Storage Shelter Etiquette

[Ruthless]

Has anything like this ever happened to you? I recently replaced my bricks for use under my stabilizers with Lynx Leveling Blocks. There's a fence behind where I park my travel trailer at the storage shelter. I put the bricks behind my travel trailer by the fence. They had been sitting there for about a month. Even though I wasn't using them, and really didn't want them, I noticed today that they were stolen. I think they were taken by the guy two spaces over. There was a stack of bricks behind a tire on his utility trailer, but I'm not 100% sure whether or not they were there before. Is there some unwritten storage shelter rule that if someone leaves something unattended to, still within their parking space, that it's assumed that the item is free for the taking? Another reason why I hate parking my travel trailer at a storage shelter.

[bguy]

Ruthless wrote:
I know that two wrongs don't make a right, but I thought about getting the bricks behind the tire of the utility trailer two spaces over, and throwing them over the fence and down the hill. But I'm not 100% sure if he stole my bricks, or if he already had a stack of bricks; even though a part of me feel like it's too much of a coincidence that he has a stack of bricks also. I guess it's possible. That would make me just as bad as the person who stole my bricks. And if the guy two spaces over already had a stack of bricks, then I'm a thief also. I don't want to stoop to their level, but I was pissed about someone coming into my area/parking space and stealing my property whether I wanted the bricks or not.

Maybe he thought you'd "borrowed" some from his pile and he put them back. Like you, he may not have noticed your pile before and thought his own looked smaller. Now he's eying you behind your back just as you've been eying him.
Maybe someone in another stall took bricks from both of you?


Let it go and file it under the nay nay column of things considered safe.

[davosfam]

The problem is that you don't even know if they are your bricks. I wouldn't take something just because it was leaning up against a fence seemingly abandoned but I can see why someone might think they were discarded and free to take.

[wing_zealot]

Yes he was wrong to take your bricks (if they are your bricks - by your own admission you don't know for sure). But two wrongs don't make a right. Let it go, move on.

[Garino]

I think if the bricks are being used under your jacks or chocking your tires come up missing then they were stolen. If they are left or stacked near the property fence than they have been abandoned.

The storage facility manager where my rv is parked has complained that people leave trash and unwanted items around that has to be picked up all the time. Parking spaces are generally for and item that has wheels and is movable. Inside storage spaces are available for loose items you need to store.

[Tvov]

Naio wrote:
Personally, I like communication.

I would go up to the person who took the bricks, be friendly, and tell them that it's fine that they have the bricks, I didn't want them, but I feel a little weird that they did not ask me.
...

+1

I would do my best to assume that the person just thought you didn't need them anymore. If he is only a few spaces away, I would think he would know you can see the bricks, so it's not like he's really trying to hide them. I'm just guessing about the situation here.

Try talking to the person. If you don't get this straightened out, would you really want to continue renting a spot there? Near someone you suspect stole something from you?

[Trlrboy]

We keep small orange cones in our covered storage slot to help line up when backing in. They just sit on the back wall. One time when returning from a trip one of our neighbors a few slots down was using the cones while they backed in. Embarrassing for them I guess but we both had a good laugh about it. What are the odds of that bit of timing?

[2milesup]

Ruthless wrote:
I know that two wrongs don't make a right, but I thought about getting the bricks behind the tire of the utility trailer two spaces over, and throwing them over the fence and down the hill.

I would think the same thing. Glad I'm not the guy at the bottom of that hill...

:W "Incoming!"

[Naio]

Personally, I like communication.

I would go up to the person who took the bricks, be friendly, and tell them that it's fine that they have the bricks, I didn't want them, but I feel a little weird that they did not ask me.

A couple of times I have been the person who wanted something that was apparently up for grabs but I was not 100% sure (stuff left NEAR the curb, but not right BY it). What I did: I took the stuff, and left a note on the door with my phone number, saying I would bring it back if they did want it. Nobody called me.

[tegu69]

Folks around here put unwanted items out near the road for someone to take. Unless its got a for sale sign on it, someone might take it or the garbage man takes it. You're really not supposed to put for sale items out, but people do it all the time. To the op, if it bothers you so much that this person "stole" your unwanted bricks, go get them back.

[mich800]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Theft is theft......even a 25 cent brick.

All of the 'justifications' posted crack me up.

Guess I was raised different.
If it isn't yours---ask first. Can't ask....then leave it alone. It ain't yours.

The counter point here is no one with the exception of the OP really knows the layout of the facility and the exact location of these bricks. So everyone is simply speculating and giving an opinion for another reason(s) these bricks were moved. Would it be stealing to pick up an empty beer bottle in the same lot or spot. You know it's not yours and it has intrinsic value. If I set my television in my front yard near the road and someone took it; it would be stealing but did I really do a good job of ensuring it would not happen? In any case this thread is an interesting dialog and how different people paint different pictures in their mind about what really happened and why.

[tegu69]

Ruthless wrote:

sch911 wrote:
Sad but, why do you need leveling blocks while in storage?

I don't use leveling blocks in storage. Before I got the leveling blocks, I used the bricks when camping, and stored the bricks in my travel trailer while in storage. After getting the leveling blocks, I now store the leveling blocks in my travel trailer. That's why the bricks were against the fence.

Looks like he spared you the trouble of disposing of them properly.

[RollandB]

I had the same thing happen, I would put some extra blocks I used at the back of my storage area. To make baking in easy I habe an old chunk of firewood I've painted bright orange I use as a bumper for the time to rest against when backing it. All the block was gone but my orange bumper was still there. Why?.....cuz it's too,easy to identiy and the blocks wer not. The blocks weren't worth munch so I just moved on, but now don't leave anything there except my orange bumper.

[Dog_Folks]

I was raised differently also.

When I was a child if I touched something my mom would say:"Is that yours?"

If I said "No," she would always respond the same way:"Then don't touch it."

[johnnyrv]

it would make me uncomfortable to know something i left out was taken without permission

[Ruthless]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Theft is theft......even a 25 cent brick.

All of the 'justifications' posted crack me up.

Guess I was raised different.
If it isn't yours---ask first. Can't ask....then leave it alone. It ain't yours.

You're exactly right about the "justifications" posted. Theft is theft. You and I both were raised differently.