped up from prying eyes.

[x9200]

(S)he may have a case only if proves any of the following:
- gross negligence of the movers (i.e. that they left the stuff in a public place with no supervision/care/protection for longer time
- they have stolen the goods

[zzm9980]

Movers claims that they told us to remove small valuable items, which we did (jewellery, important papers, etc.), but I don't consider an LV shoulder bag in its original box, a small item.

What did they take then? One LV bag? (For 10k? Geez) Or numerous bags and sunglasses? Those are smaller.

Were these items packed in boxes? Or did you just leave a pile of stuff in its original box and have them move it like that? I'm curious to know if they actively rummaged your stuff, or someone (them or a bystander) saw LV boxes sitting unattended and ran off with it. The answer to this is pretty important in assigning negligence IMO.

[Max Headroom]

I frequently see movers' lorries backed up to the loading bay here at our tower, usually with the back wide open and all kinds of packed stuff inside a quick pilfer away. You'd need to be fast, because the moving chaps are popping in and out all the time, but if you're so inclined, you could conceivably knock off an LV bag or some such.

[JR8]

You took out insurance right?

And from what you said you have no proof who might have done what.

p.s. We're moving/in-transit right now, and I have lost track of a Cartier watch, and valuable ring. But experience suggests that they'll turn up eventually, probably packed somewhere 'clever'...

[Hannieroo]

I dunno, JR8 might have a point. My Prada sunglasses never made it but my Movado was found under a bed 3 months later and I tore that house apart looking for it at the time.

[stiwi]

You took out insurance right?

And from what you said you have no proof who might have done what.

p.s. We're moving/in-transit right now, and I have lost track of a Cartier watch, and valuable ring. But experience suggests that they'll turn up eventually, probably packed somewhere 'clever'...

I always wonder how this insurance things would work out in case of loss. When we were moving, we have listed down pretty much most of the things and paid 3% total value declared for insurance. Nothing was lost luckily but I always wonder how would the claim process be for small items, since no one really checked what we declared to be insured to what was packed.

[Steve1960]

Assuming smaller valuable items would not be a huge part of the inventory why not itemise in the presence of the removal company, seal the boxes and both parties sign off on the list. At the other end of the move open the boxes together and check off against the list.

This is what we did when moving Internationally from Philippines to Singapore.