Since many who read this forum travel to various pool events around the world, I thought it worthy to post of my recent misfortune in Albany, New York. My laptop computer was stolen out of our hotel room at the Albany Courtyard Marriott sometime between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 11:50 p.m. this past Saturday.
The Colonie Police Department came about midnight and the case is under investigation. The manager of the hotel cooperated with the police and provided a "lock interrogation" record, which displays what room keys were used during the hours that we were not in the room.
It turns out there's a little statute [unknown to me] called the Innkeeper's Statute, which varies from State to State. Bottom line, a hotel "may" not be held responsible for any thefts unless there is an eyewitness to the robbery. In essence, anybody who enters a hotel room, according to the Innkeeper's Statute, whether a robber or a hotel employee, can steal your belongings and you have lost your property, with no hope for compensation for your loss.
I travel quite a bit, and this is the first time I've ever had a theft in a hotel room. I had never heard of the Innkeeper's Statute. I hope this thread may provide a warning to secure anything of value, especially something that cannot be replaced, when staying at lodging facilities "on the road."
On a good note, the manager of the Marriott did not charge us for our 2-day stay, i.e., $216. The laptop computer was worth $600. ALL of my data on that laptop was backed up, so I did not lose anything.
JAM
The Colonie Police Department came about midnight and the case is under investigation. The manager of the hotel cooperated with the police and provided a "lock interrogation" record, which displays what room keys were used during the hours that we were not in the room.
It turns out there's a little statute [unknown to me] called the Innkeeper's Statute, which varies from State to State. Bottom line, a hotel "may" not be held responsible for any thefts unless there is an eyewitness to the robbery. In essence, anybody who enters a hotel room, according to the Innkeeper's Statute, whether a robber or a hotel employee, can steal your belongings and you have lost your property, with no hope for compensation for your loss.
I travel quite a bit, and this is the first time I've ever had a theft in a hotel room. I had never heard of the Innkeeper's Statute. I hope this thread may provide a warning to secure anything of value, especially something that cannot be replaced, when staying at lodging facilities "on the road."
On a good note, the manager of the Marriott did not charge us for our 2-day stay, i.e., $216. The laptop computer was worth $600. ALL of my data on that laptop was backed up, so I did not lose anything.
JAM