After a depressing week at uni, where I was conned, humiliated and generally felt miserable, I decided to go home for the weekend. For some reason I was in such haste to leave (and it was so late at night), that I didn't unpack my clean washing from the last visit home, but it was a big bag, and a few more pounds of bulk didn't deter me. At this point I was in possession of a bag containing almost every single item of clothing I own, including my gym wear, and my accessories including an £80 electric shaver and sunglasses.
It disappeared at Birmingham station later that night, while I was changing trains.
What the hell do I do? I have spent the whole weekend in a deep, deep depression. I know everyone is entitled to some bad luck, but it has happened on a ridiculous scale this week. I want that bag back, and am hoping that the slowness of the police/excess baggage people over the weekend was the reason they haven't responded effeciently yet. If I left the same time as everyone else (when the train terminated) then how can it be stolen? But then again how come the excess baggage haven't recieved it yet? Is society devolving into a "grab and have" mentality? I have reported it to the police, will they look at CCTV (there is only one way out of that station) or do some searching? Or will they just drop it/ wait till the year 30000 AD to sort it out? Would it help if they knew there was £300-£400 in value in there? Can I sort it out privately?
Sorry if it seems irrational, but it matters to me and I need help/advice. Thank you.
― JTS, Sunday, 14 October 2007 22:55 (eighteen years ago)
aw jeez :(
erm, first thing i guess is let your friends know what's happened, and they're sure to furnish you with intermediary accoutrements.
― Just got offed, Sunday, 14 October 2007 22:59 (eighteen years ago)
This sucks, JTS, and I'm very sorry this happened to you.
I had my car stolen last year, and the worst thing about it was that all my laundry was in it! You have my sympathy.
― roxymuzak, Sunday, 14 October 2007 23:10 (eighteen years ago)
:(
sorry, friend.
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Sunday, 14 October 2007 23:21 (eighteen years ago)
Ouch, did it never show up again? What did you do about it? My mother gave me some money to try and cover it, along with a hell of a guilt trip. At least I didn't pack a few of my designer tops, and my shirts are all OK. However I don't actually own any casual clothes any more. I guess you don't think about it until it's all gone :(
― JTS, Sunday, 14 October 2007 23:29 (eighteen years ago)
Well, if it got nicked, it got nicked; if it didn't, then with a bit of luck you'll get it back. I don't think the value or otherwise of the items is particularly relevant, except maybe the sunglasses. It's a crappy thing to happen, but if you really don't think it can have been stolen when you left the train, persist with whatever lost property the station has and it's likely it'll turn up.
― Mark C, Sunday, 14 October 2007 23:39 (eighteen years ago)
look at this as a way to start fresh, kid! a nice way to get out of a funk is to start anew. this is a sign, man!
― chaki, Sunday, 14 October 2007 23:44 (eighteen years ago)
this happened to me on the train from doncaster to norwich. my bags just got offed while i took a nap, and when i told the conductor he explained that it was my own fault for not paying better attention, and made fun of my 'yank complacency' and refused to stake me money to get from the norwich train station to u.e.a. where i was studying. i made myself feel a little better by remembering that they had disappeared as i passed through nottingham, and that perhaps robin hood had taken it.
― remy bean, Sunday, 14 October 2007 23:58 (eighteen years ago)
my bags just got offed while i took a nap
well done
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Sunday, 14 October 2007 23:59 (eighteen years ago)
Wait, wait, "designer tops" are something you care about? THE GODS took your bag, so that you could start all over again, completely reinventing yourself! Crisis=opportunity!
― Beth Parker, Monday, 15 October 2007 00:02 (eighteen years ago)
I once had a bean. I did not know where my bean was. That's all, really.
― Just got offed, Monday, 15 October 2007 00:20 (eighteen years ago)
JTS, do you have travel insurance? Contents insurance?
I lost my driving licence and bank statements and various other things that could allow someone to steal my identity on a bus from Glasgow to London Victoria a few years ago. I realised they weren't in my bag (they'd been in a book and must have fallen out) about five minutes after we got off the bus, ran back, bus had gone back empty to Birmingham, phoned Birmingham to tell them to tell the cleaners to look out for at least my driving licence, nope, nothing, least helpful people on earth and no driving licence. Bah.
I'd like to put my subsequent poor credit rating down to some enterprising cleaner at Birmingham Bus Station stealing my identity and running up a ton of bills, but really it's just because I'm shite.
― ailsa, Monday, 15 October 2007 08:18 (eighteen years ago)
JTS, that's the worst feeling, especially if you have clothes and things in there that you'll never find again. i'd say keep trying for a bit and if you ztart to run into walls (there are so many of them), wear what you have on for a couple of days (febreeze) and grab some stuff at a thrift store. that's assuming your wallet/money wasn't stolen too; i hope not. you'll be fine man.
― strgn, Monday, 15 October 2007 08:38 (eighteen years ago)
make sure to call the station lost property and the train company lost property, they will be different.
― Ed, Monday, 15 October 2007 08:42 (eighteen years ago)
why would excess baggage have anything to do with it?
― emsk, Monday, 15 October 2007 09:13 (eighteen years ago)
I think he means lost luggage.
― onimo, Monday, 15 October 2007 09:14 (eighteen years ago)
Can you claim on your parents' house insurance? I think there might be a provision for personal possessions lost or stolen while away from home/travelling.
― C J, Monday, 15 October 2007 09:39 (eighteen years ago)
It is called "Excess baggage" in Birmingham, don't ask me why.
I guess I've got over a lot of the initial stress, and eBay has helped me get hold some of the stuff I wanted to replace exactly. I like what some say about the bag's disappearance signifying a brand new start (Even though that isn't true, there is no God and my clothes are being worn by a smack addict.), and I guess I could have packed a lot more expensive stuff in there if I felt like listening to music, DVDs on the way. Thanks for all the help. No thanks to Birmingham station or the bitchy WPC who downgraded the crime to "lost property" when I asked for an update (yeah, because my bag magically vortexed to Ougogogogadou as soon as I left it :P)
― JTS, Monday, 15 October 2007 22:23 (eighteen years ago)