....but hopefully, someone could at least clue me in.

A friend of mine's girlfriend was visiting the other day from out of state and brought with her a BIG gift certificate for a clothing store (Abercrombie and Fitch). While in town, someone stole her GC, and it just so happens that there's a 95% possibility that it was someone we know and have trusted for some time. The GC has been almost entirely spent as well.

What I want to know is, how can we find out who it was? What can we do? Can Corporate help us? Police? It's a real shame that this girl came from over 800 miles away to visit, but even worse because this happened to her and more then likely, by someone we know very well, but cannot prove anything other then someone walking around in a whole bunch of new clothes. Anything at all would be great...ideas of who to contact, how to flush out who this may be.....anything.

 

I would say she is SOL. Most if not all company's policies state not responsible if lost or stolen. Without solid proof the law isn't going to get involved.

I just wouldn't hang out with the guy anymore.

 

Should have called the police when the theft was noticed.

 

No, I hear you, but that's why we need to find out.

This happened in a fraternity house on a Friday night. While crowded, it was all brothers. We can't easily pick who it was, because unfortunately, as brothers, we're all very close to eachother and trust eachother, but this is a new thing. We obviously mis-read someone in the house and need to find out who it is so that we can ditch them. As if fraternities didn't already have a bad enough wrap, right? I'm hoping that the large amount of the Gift Card, combined with our circumstances, would play well to a sympathetic ear, but I understand the lost or stolen thing too. That's why I'm asking for anything....ideas, people to call, routes to take to flush this person out....anything.

 

My advice would be not to place blind trust in your frat members and lock valuables up.... (yes I was in a fraternity)

 

The value is over $100? The only options you really have I guess are to get a police report, they'd have to interview all the fraternity brothers (not likely), cause a whole bunch of ruckus and probably fights, then you'd have to try to sue somebody in court to get the money back. Police don't respond if the theft is less than $100 because they can't, and even if they could, it would often times be pointless. I'd agree that she's SOL, but don't get yourself in a frenzy over it... it's a crappy thing to do, but that doesn't make it right to take it out on people who may/may not have done it. Better to shame someone into either giving it back anonymously, or giving back the dollar amount anonymously during a house meeting. They can't track the ID of who used it b/c you don't present IDs when you use them.

 

Have a group meeting & say the girl spoke with the company (total BS of course) and they will be tracking the card (more BS saying she had recorded the GC #). Let them know "when she finds out who did it" she will press charges, unless that person comes forward.

Worth a shot?

 

Just a thought. But how did she get the GC? If the person who purchased it has any record of the GC, you might be able to track it that way. Did she keep any receipts for the purchases she did with the GC? Her GC number might be on the receipt.

 

If you have any info from the card then they may be able to tell you when and where it was spent... right down to the register(s). Most stores have cameras so the police may be able to see who used the card. Of course if a frat brother gave it to someone else, that persom may be totally unaware of how he got it.

 

OK....one new thing came out that there may have been two non-brothers in the house, but they were still friends of at least one of the brothers.

To address a lot of issues here....

Yes, she shouldn't have brought it over period, however, being in West Philly, she wasn't going to leave her purse in her car.

We do not place blind faith in our members, however, we do expect more of them than this. I've been out of the house for a few years now, but can honestly say that they're mostly the greatest group of guys around (who doesn't say that about their brothers). We've either mis-judged a brother, OR, we may've let two guys in who shouldn't have been there.

Everyone knows to lock up their valuables in the house....heck, even girlfriends are fair game ...so, it's not like we're trying to shift blame from the brother whose girl it was...he should've known better.

The gift card was for $500, and $11 of it is left. (I know, she shouldn't have brought it in, but again, West Philly....and she was visiting and planned on using it the next morning, it's not like she was just flaunting it around.) They were able to get that much out of it and they do have a receipt.

And Jade97....yes, we're going that route right now. Meeting is tonight actually.

Thanks for the help guys, let me know if you think of anything else.

 

A gift card is just like Ca$h, anyone can spend it. If it had been $500 in cash would she have still left it somewhere unsecure. $500 would have never left my pocket.

 

You should be able to talk to AF and find out who used it, whoever gave it to her, should still have a receipt with the account number of the gift card, you should be able to find out when and where it was spent at, if used at all. A way to find out if it was spent is if one of the frat bros comes in decked out in all new A&F gear, you might wanna look at him as a suspect. Good luck in finding it.

 

Uh, I would just wait to see who's sportin' a new A&F wardrobe.....

 

This is Dean Wormer: until I find out who stole the GC , you are all on double secret probation!!!

Are any of the Frat bros related to someone that works in City Hall? I would check them first.

 

I agree with Jeff, just see who has the new threads and then talk to him about it.