My Entire DVD Collection Was Stolen Last Night (1 Viewer)

[Dan Rudolph]

How about a tiger trap? Those deter thieves.

 

[Paul.S]

Chuck et al.:

I'm still shaking my head in anger and dismay, having now read the whole thread.

After reading all these posts, a thought occurred to me. If everyone who has responded to this post sent Chuck just one DVD out of their collection, he would already have about 75 DVDs to start the rebuliding process. I know that I for one can spare a single title for this worthy cause and I'm pretty sure most of the other people responding to this post can as well. If anyone is interested in doing this and if you would like our help, Chuck, please respond to this post and maybe we can make this happen.

I second that emotion, Brent. Chuck, please keep us apprised regarding the final verdict on your insurance claim. Perhaps, if not for mainstream titles, some willing HTFers in this thread can assist in one way or another--at the very least, keeping our eyes out when browsing our local DVD outlets--with replacing some of the rare/Criterion/expensive/out-of-print titles you had.

Paul

 

[Todd Robertson]

I'd like to donate a title to Chuck as well. I'll keep a handle on my oops and collectors sets....but can send a current release if that will help out. either choose a disc from my collection....all are in mint condition....or I'll snag you a copy my next time out shopping. let me know.

 

[Chuck Watwood]

Once again, thanks for all the support from this forum. All you guys are great. I will wait and see how the insurance company will handle this before I decide what my course of action is. The one DVD from your collections is very generous of all who have offered. I probably won't take the offer but it makes me feel extremely good about the members of this forum. If there is anything I can do for any one of you, don't hesitate to ask. Your outpouring of support is overwhelming. I hope everyone learns from this and catalogues their collections. I certainly will for all future purchases.

 

[oscar_merkx]

Hi Chuck

Having read this entire thread as well now, I would be more than happy to mail you a catalogue title from Glasgow.

Cheers

Oscar

PS

 

[Mickey P]

I hope you people who list all your DVd`s ect take to heart what happened here, and at least remove your last name and home town from your profile!!

 

[Dan Lindley]

I've looked around twice and can not find where to change one's last name in the profile (or any other area in the user control panel). Found the city/state part, though.

Any help on changing one's name?

Thanks.

 

[Greg*go]

Dan,
I don't think you can change your user name. Once it's set, then your stuck with it. If you really want to change it though, I'd suggest talk to a mod about it.

 

[Rob Lutter]

Send a mod an email... I changed my username a couple of years ago and it wasn't a big problem.

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

All the "renter's insurance" sales blurbs I've seen were useless to me, because the caps on what can be covered were well bellow the value of my DVDs, CDs, books, computer & HT equipment (Example: $2000 cap on all your electronic equipment -- clearly these jokers have never heard of computer professionals or HT enthusiasts). I'd loved to get real insurance, but it seems that until I buy a place, none is on offer.

I have renters insurance through State Farm and I have a $20,000 clause in there that covers all of my dvd's, home theatre equipment and PC. I think it comes to around $10 a month. Everything is in DVD Profiler and I've taken plenty of pictures so hopefully if something like this happens I'm covered.


But back on topic I'm terribly sorry this happened to you. I didn't read the end of the thread yet so not sure if you got any leads yet. Ok, going back to read...

 

[Chuck Watwood]

A quick update on my stolen DVD ordeal. Its been nearly three weeks since my collection was stolen. I have yet to hear from the police even though I have called and left 2 messages. Local area pawn shops haven't been very cooperative either. I have spent many days compiling a list of DVD's. As I stated earlier, I only had a few receipts, actually I came up with approximately 14% of my receipts. About 90 dvd receipts out of 633 purchased. Most of those were credit card receipts which involved other purchases. Most of my purchases over the past several years have been cash and I pitched the receipt as soon as I checked out the dvd. I compiled my list from memory and by browsing Best Buy and Circuit City. I spent a combined total of 15 hours at both stores, writing down dvds I know I had in my collection. I actually had customers walk up to me who thought I worked there. I might add that the sales people at Best Buy were very helpful and even offered me softdrinks and a chair. lol I have a very good memory, like many of you, I am addicted to collecting them and I never purchased repeats when browsing for new titles. I wrote down prices at both best buy and circuit city, then I went online to do more research. I settled on a site called DVD Empire. They had lots of information including release dates, studio catalog numbers, and complete upc numbers. Their prices were also cheaper on average than best buy or circuit city. I used DVD Empire prices as my replacement costs on the insurance stolen item form. I replicated the insurance paperwork in Excel and created a 50 page inventory list. I ended up with 602 individual movie titles, 31 tv show season box sets, and 15 dvd audio and sacd titles, for a combined 648 items. Total replacement cost for these items totalled out to over $12,000. Include my new front door and the total claim amounted to $12,500. I am sure I missed some dvd's as I know my collection was closer to 700 individual titles, oh well. I will turn this paperwork into the insurance company tomorrow. I'll post when they settle up and/or the police actually do something. I'm not betting on that. Oh: I have started to buy back a few dvds since my theft. Each one has been entered into a database, the receipt is labelled and placed in a file, and a pictures has been taken of the dvd cover. I also never leave the house without setting my alarm system and arming the landmines near the entrance doors. lol

 

[Ryan Wishton]

Chuck,

I am very sorry for your problems... I have been stolen from in the past on several different occasions... After all of that, I now only own enough things that I can keep track of... I also shop more wisely and only buy what I really, really want...

It's just nice to be able to keep track of every item you have and only own certain things... It's easier to know when it went missing, who could have taken it, etc...

Before, I wouldnt know what was missing for awhile because I had so many things... By that time, it was really too late to do anything about it because there was not a single lead...

 

[Ben Rockwell]

Chuck,

I just stumbled upon this thread since you bumped it, and I can say that I know how it feels to be burglarized. Although my collection wasn't nearly as large as yours was, I had my DVDs, DVD player, and laptop all stolen one summer weekend in 2002. THe cops didn't do jack, and only one pawn shop was cooperative. I searched a flea market, but I didn't have any luck there either.

It's a real pain in the ass to have law enforcement when they won't do anything to help you, but hopefully insurance will take care of stuff for you. Good luck with this, and on the bright side (as has been mentioned), at least you didn't walk in on them, or else something more terrible may have happened.

Good luck with everything.

Ben

 

[JeremyFr]

God I am so sorry to hear about that its enough to make me want to buy a gun safe to keep mine in.......

Imagine the conversation I'd have with a friend wanting to borrow a dvd...

friend: hey man can I borrow a dvd
me: sure how good are you at safe cracking??

hehe

Jeremy

 

[Glenn Overholt]

I was glad to see your update.

One thing that struck me as I read it is that if I had to do that, I would look up my favorite actors, and see if I might have had other titles with them in it. Directors and such too.

Glenn

 

[Tony Whalen]

12,000 bucks worth of theft, and the police haven't even taken a call?

Scary. Isn't theft over 5K a felony?

Chuck, you mentioned you had a suspect. Any change you could hire a PI for a couple days to check him out, if the police aren't doing anything? Just a thought!

Hope all goes well with the claim!!!

 

[Chuck Watwood]

I talked to the police today. The detective assigned to my case hasn't even looked at it yet. I gave them the name of the suspect almost three weeks ago. He told me he would call around to a few pawn shops and see if anyone has sold a large number of dvds. I've already done that and gotten no help from the pawn shops. The detective didn't give me much hope. Unless someone has unloaded a large amount of dvds at one time, nothing will be investigated.

I did turn in all my information to the insurance property claims lady at American Family Insurance. She indicated that she might get to it by next week, if there weren't anymore big storms that blow through the area and tie her up. She was pleasant enough but non-commital about the settlement. I pleaded my case and showed her all my documentation. She seemed impressed with the detail. I already kick myself because I remember 2 movies I didn't add to the list as I returned home. Its too late now. One is probably my favorite evil spirt movie, Session Nine.
I hadn't thought of the PI thing. I may look into it, however, it maybe too late now? I'll keep the forum posted when I hear back from either insurance or police.

 

[MarkHastings]

Isn't theft over 5K a felony?

That's a good point. I'm sure the cops aren't calculating exactly how much $$ is involved here, they are just seeing them individually as a 'cheap' item. Hopefully when your insurance company sees the hefty price tag involved, maybe they'll put some more pressure on the police.

 

[Paul.S]

Chuck et al.:

I already kick myself because I remember 2 movies I didn't add to the list as I returned home. Its too late now.

Why? Why is it too late? Especially if she seemed pleasant, I suggest that you tell (don't "ask," tell) the claims adjustor that you would like to reserve the right--since you are recalling titles from memory--to add DVDs to the list until the insurance company renders a decision on your claim and see what she says. Although there may be policy stipulating that once you submit your claim you can't add to it, perhaps you can challenge that given the extenuating circumstances.

Now, in aggravation, it might smack (as far as the insurance company is concerned) of attempts to fraudulently increase the value of your claim. Therefore, you may want to continue thinking about what you owned over the course of the next week and then--in one fax with phone call follow up, as opposed to calling/faxing multiple times--tell her of what titles need to be added to your claim.

If there are any Forum members who are insurance adjustors/who know insurance adjustors who might advise on this, please chime in.

-p

 

[MarkHastings]

I suggest that you tell (don't "ask," tell) the claims adjustor that you would like to reserve the right--since you are recalling titles from memory--to add DVDs to the list until the insurance company renders a decision on your claim and see what she says

Agreed, Make sure the insurance people know that you had 700 (or whatever the number is) DVD's and that you will continue to update the list as you think of them. This way there won't be a surprise later on. If your current list contained 600 titles that you remembered, at least they know there are still 100 or so titles that you can't recall and that you'll be compiling the rest of the list in the meantime.

Don't make them think that the list you just gave them is the complete list.