Some #$%@*$ stole my &$*%# clothes

[Math Is Hard]

some #$%@*$ stole my &!$*%# clothes!

went to the laundrymat this morning. washed my clothes, then put them in the dryer. I was starving so I walked across the shopping center to get a sandwich. I was gone 10 minutes. Came back and the dryer was open, clothes were gone.

I know it's my own fault but DANG! how low.

the total take was: 4 pairs of jeans (all that I own), 1 pair pants, 2 shirts, 1 sweater.

the owner of the place is very nice. I've been going there for years so I know him pretty well. he has a video tape he is looking at, but still, I will probably never see my clothes again.

I have a low opinion of people right now.

moral of the story: don't walk away from your laundry at the laundromat.

 

[SimplySolitary_]

Ouch, I'm sorry...! I've heard of that happening! I do hope they find who does it, so you can get your clothes back. I've had stuff taken from me from a laundry mat, but lucky never clothes. Good luck getting them back...

 

[Cyrus]

That sucks. Find the person on tape, they will come back to the laudrymat in the next day or two. Then call the police on him. He will have to hang around for a good hour as those cloths wash. The police will show up before he's done.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Thanks, SS and Cyrus. There is a security staff that patrols the center so I'm hoping we got a shot of them on tape, and they can be on the lookout. We have started having a transient problem though so it may have just been someone passing through who saw an opportunity. There are places around that buy old jeans so they could resell them quickly.

I just went shopping. Bought some new stuff. It was the only way to get over it.

 

[Astronuc]

MIH, I am sorry to here of your misfortune.

*Gives MIH a hug*

Please don't let the action of one bad person ruin your opinion of people, but that was certainly a mean and low thing to do.

 

[brewnog]

Hee hee, they stole your pants.

Seriously though, hope they catch the buggers love, and give them what for!

 

[Evo]

went to the laundrymat this morning. washed my clothes, then put them in the dryer. I was starving so I walked across the shopping center to get a sandwich. I was gone 10 minutes. Came back and the dryer was open, clothes were gone.

I know it's my own fault but DANG! how low.

the total take was: 4 pairs of jeans (all that I own), 1 pair pants, 2 shirts, 1 sweater.

the owner of the place is very nice. I've been going there for years so I know him pretty well. he has a video tape he is looking at, but still, I will probably never see my clothes again.

I have a low opinion of people right now.

moral of the story: don't walk away from your laundry at the laundromat.

That stinks! I had a dress stolen once, which was weird, they only took one article. All your clothes has to be really bad.

Hope they find the scum.

 

[Moonbear]

Wow! That's pretty low. I've never heard of someone stealing clothes from a laundromat. Usually the biggest risk of leaving your clothes unattended is if they get busy and someone decides not to wait for you to return to toss your clothes in a heap somewhere while they use the washer.

I used to do as you did all the time when I still used laundromats...I'd go next door for pizza or a sandwich (there was both a pizza parlor and a deli in the same plaza as the laundromat) while the clothes were washing. I never worried about the clothes, just made sure I took all my quarters with me.

Well, it sounds like it was a good excuse to go shopping anyway. I hope they catch the person who did it, or that the person was truly so needy as to have to steal clothing.

The least they could have done was steal them while they were still dirty, not wait for you to wash them, then take them.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Thanks, Nuc. I appreciate it. I guess I should be grateful it was only clothes. I would have been much unhappier if my laptop got swiped. Or if something irreplaceable went missing, like my kitty. Clothes are replaceable. I'd lost some weight anyway and needed to get some smaller jeans. I was getting the droopy drawers effect!

Thanks, Noggie. Uh oh, what does pants mean in the UK? They didn't get my undies - thank goodness!

That sounds kinda creepy, Evo. Did they take your dress from the laundry?

 

[Math Is Hard]

The least they could have done was steal them while they were still dirty, not wait for you to wash them, then take them.

No doubt! That was the insult to injury part! Dang it! grrrrrr

 

[DaveC426913]

Huh, I had the opposite problem. I got home from doing my laundry at the mall today, and found I had, like, 6 pairs of pants I've never seen before, a couple of shirts and a sweater that I didn't recognize.

Anyway, they weren't my size so I cut em up for rags.

 

[Astronuc]

The local laundromat has automatic locks on the washing machines. Once you close the door and put the coins in, its locked until it finishes. I found this out the hard way when I put the soap in, closed the door, put the coins in, and selected the cycle - it started and I couldn't open the door. I still hadn't put the clothes in I only made that mistake once.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Huh, I had the opposite problem. I got home from doing my laundry at the mall today, and found I had, like, 6 pairs of pants I've never seen before, a couple of shirts and a sweater that I didn't recognize.

Anyway, they weren't my size so I cut em up for rags.

LIAR! You're wearing my sexy hot pink UCLA baby doll t-shirt right now, aren't you!? Aren't you?!

 

[Math Is Hard]

The local laundromat has automatic locks on the washing machines. Once you close the door and put the coins in, its locked until it finishes. I found this out the hard way when I put the soap in, closed the door, put the coins in, and selected the cycle - it started and I couldn't open the door. I still hadn't put the clothes in I only made that mistake once.

oh crud! well, you gave the machine a good cleaning anyway!

 

[Gale]

awww MIH, that blows! I've never heard of that either, but i don't use laundry mats much. i hope your new clothes are super awesome. like you said, those older things were too big. now you look all cute in your brand new threads!

 

[heartless]

I didn't know world still has such idiots around to steal somebody's clothes. I assume it was a hoax, and those clothes lie somewhere in the bushes now, otherwise you must have had some beautiful and expensive clothes. I always leave my loundry, go home, and come back after 40 minutes. Hmm, hope you find your clothes back, and the clothe looter too.

 

[Cyrus]

awww MIH, that blows! I've never heard of that either, but i don't use laundry mats much. i hope your new clothes are super awesome. like you said, those older things were too big. now you look all cute in your brand new threads!

"super awesome"

 

[Math Is Hard]

Thanks Gale and everybody for taking a minute to cheer me up. It helped. Really, it did. Bless your sweet heart, heartless.

 

[Cyrus]

I see my friend curious4321 reading this thread, I hope he does not get his panties in a bunch.

 

[DaveC426913]

LIAR! You're wearing my sexy hot pink UCLA baby doll t-shirt right now, aren't you!? Aren't you?!

No.

I'm using it as pillow case.

 

[Integral]

...

I used to do as you did all the time when I still used laundromats...I'd go next door for pizza or a sandwich (there was both a pizza parlor and a deli in the same plaza as the laundromat) while the clothes were washing. I never worried about the clothes, just made sure I took all my quarters with me.

...

A local establishment called "Suds and Suds" took care of this problem nicley... The second suds was beer.

 

[Evo]

That sounds kinda creepy, Evo. Did they take your dress from the laundry?

Yeah, either they got caught in the act and had to leave, or they didn't like my taste in clothes.

 

[Moonbear]

A local establishment called "Suds and Suds" took care of this problem nicley... The second suds was beer.

If a place near here did that, I'd probably be heading over to that bar for some suds...and single men! That would almost guarantee finding a few of them at the laundromat (I was never successful at that at the one I used to go to...apparently if the laundromat also offers a laundry service where they charge by the pound for someone else to wash your clothes, all the men seem to use that instead of doing their own).

 

[Math Is Hard]

A not-so-bright laundromat thief:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2006/apr/11/041110039.html

Elko laundromat thief took cameras, forgot videotape

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ELKO, Nev. (AP) - A man accused of burglarizing a laundromat in Elko figured he made a clean escape over the weekend when he took off with the store's six video surveillance cameras.

But it turns out he left some rather compelling evidence behind - the video machine and videotape that recorded his face each time he stood in front of the cameras at the Southside Laundry.

Elko police said they came away with several close-ups of the suspect, Robert Lynn White, 52, Elko.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Math, the exact same thing happened to me about a dozen years ago. I suspect kleptomania because my clothes weren't remotely worth stealing and someone would have to be taking a gamble on the size being one they could use. Some people take stuff simply because it isn't nailed down.

At any rate, it does leave you feeling violated, much the same as if someone robbed your apartement, which also happened to me once.

Hopefully someone will catch this person in the act and a stop will be put to it.

 

[wolram]

Women in jeans and pants what would the world come to is men wore skirts.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Math, the exact same thing happened to me about a dozen years ago. I suspect kleptomania because my clothes weren't remotely worth stealing and someone would have to be taking a gamble on the size being one they could use. Some people take stuff simply because it isn't nailed down.

At any rate, it does leave you feeling violated, much the same as if someone robbed your apartement, which also happened to me once.

Hopefully someone will catch this person in the act and a stop will be put to it.

Yeah, I'm still pretty mad about it. I tossed and turned last night. Couldn't sleep. I just wanted to know where my things were. It was driving me crazy. Were they in someone's huge pile of laundry waiting to be discovered? Were they in the trash? A second hand clothing store?

One of the shirts that was snatched was an expensive dress shirt that I wore when I gave training classes. I am going to miss that. And my favorite pair of jeans that were perfectly tailored.

It was a sickening feeling. I burst into tears at the laundrymat when I discovered they were gone. I was sobbing like Pengwuino after an exam. Some nice ladies came over and consoled me. One even hugged me.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Women in jeans and pants what would the world come to is men wore skirts.

I guess it would be sort of like Scotland where the men where kilts?

*I like kilts very much, actually. Especially if the guy has nice knees*

 

[wolram]

I guess it would be sort of like Scotland where the men where kilts?

*I like kilts very much, actually. Especially if the guy has nice knees*

If you could sort of squint your eyes to the dings and dents, i have very mobile knees, but they have nothing on the curvy linear female ones.

 

[Evo]

Yeah, I'm still pretty mad about it. I tossed and turned last night. Couldn't sleep. I just wanted to know where my things were. It was driving me crazy. Were they in someone's huge pile of laundry waiting to be discovered? Were they in the trash? A second hand clothing store?

One of the shirts that was snatched was an expensive dress shirt that I wore when I gave training classes. I am going to miss that. And my favorite pair of jeans that were perfectly tailored.

It was a sickening feeling. I burst into tears at the laundrymat when I discovered they were gone. I was sobbing like Pengwuino after an exam. Some nice ladies came over and consoled me. One even hugged me.

<hugs MIH>

 

[Danger]

I'm just still savouring the vision of you hiking across the mall naked to get a sandwich.

 

[Math Is Hard]

If you could sort of squint your eyes to the dings and dents, i have very mobile knees, but they have nothing on the curvy linear female ones.

I am sure you'd look awesome in a kilt, Wol.

<hugs MIH>

Thanks, evo! I need my sisters here to go shopping with me.

I'm just still savouring the vision of you hiking across the mall naked to get a sandwich.

I saw a commercial like that once - except I think it was a guy doing laundry. He put all his laundry in and then stripped off his shirt and pants and threw them in the wash. He was walking around in his boxers and the chicks were all checking him out. It was cute.

 

[Aether]

Hopefully someone will catch this person in the act and a stop will be put to it.

I caught a guy in the act of stealing my clothes from a laundromat once. He said "uh, I'm from New York so I thought I could have this...", I said "well, you can't...", and then he took off (on foot ).

 

[Math Is Hard]

I caught a guy in the act of stealing my clothes from a laundromat once. He said "uh, I'm from New York so I thought I could have this...", I said "well, you can't...", and then he took off (on foot ).

Good lord! I am still trying to figure out that excuse. Maybe that was the strategy - say something so non-sequitur that the victim will have to stop and ponder it, then dash off. I am glad you caught the thief.

I had a similar experience 2 weeks ago when I saw a guy open my dryer and reach in. I said, "'scuse me, that's mine" and he backed away apologetically. I thought it was nothing more than an innocent mistake, but maybe he was out to purloin my clothes. I am seeing things in a more suspicious light now, I guess.

 

[Aether]

Good lord! I am still trying to figure out that excuse. Maybe that was the strategy - say something so non-sequitur that the victim will have to stop and ponder it, then dash off.

It's a weird thing to say, like "Kenneth, what is the frequency?"
-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Rather#.22Kenneth.2C_what_is_the_frequency.3F.22

I am glad you caught the thief.

I had a similar experience 2 weeks ago when I saw a guy open my dryer and reach in. I said, "'scuse me, that's mine" and he backed away apologetically. I thought it was nothing more than an innocent mistake, but maybe he was out to purloin my clothes. I am seeing things in a more suspicious light now, I guess.

I didn't really "catch" him, just interrupted and spoke with him. Who knows how desperate and crazy such a person could be? I wouldn't have tried to stop him if he had kept packing up all of my clothes and then left with them. It's not worth it, especially if this happens to you when you are by yourself.

 

[Artman]

I'm just still savouring the vision of you hiking across the mall naked to get a sandwich.

I can picture the hike, but I don't recall her mentioning a sandwich...

Don't let it bug you, MIH. You can't help what other people do.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Don't let it bug you, MIH. You can't help what other people do.

Thanks, Artman. I'll try.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Follow up: I saw the laundromat owner last night and I know who the thief was now. He saw the video. She was on my list of suspects, but one of the unlikely ones. She was a woman with short hair, early 50's, wearing a Hawaiian shirt. I remember she was kinda grumpy because I had to walk past her a few times getting back and forth to my laundry and she seemed annoyed. She had about 5 or 6 dryers going at once. She was blocking the whole aisle since she had carts in front of all the dryers and was hanging things here and there, so I had to say excuse me and she had to move a little every time I went past her.

The owner said it appeared she had put some things into the dryer before I put mine in (it looked empty to me, and it was open so I just may not have noticed). I asked the owner if she just grabbed the clothes out and threw them in a basket, but he said, no, she folded every single item. The sad thing is that she was walking out just as I came back. If I had only been a few minutes earlier!

 

[Evo]

Does she go there regularly? If so, you or the owner could let her know that she's on tape stealing your clothes.

 

[Aether]

I saw the laundromat owner last night and I know who the thief was now. He saw the video.

Great news!

The owner said it appeared she had put some things into the dryer before I put mine in (it looked empty to me, and it was open so I just may not have noticed). I asked the owner if she just grabbed the clothes out and threw them in a basket, but he said, no, she folded every single item.

Maybe she was doing someone else's laundry as a part of their maid service. I've paid for services like that before.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Does she go there regularly? If so, you or the owner could let her know that she's on tape stealing your clothes.

Neither the owner nor myself had ever seen her before. He seems to think that she won't be back. I'm not completely sure if I would recognize her if I saw her again. The video did not get a very good shot of her face either.

Maybe she was doing someone else's laundry as a part of their maid service. I've paid for services like that before.

I considered that. But it seems that the people she took the clothes back to would have said something...maybe. Or she could have been laundering donated clothes for a charity. In which case, she would not have known specifically which things belonged to her wash.

 

[Mk]

If the guy has nice knees

What exactly constitutes "nice knees?"

 

[zoobyshoe]

The owner said it appeared she had put some things into the dryer before I put mine in (it looked empty to me, and it was open so I just may not have noticed).

This is kinda important, isn't it? If she already had things in that dryer? Changes everything around.

 

[Math Is Hard]

This is kinda important, isn't it? If she already had things in that dryer? Changes everything around.

So that would justify her taking all my stuff? If she wanted to be pissy she could have thrown my clothes on the floor. But like I said, when I went to that dryer, the door was open and I saw nothing in it. I only found out about any clothes being in there when the owner said he saw it on the tape - and I am still really surprised by that.

 

[Moonbear]

So that would justify her taking all my stuff? If she wanted to be pissy she could have thrown my clothes on the floor. But like I said, when I went to that dryer, the door was open and I saw nothing in it. I only found out about any clothes being in there when the owner said he saw it on the tape - and I am still really surprised by that.

You would think if she had stuff in the dryer already that she'd have spoken up when you put your stuff in and turned it on. It's possible it was a genuine mistake, that she had so many dryers running, and so many clothes, she didn't notice one in the middle of them wasn't hers. Some things, like jeans, you might not realize aren't yours until you got home. Though, you'd think she'd have returned them upon realizing the mistake, unless she's too embarrassed.

If I were you, I'd prefer thinking it was your other explanation, that maybe she was washing stuff to donate to charity. At least then you can think your clothes went to a good cause, even if you hadn't intended to donate them.

But, it's so hard to find pants that fit, that's got to be the biggest tragedy. I was just shopping in three different states, and still only found 2 pairs of pants that fit! I commented to the sales clerk in one store, and she said I was definitely not the only one. She said everyone complains about the same thing, and a lot of clothes get returned when people don't try them on (I can't even imagine buying clothes without trying them on first). I don't know how they make any money or sell them to anyone when they don't seem to fit anyone. I'm calling it the plumber's cut...that big pouch of material on the back of the waistband that leaves your butt crack showing in a most unflattering way.

 

[Math Is Hard]

You would think if she had stuff in the dryer already that she'd have spoken up when you put your stuff in and turned it on. It's possible it was a genuine mistake, that she had so many dryers running, and so many clothes, she didn't notice one in the middle of them wasn't hers. Some things, like jeans, you might not realize aren't yours until you got home. Though, you'd think she'd have returned them upon realizing the mistake, unless she's too embarrassed.

Yeah, the interesting thing was that I waited with the dryer for about 10 minutes after I put in my clothes. She was there for a while. But then the laundromat cleared out, and that woman even left. Finally, I said, ok, I'm starving. I'm going to pop over to the sandwich shop.

If I were you, I'd prefer thinking it was your other explanation, that maybe she was washing stuff to donate to charity. At least then you can think your clothes went to a good cause, even if you hadn't intended to donate them.

I agree with you. I am going to try to rationalize it that way. Otherwise I am just going to get more and more bitter about it. Thanks for listening to me and for your advice. I've replaced the bulk of the loss, and now I am $250 poorer, but I do have brand new things!

But, it's so hard to find pants that fit, that's got to be the biggest tragedy. I was just shopping in three different states, and still only found 2 pairs of pants that fit! I commented to the sales clerk in one store, and she said I was definitely not the only one. She said everyone complains about the same thing, and a lot of clothes get returned when people don't try them on (I can't even imagine buying clothes without trying them on first). I don't know how they make any money or sell them to anyone when they don't seem to fit anyone. I'm calling it the plumber's cut...that big pouch of material on the back of the waistband that leaves your butt crack showing in a most unflattering way.

Have you looked at any of the GAP jeans? I am pretty fond of them. But you have to try each pair because they all seem to have tiny variations in cut. I noticed this on my own, but the sales folk confirmed it.
When I was in high school, it was all the rage to buy Levi's boy's jeans, and then nip them in at the waist with two triangular cuts in the back. Oh, gosh were they hard to sew, but it was worth it. They fit like a dream!

 

[zoobyshoe]

So that would justify her taking all my stuff? If she wanted to be pissy she could have thrown my clothes on the floor. But like I said, when I went to that dryer, the door was open and I saw nothing in it. I only found out about any clothes being in there when the owner said he saw it on the tape - and I am still really surprised by that.

If it's true she had stuff in that dryer it changes everything around in that from her standpoint you were doing something invasive, random and ill-mannered to just throw your clothes in on top of the dryer she'd staked out, start it up, and leave. You forced her into a position where to retrieve her things she'd have to pick through someone elses clothes without being able to get their permission. What if you came back, she may have wondered, while she was doing that? She was damned if she did and damned if she didn't. Being grumpy on top of it, it's no wonder she decided to just take your clothes. So, stipulating that she did have stuff in that dryer I find her to be much less of a criminal than it seemed at first telling.

 

[Math Is Hard]

If it's true she had stuff in that dryer it changes everything around in that from her standpoint you were doing something invasive, random and ill-mannered to just throw your clothes in on top of the dryer she'd staked out, start it up, and leave. You forced her into a position where to retrieve her things she'd have to pick through someone elses clothes without being able to get their permission. What if you came back, she may have wondered, while she was doing that? She was damned if she did and damned if she didn't. Being grumpy on top of it, it's no wonder she decided to just take your clothes. So, stipulating that she did have stuff in that dryer I find her to be much less of a criminal than it seemed at first telling.

I disagree. If she took my clothes by accident, it was not a theft. If she took my clothes on purpose, then it is a theft. It doesn't make her any 'less of a criminal' if she took advantage of a situation.

 

[wolram]

MIH, your next birthday i will buy you a swanky new skirt, if Greg will pass it on, will that be ok?

 

[Moonbear]

If it's true she had stuff in that dryer it changes everything around in that from her standpoint you were doing something invasive, random and ill-mannered to just throw your clothes in on top of the dryer she'd staked out, start it up, and leave. You forced her into a position where to retrieve her things she'd have to pick through someone elses clothes without being able to get their permission. What if you came back, she may have wondered, while she was doing that? She was damned if she did and damned if she didn't. Being grumpy on top of it, it's no wonder she decided to just take your clothes. So, stipulating that she did have stuff in that dryer I find her to be much less of a criminal than it seemed at first telling.

I agree with MIH on this. If she was pissed off and just dumped MIH's laundry on the floor because she didn't want to be sorting it from her clothes, that would still be wrong, but understandable. If she had just grabbed the pile of clothes from the dryer and shoved it into a basket or bag and left without noticing someone else's stuff was mixed with hers, that would be an understandable mistake too. But, since she actually folded everything in the dryer before leaving the laundromat, if she realized there were clothes that were not hers, then that made it deliberate theft. Afterall, she had already gone to the trouble of sorting it.

The only distinction I would make would be if she really noticed the clothes were not hers or not. We don't know if she realized it. It could have been an honest mistake. With that much laundry, she probably loses track of whose stuff is whose in her household (it seems that much laundry could only be generated by multiple children, and if a few are teens who buy some of their own clothes, she may have no clue anymore who owns what in her house).