I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house. What
would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't want to
falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just bugs me.

Call the company. Ask for the owner, not the secretary.

Say, Joe came over and worked on xxx last Wednesday. We had some
of his tools and some of my tools strung all over the thing.
Would you ask him if there is any chance he got my multimeter by
mistake when he was loading tools?

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"George Becker" wrote in message
...
I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the
house. What would be the best way to notify the company he works
for? I don't want to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not
cost much but it just bugs me.

Before calling, be sure to check everywhere it might possibly be. No one
else was in the house before it was missing? Dog take it? Kids? Wife? Were
you working on any projects? Etc. Be darn sure.

And give the repairman the benefit of the doubt. The idea to ask if he took
it by mistake is good. Also when talking to the supervisor, say you are not
totally sure, but it was missing after he visited.

If he is a thief, then other people will have called about him in the past
or will call in the future. But sometimes people will make an honest mistake
and grab all tools in sight not realizing they are also taking tools which
are not theirs.

One time I had a CD missing after someone visited. I never said anything.
Later I found it behind the stereo. It had fallen back behind. Glad I never
said anything!


"George Becker" wrote in message
I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house.
What would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't want
to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just bugs me.

"George Becker" wrote in message
...
I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house.
What would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't want
to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just bugs me.


What was he repairing?

"George Becker" wrote in message
...
I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house.
What would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't want
to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just bugs me.

My sister filed a police report claiming her cleaning lady stole jewelry.
No apologies when it showed up a year later. (nor any refund to the
insurance company (Yeah, I know what she is; I haven't spoken to her in
years))
I would just let it go. Pointless to ask him, and your are accusing him of
being a thief if you ask his boss.

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...
"George Becker" wrote in message
...
I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house.
What would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't
want to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just
bugs me.


What was he repairing?


Might I ask what difference that makes?

"jerryl" wrote in message
...

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...
"George Becker" wrote in message
...
I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house.
What would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't
want to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just
bugs me.


What was he repairing?


Might I ask what difference that makes?


If he was working on plumbing, it makes it even more suspicious that he'd
pick up a voltmeter.

"Toller" wrote in
:


"George Becker" wrote in message
...
I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the
house. What would be the best way to notify the company he works for?
I don't want to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much
but it just bugs me.

My sister filed a police report claiming her cleaning lady stole
jewelry. No apologies when it showed up a year later. (nor any refund
to the insurance company (Yeah, I know what she is; I haven't spoken
to her in years))
I would just let it go. Pointless to ask him, and your are accusing
him of being a thief if you ask his boss.




OTOH,at my workplace,several expensive items disappeared,like a VCR,a
Variac,a TI calculator(all from my bench!). I asked around,and none of the
salesmen or coworkers borrowed them. It turned out other people were also
missing items,and the officer manager was missing some money from the petty
cash drawer.I suspected the cleaning people,and so set up a hidden video
camera in my work area.After a week or so,I replayed the previous
night's tape one morning,and there they were,opening up one of my bench
drawers,rummaging thru it,and taking something out and putting it in their
garbage can. My office manager was SURE that it was not the cleaning
people....until I showed her the tape. The property manager came,viewed
it,and immediately fired the entire cleaning crew.One of the thieves
contested his firing,so a copy of the tape was made and given to the
lawyers,never heard any more on it.
My dumbass company never bothered to seek reimbursement for the VCR and
Variac,even though the cleaners were bonded.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

In article ,
says...
I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house. What
would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't want to
falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just bugs me.

I'd go with asking if he picked it up by mistake. It does happen.

Our roofers happened to use the same brand and size of fiberglass
extension ladder that I own. When they were done they packed up mine
along with theirs. Called them up and described it, asked them to look
for some spilled paint on the pulley (good thing they're roofers instead
of painters!), and they brought it back.

--
is Joshua Putnam
http://www.phred.org/~josh/
Updated Infrared Photography Gallery:
http://www.phred.org/~josh/photo/ir.html

wrote in message ...

Our roofers happened to use the same brand and size of fiberglass
extension ladder that I own. When they were done they packed up mine
along with theirs. Called them up and described it, asked them to
look
for some spilled paint on the pulley (good thing they're roofers
instead
of painters!), and they brought it back.

I happened to notice that one of the people installing new gutters on
my home at the time the roof was being put on, had a ladder exactly
like mine. I took my marker and wrote my name on mine. Hey, it doesn't
hurt to be careful these days. :-)

Cheri

"I would just let it go. Pointless to ask him, and your are accusing him of
being a thief if you ask his boss. "

This is what I will finally do. But it is so hard to do. Incidentally, the
meter was on a work bench in the basement next to a battery charger charging
a rechargeable battery which I was using the multitester to check. We told
the workman to just go through the basement when he was leaving from
repairing our refrigerator. Lesson learned, cheaply, is to never let a
repairman roam around the house unescorted.

"George Becker" wrote in message
...
"I would just let it go. Pointless to ask him, and your are accusing him
of
being a thief if you ask his boss. "

This is what I will finally do. But it is so hard to do. Incidentally, the
meter was on a work bench in the basement next to a battery charger
charging a rechargeable battery which I was using the multitester to
check. We told the workman to just go through the basement when he was
leaving from repairing our refrigerator. Lesson learned, cheaply, is to
never let a repairman roam around the house unescorted.


Humor me: What was he working on?

On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 11:05:54 -0700, "Cheri" gserviceatinreachdotcom
wrote:


I happened to notice that one of the people installing new gutters on
my home at the time the roof was being put on, had a ladder exactly
like mine.

This is why you should buy all your tools at Harbor Freight. So they
won't be the same brand the contractor is using.

I took my marker and wrote my name on mine. Hey, it doesn't
hurt to be careful these days. :-)

I still have clothes my mother labeled for me when I went off to
college.

Cheri

mm wrote in message ...

I still have clothes my mother labeled for me when I went off to
college.

You obviously have a very smart mother. :-)

Cheri

on 8/1/2007 1:58 PM said the following:
In article ,
says...

I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house. What
would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't want to
falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just bugs me.


I'd go with asking if he picked it up by mistake. It does happen.

Our roofers happened to use the same brand and size of fiberglass
extension ladder that I own. When they were done they packed up mine
along with theirs. Called them up and described it, asked them to look
for some spilled paint on the pulley (good thing they're roofers instead
of painters!), and they brought it back.



All my tools have distinctive markings. I spray painted all hand tools
with a bright color (red) and made deep marks with the edge of a
grinding wheel, much like notches in a gunslinger's hand grips..
Like all contractors, my larger tools and equipment have my initials on
them in broad permanent ink.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

"willshak" wrote in message
...
on 8/1/2007 1:58 PM said the following:
In article ,
says...

I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house.
What would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't
want to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just
bugs me.


I'd go with asking if he picked it up by mistake. It does happen.
Our roofers happened to use the same brand and size of fiberglass
extension ladder that I own. When they were done they packed up mine
along with theirs. Called them up and described it, asked them to look
for some spilled paint on the pulley (good thing they're roofers instead
of painters!), and they brought it back.



All my tools have distinctive markings. I spray painted all hand tools
with a bright color (red) and made deep marks with the edge of a grinding
wheel, much like notches in a gunslinger's hand grips..
Like all contractors, my larger tools and equipment have my initials on
them in broad permanent ink.

Chuckle. One summer, I was the designated gofer and toolcrib-key-keeper on
an apartment construction site. Since most of the subs commuted quite a
ways, the manangement kept some loaner tools on hand, to keep the job
moving. Shovels, rakes, chains, etc, all kept growing legs, till I picked up
a couple cans of dayglo pink spray paint on a supply run. If they needed a
tool for their shift, they'd still borrow it, but they got real good about
bringing them back. Macho construction guys hate getting seen with
pink-splashed tools, and if the guy was still working on the site the next
day, finding the tools that hadn't come back at the end of the previous
shift was real easy.

aem sends....

I'm with Dan. Make the call.

I've lifted someone else's stuff twice, that I can remember. One
time I was helping carry tools down the stairs, the house was
having AC installed, and also some electrical. I carried a roll
of wire down, and find out it belonged to the other guys. Oops.

The other time, I was at a house with my boss, and recovered the
very nice VOM he'd left behind. Find out I picked up the
customer's VOM. I finally noticed it didn't have the boss's name
on it, so I asked him. And I put it back where I found it.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"DanG" wrote in message
...
: Call the company. Ask for the owner, not the secretary.
:
: Say, Joe came over and worked on xxx last Wednesday. We had
some
: of his tools and some of my tools strung all over the thing.
: Would you ask him if there is any chance he got my multimeter
by
: mistake when he was loading tools?
:
: --
: ______________________________
: Keep the whole world singing . . . .
: DanG (remove the sevens)
:
:
:
:

Glad there is at least one other honest contractor out there.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

wrote in message
.net...

:
: I'd go with asking if he picked it up by mistake. It does
happen.
:
: Our roofers happened to use the same brand and size of
fiberglass
: extension ladder that I own. When they were done they packed
up mine
: along with theirs. Called them up and described it, asked them
to look
: for some spilled paint on the pulley (good thing they're
roofers instead
: of painters!), and they brought it back.
:
: --
: is Joshua Putnam
: http://www.phred.org/~josh/
: Updated Infrared Photography Gallery:
: http://www.phred.org/~josh/photo/ir.html

"Humor me: What was he working on? "

He was replacing circuit board components to correct an out-of-control
temperature in the refrigerator section of our new Samsung (just out of
warranty). It would vary from 24 to 38 degrees in a 3-day cycle and freeze
the water dispenser water tube. He just replaced parts and didn't even use a
multitester.

mm wrote in
:

On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 11:05:54 -0700, "Cheri" gserviceatinreachdotcom
wrote:


I happened to notice that one of the people installing new gutters on
my home at the time the roof was being put on, had a ladder exactly
like mine.

This is why you should buy all your tools at Harbor Freight. So they
won't be the same brand the contractor is using.

LOL. Can't argue with that no way!


I took my marker and wrote my name on mine. Hey, it doesn't
hurt to be careful these days. :-)

I still have clothes my mother labeled for me when I went off to
college.

Cheri

"George Becker" wrote in message
...
"Humor me: What was he working on? "

He was replacing circuit board components to correct an out-of-control
temperature in the refrigerator section of our new Samsung (just out of
warranty). It would vary from 24 to 38 degrees in a 3-day cycle and freeze
the water dispenser water tube. He just replaced parts and didn't even use
a
multitester.


I'm not saying it's the correct thing to do (and I wouldn't like it if it
happened), but maybe he used yours to save a trip? Then threw it in his bag
by mistake?

I would call the company and ask if he might have picked it up. If you do
happen to find it later, you can call them back and tell them (the same
person) you found it. But to let it go (if you really think he's got it) is
just letting a potential theft 'get away with it'.

I'm a business owner and I would want to know if an employee was a potential
thief. You can't know something that goes unreported!!! Like the other
poster said, if the owner/manager gets more reports... they will have a
record of previous calls.

Probably left it at his last job, and needed another one.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"George Becker" wrote in message
...
: "Humor me: What was he working on? "
:
: He was replacing circuit board components to correct an
out-of-control
: temperature in the refrigerator section of our new Samsung
(just out of
: warranty). It would vary from 24 to 38 degrees in a 3-day cycle
and freeze
: the water dispenser water tube. He just replaced parts and
didn't even use a
: multitester.
:
:

I'd expect at least a few contractors to use HF tools. I know I
do. I've got HF volt meters in various tool boxes. For what I do,
they work fine.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Al Bundy" wrote in message
...
: This is why you should buy all your tools at Harbor Freight.
So they
: won't be the same brand the contractor is using.
:
: LOL. Can't argue with that no way!
:
:

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
Glad there is at least one other honest contractor out there.


"Other"

You mean like your busted door jams and ripping off little, drunk, old
ladies?

On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 11:05:54 -0700, "Cheri" gserviceatinreachdotcom
wrote:

I took my marker and wrote my name on mine. Hey, it doesn't
hurt to be careful these days. :-)

They stole a new makerer (huge/big one) off the site the other day.

Just write "dead man" on your tools. :-)
--
Oren

"I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you."

On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 23:59:51 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I'd expect at least a few contractors to use HF tools. I know I
do. I've got HF volt meters in various tool boxes. For what I do,
they work fine.

I was just joking. I have a bunch of HF tools that work fine too.

I'm only a DIY guy, and for example, I would never have bought a
hammer drill if it weren't very cheap.

"mm" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 23:59:51 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I'd expect at least a few contractors to use HF tools. I know I
do. I've got HF volt meters in various tool boxes. For what I do,
they work fine.

I was just joking. I have a bunch of HF tools that work fine too.

I'm only a DIY guy, and for example, I would never have bought a
hammer drill if it weren't very cheap.


Stormin is a DIY guy too... sorry for the insult. :-)

On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 09:53:48 -0400, "George Becker"
wrote:

I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house. What
would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't want to
falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just bugs me.


Call the repairman and ask if he has seen it. Being 99% sure doesn't
do much without proof.

On Aug 1, 9:53 am, "George Becker" wrote:
I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house. What
would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't want to
falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just bugs me.

Like most said, probably a mistake, or at least easily claimed as
one. Not like the sunglasses that disappeared when I had carpet
installed recently.
I have an entire toolbox a tree guy left at my place almost five years
ago. I called the company at least 3 times and left it under my
carport for someone to pick up for a year. Now it's in the shed. I
barely looked in it, but seems full of useful stuff.

Finding the keyboard operational
George Becker entered:

I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the
house. What would be the best way to notify the company he works for?
I don't want to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much
but it just bugs me.

By all means call the company and ask. It's not all that unusual for a
tradesman to pick up a tool that isn't his. Not deliberatly, just happens if
you aren't careful. I used to have all kinds of equipment left behind and
customer stuff brought back by techs after field calls.
I seem to have the opposite problem with things being left behind. like 50
feet of coax from a sat. dish install, a ladder, lots of hand tools and a
couple of DMMs. I usually call the company and let them know but most times
they say "Keep it". They did pickup the ladder.
Bob
--�
--�
Coffee worth staying up for - NY Times
www.moondoggiecoffee.com

On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 09:20:28 -0500, kjpro @ usenet.com wrote:


"mm" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 23:59:51 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I'd expect at least a few contractors to use HF tools. I know I
do. I've got HF volt meters in various tool boxes. For what I do,
they work fine.

I was just joking. I have a bunch of HF tools that work fine too.

I'm only a DIY guy, and for example, I would never have bought a
hammer drill if it weren't very cheap.


Stormin is a DIY guy too... sorry for the insult. :-)

Don't try to drag me into your petty fights and I won't get into your
petty fights.

On Aug 2, 1:59 am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
I'd expect at least a few contractors to use HF tools. I know I
do. I've got HF volt meters in various tool boxes. For what I do,
they work fine.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
.

"Al Bundy" wrote in message

...
: This is why you should buy all your tools at Harbor Freight.
So they
: won't be the same brand the contractor is using.
:
: LOL. Can't argue with that no way!
:
:

A variation could be that the the repairman has 'appeared' to leave
some item belonging to the repair company at your house. Play dumb and
describe it as "A screwy thingy with a black tip etc." Ask their boss/
foreman etc. to have the repair guy repair guy drop back and pick it
up; it's definitely not yours and might be radioactive or toxic? And
"Oh by the way can't find my test meter which maybe he had to borrow
to test the fridge repair. Please ask him if he's seen it?".
Apart from that you haven't got any definite evidence!

Thanks for a high class, noble answer.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"mm" wrote in message
...
:
: Don't try to drag me into your petty fights and I won't get
into your
: petty fights.
:
:

"frank megaweege" wrote

Like most said, probably a mistake, or at least easily claimed as
one. Not like the sunglasses that disappeared when I had carpet
installed recently.
I have an entire toolbox a tree guy left at my place almost five years
ago. I called the company at least 3 times and left it under my
carport for someone to pick up for a year. Now it's in the shed. I
barely looked in it, but seems full of useful stuff.


Had a guy come lay some travertine tile. About twenty squares, which he put
on with four blobs of mud, one on each corner. He wanted a lot more money
after putting down twenty large squares. You could hear the hollow sounds,
and I knew it would not be long before they would crack. He never came
back. He left a Metabo grinder, a nice wet tile saw, a 6' Metabo level, and
some various cheap tools.

I sent him a registered letter letting him know he had abandoned the work
and tools, and demanded payment for the tiles he had incorrectly installed.
I never heard from him.

I have absolutely no problem using those tools, as I figure I paid more than
they were worth.

The next guy on the scene did a beautiful job on the travertine.

Steve

A $10 multimeter? Forget about it. Probably picked it up by mistake. I am
sure he has left tools all over the place too.


"George Becker" wrote in message
...
I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house.
What would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't want
to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just bugs me.

"mm" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 2 Aug 2007 09:20:28 -0500, kjpro @ usenet.com wrote:


"mm" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 23:59:51 -0400, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

I'd expect at least a few contractors to use HF tools. I know I
do. I've got HF volt meters in various tool boxes. For what I do,
they work fine.

I was just joking. I have a bunch of HF tools that work fine too.

I'm only a DIY guy, and for example, I would never have bought a
hammer drill if it weren't very cheap.


Stormin is a DIY guy too... sorry for the insult. :-)

Don't try to drag me into your petty fights and I won't get into your
petty fights.


Wasn't dragging you into anything... I just made a statement.

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
Thanks for a high class, noble answer.


Chris, quit trying to act and post as a true HVAC professional. I have read
your recent crap at alt.hvac, where you want to 'hack-in' a cooling system
on an oil system. Anybody (with limited HVAC knowledge) knows your a hack,
you will continue to be a hack and you don't care about getting the proper
training. Don't forget that you have been offered a reward to pass NATE
exams, which you have ignored many times.

On Aug 1, 1:49 pm, Jim Yanik wrote:
"Toller" wrote :
OTOH,at my workplace,several expensive items disappeared,like a VCR,a
Variac,a TI calculator(all from my bench!). I asked around,and none of the
salesmen or coworkers borrowed them. It turned out other people were also
missing items,and the officer manager was missing some money from the petty
cash drawer.I suspected the cleaning people,and so set up a hidden video
camera in my work area.After a week or so,I replayed the previous
night's tape one morning,and there they were,opening up one of my bench
drawers,rummaging thru it,and taking something out and putting it in their
garbage can. My office manager was SURE that it was not the cleaning
people....until I showed her the tape. The property manager came,viewed
it,and immediately fired the entire cleaning crew.One of the thieves
contested his firing,so a copy of the tape was made and given to the
lawyers,never heard any more on it.
My dumbass company never bothered to seek reimbursement for the VCR and
Variac,even though the cleaners were bonded.


I saw an HR security training tape once which purported to be an
actual time lapse tape of somebody's office during the offhours. Geez,
the amount of use the night crew made of that office was more than the
legitimate owner did.

On Aug 1, 12:15 pm, "Bill" wrote:
Before calling, be sure to check everywhere it might possibly be. No one
else was in the house before it was missing? Dog take it? Kids? Wife? Were
you working on any projects? Etc. Be darn sure.

And give the repairman the benefit of the doubt. The idea to ask if he took
it by mistake is good. Also when talking to the supervisor, say you are not
totally sure, but it was missing after he visited.

If he is a thief, then other people will have called about him in the past
or will call in the future. But sometimes people will make an honest mistake
and grab all tools in sight not realizing they are also taking tools which
are not theirs.

One time I had a CD missing after someone visited. I never said anything.
Later I found it behind the stereo. It had fallen back behind. Glad I never
said anything!



"George Becker" wrote in message
I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the house.
What would be the best way to notify the company he works for? I don't want
to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much but it just bugs me.-

Last time I was at the airport, I bought a newspaper and a pack of
peanuts to while away the time. I sat down and started reading the
paper, when this big guy sat down next to me, opened my pack of
peanuts, and put a few in his mouth; then he kind of just looked at me
like a challenge. i didn't want to start a fight, but i didn't want to
look like a pussy, so I just picked up the bag and dumped the rest of
the peanuts into my mouth. He gave me a real ****ed off look, but got
up and left without saying anything. I was pretty proud of myself
until I got up to catch my flight, and found my bag of peanuts
unopened underneath the rest of the newspaper. (adapted from old urban
legend)

On Aug 2, 1:20 pm, "The Other Funk" wrote:
Finding the keyboard operational
George Becker entered:

I am 99% sure a repairman lifted my multimeter while leaving the
house. What would be the best way to notify the company he works for?
I don't want to falsely accuse anyone. The meter does not cost much
but it just bugs me.

By all means call the company and ask. It's not all that unusual for a
tradesman to pick up a tool that isn't his. Not deliberatly, just happens if
you aren't careful. I used to have all kinds of equipment left behind and
customer stuff brought back by techs after field calls.
I seem to have the opposite problem with things being left behind. like 50
feet of coax from a sat. dish install, a ladder, lots of hand tools and a
couple of DMMs. I usually call the company and let them know but most times
they say "Keep it". They did pickup the ladder.
Bob
--
--
Coffee worth staying up for - NY Timeswww.moondoggiecoffee.com

I got a nice walkman a workman left. I called him and he said he was
coming back, but that was 10 years ago, so I figure he might not be
coming.