Wedding Ring stolen at work, what can I do?

[DHeydt]

What is the name of your state? NJ

Last Friday, I was in the Men's room at work and I took off my weding ring to wash my hands. I walked out without the ring and returned about an hour or so later. The ring was gone.

I let everyone know what happened but on Friday we have summer hours and most people had left or were leaving already. A cooworker posted signs on the bulliten boards for me. The cleaning people came with me into the bathroom and emptied out the garbage bins and searched the floor with no luck.

On Monday, the administration made a voice-mail announcement that if anyone had found the ring to return it to the receptionist. In the afternoon, I made a new sign offering a $200 cash reward "no questions asked" for the return of the ring which has great sentimental value to me.

It's Tuesday afternoon and still no response. Should I contact the police? Is there any kind of legal recourse? For example can I file a claim against my employers insurance somehow?

The ring cost me almost $2000 when I bought it last year and was in pretty good shape. I've been watching eBay and I'm considering calling local pawn shops however since I live 15 minutes from Manhattan there are easily 200 pawn shops in the local area.

What can I do at this point? Please help.

[cbg]

You are free to contact the police. However, this is not your employer's fault and their insurance is unlikely to cover it. I don't see any legal recourse until or unless you find the person who walked out with it.

[racer72]

What can I do at this point?

I suggest changing the title of your thread to "Wedding ring LOST at work, what can I do?" That is exactly what the police and insurance company are going to say.

[DHeydt]

I agree that it's not my employers fault. I'm still kicking myself for my mistake. However I feel that they should take a more active role in helping discover which one of their employees would do this. Even if there is not a law that requires them to do so, shouldn't they want to find a dishonest employee?

Also, if this had been a $2000 piece of computer equipment (instead of a $2000 wedding ring) I think they would have done more than just send a voice-mail asking if someone would be kind enough to return the missing equipment. Why not use the same diligence for an employee?

Insurance is not based on guilt. If someone is on your property and has an accident, even if it's through their own stupidity, it is covered by your insurance. Unless the accident was staged for the purpose of fraud or something along those lines. I would like to make the claim mainly as an incentive to get my employer to investigate this matter fully. They have access to employee records, including time-cards showing who was here at the time this happened etc... They have offered no assistance even in regards to filing a police report.

[stephenk]

so you want your employer to spend the time and money to interrogate all of the employees of the business, all the jainitorial crew, and all customers and clients who happened to be in the building when your ring was taken?

your ring is not company property, so don't try and compare your loss to someone stealing your employer's computer.

you can hire a private investigator to start an investigation. you should have also filed a report with your company's security and with the police the day the ring was taken.

[ldkirby]

Maybe I am a skeptic, but I read this differently.

First, who is to say somebody took the ring at all? I know many occaisions where I or colleages go into the bathroom, set purses or briefcases down, do our thing, then leave. Any number of times I could have knocked something in the sink and down the drain in my haste. You say everyone leaves earlier on Fridays...perhaps in their haste to get out the door something like that occurred?

Second, you lost your ring it was not taken from you. Seems like you have already gotten PLENTY of help in finding it with no luck. What more do you expect?

[DerbyGirl]

Originally Posted by DHeydt

What is the name of your state? NJ

Last Friday, I was in the Men's room at work and I took off my weding ring to wash my hands. I walked out without the ring and returned about an hour or so later. The ring was gone.

I let everyone know what happened but on Friday we have summer hours and most people had left or were leaving already. A cooworker posted signs on the bulliten boards for me. The cleaning people came with me into the bathroom and emptied out the garbage bins and searched the floor with no luck.

On Monday, the administration made a voice-mail announcement that if anyone had found the ring to return it to the receptionist. In the afternoon, I made a new sign offering a $200 cash reward "no questions asked" for the return of the ring which has great sentimental value to me.

It's Tuesday afternoon and still no response. Should I contact the police? Is there any kind of legal recourse? For example can I file a claim against my employers insurance somehow?

The ring cost me almost $2000 when I bought it last year and was in pretty good shape. I've been watching eBay and I'm considering calling local pawn shops however since I live 15 minutes from Manhattan there are easily 200 pawn shops in the local area.

What can I do at this point? Please help.

I knew a guy who lost his wedding ring once.
Told his wife he had no idea what happened to it.
It was found at a bar…easier to pick up women without a wedding ring.

Do you always take your wedding band off to wash your hands?
I would say, take a pipe wrench & check the trap on the sink.

As you’ve been told, the employer is not responsible.

Good luck,
DG

[jpritchett81]

Originally Posted by DHeydt

I agree that it's not my employers fault. I'm still kicking myself for my mistake. However I feel that they should take a more active role in helping discover which one of their employees would do this. Even if there is not a law that requires them to do so, shouldn't they want to find a dishonest employee?

Also, if this had been a $2000 piece of computer equipment (instead of a $2000 wedding ring) I think they would have done more than just send a voice-mail asking if someone would be kind enough to return the missing equipment. Why not use the same diligence for an employee?

Of course they'll investigate missing computer equipment b/c it's company property...your ring is your own personal property.

Originally Posted by DHeydt

Insurance is not based on guilt. If someone is on your property and has an accident, even if it's through their own stupidity, it is covered by your insurance. Unless the accident was staged for the purpose of fraud or something along those lines. I would like to make the claim mainly as an incentive to get my employer to investigate this matter fully.

Submitting a claim for lost personal property is not going to make your employer investigate the matter further than they have to. Legally the employer is not obligated to question anyone about lost personal property. You should be grateful they went as far as creating a company announcement in the form of voice mail. They didn't have to do that.

Originally Posted by DHeydt

They have access to employee records, including time-cards showing who was here at the time this happened etc... They have offered no assistance even in regards to filing a police report.

Again your employer doesn't have to file a police report for you. That's your responsibility. Why didn't you file a report the same day it was LOST? I understand that you're upset over this...but your expectations of your employer are out of line and unrealistic.

[ldkirby]

Originally Posted by DerbyGirl

I knew a guy who lost his wedding ring once.
Told his wife he had no idea what happened to it.
It was found at a bar…easier to pick up women without a wedding ring.

Do you always take your wedding band off to wash your hands?
I would say, take a pipe wrench & check the trap on the sink.

As you’ve been told, the employer is not responsible.

Good luck,
DG

DerbyGirl,
I was thinking that too! I don't know many men that take their wedding bands off to wash their hands.

[stephenk]

Whenever I take my ring off it starts to glow and suddenly my wife is calling on the cell phone asking why my ring is off. It's bizarre.

[panzertanker]

Originally Posted by ldkirby

DerbyGirl,
I was thinking that too! I don't know many men that take their wedding bands off to wash their hands.

I do....the ones at the bar! Or strip club. Or dance club.

[rmet4nzkx]

Originally Posted by ldkirby

DerbyGirl,
I was thinking that too! I don't know many men that take their wedding bands off to wash their hands.

For that matter how many wash their hands after using the restroom? Most wdding rings are meant to be worn forever a little soap and water won't hurt them.

[CdwJava]

Originally Posted by stephenk

Whenever I take my ring off it starts to glow and suddenly my wife is calling on the cell phone asking why my ring is off. It's bizarre.

Its funny ... as the years have gone by, mine is getting harder and harder to take off anyway ... and then, there is that ESP thing.

- Carl