My daughter arranged to celebrate her 14th birthday party with a few of her friends at Glamour Shots, a photography studio, in the Crabtree Valley Mall, Raleigh, NC. Glamour Shots provided hair styling, make-up, and costume changes for this occaision and the girls selected photos from the photography session, which were subsequently purchased from Glamour Shots. My wife attended this photo session with my daughter and her three friends.
Unbelievably, there were no secure dressing room facilities provided at Glamour Shots for the girls. The dressing area consisted of a curtain hung in a remote corner of the studio where the girls were expected to undress, change costumes, and leave any personal items during the photo session. My wife became concerned about the lack of security for the girl's personal belongings, shopping purchases, handbags, etc. And removed these items to a waiting area near the studio receptionist's desk assuming that the personal items would be safer in view of the receptionist.
At some point in the photo session my wife was called from the waiting area to the photography room by my daughter for an
opinion on the costumes and poses for the photos. At the time my wife left the waiting area, only the receptionist and a friend of the receptionist were in the waiting area with the personal items belonging to my daughter and her friends. When the photo session was completed and the girls returned to the waiting area, one of my daughter's friends discovered that her wallet was missing from her handbag. The missing wallet contained some cash and gift certificates. The total value of the lost items including the replacement cost of the wallet was only about
$50.00. The lost wallet was immediately reported to the receptionist and the photographer since they were the only employees on duty at Glamour Shots at this time. Although the photographer seemed shocked that the wallet could have been stolen, the receptionist's/employee's attitude was inappropriately glib and suggested her knowledge of and/or complicity in the theft. This incident was also reported the the Security Office at Crabtree Valley Mall. The owner of the lost wallet recounted her steps and purchases in the mall that evening to Security and is certain that the lost wallet was in her handbag upon entering the Glamour Shots studio. The lost wallet was never recovered.
Subsequent to this incident there has been no related follow-up by either Glamour Shots or Crabtree Valley Mall security except that Glamour Shots has posted a sign disclaiming any responsibility for personal items lost while a customer is visiting their studio and purchasing their photography services.
On or about March 1, I personally contacted the manager of Glamour Shots and requested reimbursement in the amount of $50.00 to the owner of the lost wallet to resolve this matter. The manager denied any responsibility on the part of Glamour
Shots and refuses any reimbursement for the lost wallet.
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