Missing Art Works - Possible Theft?
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Please note that this blog will be updated as more information becomes available.
Near the end of July this year I made an agreement via UShip online to have my art shipped from Santa Barbara to Vancouver, Canada with a company called LA Pack Pros. The agreement read that the art would be delivered within 7-14 days of its pick up. Its now mid September and I have had one phone call with their office manager, Andre, acknowledging that they did indeed have my art works but have received no information after that regarding where my work is now and when it will be delivered. Regardless of emails and phone calls I have sent, I have had no communication since that call near the end of August.
On August 5th this year my entire art collection of completed works and works in process on canvas and paper plus an original piece by Michelle Williams was picked up in Santa Barbara at my friend Steve Richardson's home by a man who called himself Robin 'Rob' Letcher. According to my friend Steve, he was about 30ish and was a white man about 6 foot, sandy blond hair with dreds. The truck was a white ford ranger about a 1995 with a white camper shell. He left a cell phone number which I have called repeatedliy and left voice messages, none have which been returned.
The information about this shipping company that I contacted via UShip.com and made the original agreement will appear the bottom of this blog entry.
If you have any suggestions, information, as to the wherabouts of my art work, or how I can get a hold of this so-called shipper, or if you are willing to help in any way please do contact me debchaney@live.com. Thank you.
I have begun to file a theft report with the City of Santa Barbara (805)897-2300 (I will post a file # here when it becomes available) and will pursue the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Internet Crime Complaint Center. I have also called the franchisee corporation - Go Packaging - who issues business such as LA Pack Pros their business entity and they are helping me with this.
Any ideas to help solve this mystery: debchaney@live.com. Thank you!
Company: LA Pack Pros Name: Rob Letcher Phone: (310) 673-0615 Alternate Phone: (562) 686-2145 Fax: 310-673-0291 Email Addresses: uship@lapackpros.com; andre@lapackpros.com uship@lapackpros.com packpros@dslextreme.com info@lapackpros.com Franchisor: Packaging Store
Updated October 7-09
Since Posting this blog several weeks ago I have had the good fortune to finally be in touch with Rob Letcher (who apologized profusely) and said that, yes, indeed he did have my art work here. That he had tried to ship it to Canada twice and that it had now been returned twice at the border. WHy on earth he did not contact me about these attempts, I do not know. He since then put my art crate back on uship. com and the bid was accepted by another company and now I am waiting for full details - name, website, etc. Honestly, I was shaking and cried after he called. The funny thing was about the call was I was sitting at my desk at my computer looking at the paper work from the Santa Barbara Police department and reviewing a letter I sent to a layer in LA while in process of writing Rob an Email saying that enough was enough and I was going to be taking some serious legal action. He called just before I clicked 'send'. Interesting universe we live in. The saga continues though...
Interesting enough, I have received two emails regarding this blog post, of people in the exact same situations! Here they are:
Received today:
| J. M. Kenworthy (jmkenworthy@gmail.com) | |||||
| Sent: | Wed 10/07/09 2:11 PM | ||||
| To: | debchaney@live.com | ||||
|
I came across your blog because I am in a similar situation. I contracted with LA Pack Pros to take some furniture (including family heirlooms) from San Francisco to Lebanon, OH. A guy named Andre picked up the furniture in a rented box truck on August 22nd. I have attached a photo I took. You can almost make out the license plate. I have not heard from them since. I fear my furniture has been Stolen. I call the 562-686-2145 number about everyday and leave a message, but no one calls back. I did, however, get an address from uship.comfor LA Pack Pros (listed below). Unfortunately, It looks like an apartment building when I use Google Street View.
Have you ever heard back from them since you made your blog post? Its nice to know I am not alone, but I am also frustrated because I don't know what to do next. What email address did you use to get a response from LA Pack Pros?
Here is all the contact information that uship.com gave me.
Rob and Frank Letcher
uship@lapackpros.com
packpros@dslextreme.com
(310) 673-0615
(562) 686-2145
(310) 673-0291
2909 Arizona Ave #9
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Thanks for listening,
Jason
_______________________
J. M. Kenworthy
jmkenworthy@gmail.com
Jason (above Email) even sent me this photo of his shipment being picked up:
and here's an EMail I received last week:
| Sean Kaylor (kaylorsean@hotmail.com) | |
| Sent: | Tue 10/06/09 12:49 PM |
| To: | debchaney@live.com |
My wife and I had a number of items shipped from Texas to SF, CA. We also can't get a hold of LAPackPros and believe they have stolen our items. Unfortunately, most of the items were sentimental and of no material value.
If you get any word please email respond and I will do so in kind.
Sorry about all the troubles,
Sean Kaylor
Kelly Dafler
Franchise Services Coordinator
Annex Brands, Inc.
7580 Metropolitan Drive, Suite 200
San Diego, California 92108-4417
Ph: 800-456-1525
Ph: 619-563-4800
Fax: 619-563-9850
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