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Hotel Room Burglary

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savvycindy

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Nevada

From 11/9/15 through 11/11/15, my boyfriend and I were staying in a suite at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. On 11/11/15, we left the room approximately 3:30 p.m. and returned to our room at approximately midnight.

When we returned, we found that the room had been ransacked. My laptop computer and approximately $1,000 - $1,500 in jewelry along with a few other miscellaneous items had been stolen.

The hotel room doors close and lock automatically. At least that was what we thought. We filed a report with hotel security that evening and were advised that the hotel room doors do not close and lock 100% of the time. Although we closed the door, we were subsequently advised that we left the room unsecured when we left that afternoon and that the room door was re-locked at approximately 10:30 p.m. (Since we had not yet returned to our room, we can only assume that the people who burglarized the room secured the hotel room door when they left.)

The hotel feels it was not negligent in this matter and will not compensate me for my losses. It is my opinion that if the hotel was aware that the hotel room doors did not close and lock 100% of the time, they should have left all the hotel room doors unlocked so that the occupants would know that they needed to secure the door themselves. In lieu of that, customers should have been informed, either at check-in or by a sign on the door, that the doors did not lock every time the door closed so that they would be aware that extra precautions to secure the room door was necessary. As far as I knew, the door had closed and locked every time previous to the afternoon of 11/11/15. How was I to know that this was not the case? If I had had any idea that there was a problem with the door locking, I certainly would have made more effort to secure the hotel room door.

Does the hotel have any liability in this situation? Would there be a good chance of the court finding in my favor regarding compensation for my lost property if I took the hotel to small claims court?

If a small claims court action is a good idea, how would I go about determining the person I would need to serve at the NY-NY hotel in this action? I live in San Diego, CA. As the claim would have to be filed in Las Vegas, NV, if I won, could I be compensated for my travel expenses back & forth to Las Vegas from San Diego?
 
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TheGeekess

Keeper of the Kraken
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Nevada

From 11/9/15 through 11/11/15, my boyfriend and I were staying in a suite at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. On 11/11/15, we left the room approximately 3:30 p.m. and returned to our room at approximately midnight.

When we returned, we found that the room had been ransacked. My laptop computer and approximately $1,000 - $1,500 in jewelry along with a few other miscellaneous items had been stolen.

The hotel room doors close and lock automatically. At least that was what we thought. We filed a report with hotel security that evening and were advised that the hotel room doors do not close and lock 100% of the time. Although we closed the door, we were subsequently advised that we left the room unsecured when we left that afternoon and that the room door was re-locked at approximately 10:30 p.m. (Since we had not yet returned to our room, we can only assume that the people who burglarized the room secured the hotel room door when they left.)

The hotel feels it was not negligent in this matter and will not compensate me for my losses. It is my opinion that if the hotel was aware that the hotel room doors did not close and lock 100% of the time, they should have left all the hotel room doors unlocked so that the occupants would know that they needed to secure the door themselves. In lieu of that, customers should have been informed, either at check-in or by a sign on the door, that the doors did not lock every time the door closed so that they would be aware that extra precautions to secure the room door was necessary. As far as I knew, the door had closed and locked every time previous to the afternoon of 11/11/15. How was I to know that this was not the case? If I had had any idea that there was a problem with the door locking, I certainly would have made more effort to secure the hotel room door.

Does the hotel have any liability in this situation? Would there be a good chance of the court finding in my favor regarding compensation for my lost property if I took the hotel to small claims court?

If a small claims court action is a good idea, how would I go about determining the person I would need to serve at the NY-NY hotel in this action? I live in San Diego, CA. As the claim would have to be filed in Las Vegas, NV, if I won, could I be compensated for my travel expenses back & forth to Las Vegas from San Diego?
When you checked into the hotel, you signed a piece of paper that said the hotel is not responsible for any valuables left in the room. So, with that said, you'll be wasting your time. Best check with your homeowners insurance provider and see what they say about replacing the missing items. :cool:
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
When you checked into the hotel, you signed a piece of paper that said the hotel is not responsible for any valuables left in the room. So, with that said, you'll be wasting your time. Best check with your homeowners insurance provider and see what they say about replacing the missing items. :cool:
And, furthermore, there are signs in the hotel room reinforcing that.
 

savvycindy

Junior Member
When you checked into the hotel, you signed a piece of paper that said the hotel is not responsible for any valuables left in the room. So, with that said, you'll be wasting your time. Best check with your homeowners insurance provider and see what they say about replacing the missing items. :cool:
"Sorry about the mistakes I have made on here. This is the first time I have been involved with a thread."
 
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savvycindy

Junior Member
Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately, due to the ever increasing premiums of my homeowner's insurance, I raised the deductable to an amount higher than my loss from the burglary in the hotel room. Even if I have no legal recourse, I still feel the hotel has a moral obligation to inform their customers that their hotel room doors do not lock as they are supposed to, but it seems that New York-New York cares more about people believing that they are the perfect hotel until something bad happens. I will spend some time writing reviews about my experience with New York-New York with the hope that I might prevent someone from going through what I did. Thanks again for taking the time to reply.
" Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately, due to the ever increasing premiums of my homeowner's insurance, I raised the deductable to an amount higher than my loss from the burglary in the hotel room. Even if I have no legal recourse, I still feel the hotel has a moral obligation to inform their customers that their hotel room doors do not lock as they are supposed to, but it seems that New York-New York cares more about people believing that they are the perfect hotel until something bad happens. I will spend some time writing reviews about my experience with New York-New York with the hope that I might prevent someone from going through what I did. Thanks again for taking the time to reply."
 

Proserpina

Senior Member
" Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately, due to the ever increasing premiums of my homeowner's insurance, I raised the deductable to an amount higher than my loss from the burglary in the hotel room. Even if I have no legal recourse, I still feel the hotel has a moral obligation to inform their customers that their hotel room doors do not lock as they are supposed to, but it seems that New York-New York cares more about people believing that they are the perfect hotel until something bad happens. I will spend some time writing reviews about my experience with New York-New York with the hope that I might prevent someone from going through what I did. Thanks again for taking the time to reply."
Just make sure you stick to facts, and leave out any and all accusations and unproven statements.

The last thing you want is a defamation suit on your hands.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
I always, always, and (did I say) always double check doors at hotels (and cruise ships, etc.) when I leave...and I don't think it's a particularly unreasonable thing to do.
 

cyjeff

Senior Member
Hotels have room safes - why didn't you leave such valuable items in the safe?
I am a road warrior..I typically travel a day or two in most weeks.

Never...repeat never...trust the safes in the room. Half the cleaning staff have override codes and most thefts in hotels are staff related.

If you bring valuables to a hotel, lock them in the hotel's safe. The one behind the front desk. There, the hotel does have liability in case of theft. Yes, there is usually a charge but it is minimal.
 

Shadowbunny

Queen of the Not-Rights
I am a road warrior..I typically travel a day or two in most weeks.

Never...repeat never...trust the safes in the room. Half the cleaning staff have override codes and most thefts in hotels are staff related.

If you bring valuables to a hotel, lock them in the hotel's safe. The one behind the front desk. There, the hotel does have liability in case of theft. Yes, there is usually a charge but it is minimal.
That's good to know, thanks for the intel, cyjeff. Of course, I also don't bring valuables when I'm traveling; at least none that I'd leave behind in the hotel room.
 

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