My watch was stolen inside the checked-in luggage

To the manager of the Changi Airport
RE: The stolen watch inside the checked-in luggage
I checked in on 19/12/2009 to fly from Changi Airport to Tianjin China by Xiamen Airline. I placed a brand new Timex watch inside the checked-in luggage. By the time I reached my mother’s place in Tianjin, I found the watch was stolen. I called the local baggage handling agent. They told me since it was stolen, it was a criminal case and no more under their responsibility. They referred me to call the airport police. The police told me they would get back to me once they had found out. After waiting for about a week, nobody called me. So I called the police again. They answered me but were unable to find evidence that would help to clarify the situation. I called the baggage handling agent again. This time the lady helped me to contact the airline. But the result was very disappointing. They replied that since I did not unpack inside the airport, they would not compensate. As there had been no damage to my suitcase, I had no reason to suspect that my baggage could have been tampered within any way. I understand that it is not at all common practice for passengers to open and search their own checked-in luggage before they leave the airport. We can imagine that the airports would be in a state of chaos if every passenger were required to unpack the contents of their luggage in the airport arrivals lounge. It would be nonsensical, it would be chaos! On 2nd Jan 2010, I reported the situation to an employee of ‘Xiamen Airline’. He took down my particulars and promised to contact me. More than a week has passed and still I have not received an answer.
On return to Singapore, I called Changi Airport on 6541 8555 and was told that the manager would call me back at a later time. But again nothing happened. Until Friday, I called again. This time, somebody did call me back on Saturday morning. He gave me the case reference No SINMF00094 and instructed me to go to any police station or post to file a courtesy report. So I went to Bukit Batok Police Post to file the report. But the policeman told me they were not able to investigate since the watch had gone missing in China. He called the airport and the staff (a Malay lady) there told him that it would not be possible to take any further action. I think since I checked in at the Changi Airport, the Changi Airport management should make sure that the watch was not stolen by the Singapore baggage handling staff. Kindly get back to me once you receive my letter.

Regards

Below is the reply I got
From: feedback@stb.gov.sg
To: lavenderziyi@hotmail.com
CC: Changi.customerservice@changiairport.com
Subject: [STBREF:JAN-10-14261733] Stolen watch in checked-in luggage
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:58:57 +0800



Dear Mdm

Greetings from Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

We refer to your email of 14 January 2010 regarding the loss of your watch that was in your checked-in luggage.

We need to refer your report to Changi Airport Group (CAG) for their investigation and reply to you; hence, we are copying CAG in our email reply to you.

We hope you will be able find your watch soon.

N.B.: To assist you better, please retain the subject title [STBREF:JAN-10-14261733] Stolen watch in checked-in luggage for all replies.


Yours sincerely

James Lim
Visitor Information and Feedback Officer
Capability Development Division
Singapore Tourism Board
DID: (65) 6831 3513 Fax: (65) 6490 4482
They said they would reply me after the investigation. 3 years have been passed, and there is completely no news at all.

New piece

Finally I had received a call from the sale person ( The one who sold me 12 suits) to inform me that they had ordered a new piece and it would be ready for collection by Monday at the latest.

天下竟有这等怪事/ Bxxx & Co 简直无耻到了极点

去年十月，我在Bxxx & Co. The Central Mall 的分店，在店员的“劝说”下一口气买了十二套衣服。其中一套是三件式的，总价值几乎$600。衣服的袖口是裙的面料，而裙子的边又是衣服的颜色，相辅相成，很是新颖。不料，在穿第一次的时候，不小心将一滴苹果汁，是极小的一滴，滴在了衣袖上，虽然很不明显，但总觉得是新衣服，有这样贵， 所以晚上回去后就用清水漂洗，当时没什么，第二天一早，令人惊讶的是发生了，那个袖子的白色部分全变成了深铁锈色！我简直不敢相信自己的眼睛，更不知道发生了什么事情，这种事长这么大我还是头一次见呐。于是我赶紧打电话给他们的客户服务部，他们回答经理不在，我便说找其他负责人也可以，他们说只有一个经理，现在出差了。在我的一再坚持下，他们终于找来了一个叫Gxxxxx 的。当时谈得很不好，他坚持他们的服装只能干洗，我用了水，责任就在我，我解释说我根本没洗，只是用清水漂了污点一处而已。不可能世界上有那件衣服是一滴水也不能沾的吗? 那下雨天淋到雨我们的身体岂不都要被染色？我当时耐心地跟他说我知道你的能力有限，我可以跟你的上级讲，他们会懂。他不停地说他们的老板们都不在新加坡，我又问他你们的公司在哪，我亲自下去，但他拒绝，他说等他们的客户服务经理回来他会向他汇报，然后给我答复。我心里着急，觉得不能坐以待毙，想跟他拿了地址后亲自下去一下，但他就是不给，也坚持他们没错，令我更是愁上加愁，那天早上，刚好有时接到家里的电话说妈妈的病转移到了骨。我不禁当场失声痛哭，一位听到我的哭声的日本友人赶来看到那件衣服时说，这是lue质产品，这在日本是根本不可能出售的，即使不小心售出，经理会下跪给你赔礼道歉。到了下午，他们的客户经理Kxxxxx倒是给我打来电话了，他叫我衣服送去里我家最近的一家分店Cxxxxx, 也是他们旗下的，这样对我比较方便，他保证问题一定会得到解决，叫我放心。我急忙赶到那里，把衣服交给那里的店员，这是我们发现在我拿去的时候要把衣服折起来，这一折不要紧，另一只袖子也成了乌漆抹黑的一团。我当场给那两位小姐看，并介绍了我的遭遇。她们对我表示很同情，她们说她们是新加坡很有名气的店，注重自己的声誉与品牌，说这是面料脱色造成的，他们决不会不管。听了他们三位的话，看到两位小姐亲切的笑容，我终于如释重负，常常的舒了一口气。心想事情总算圆满解决了。这之后Kxxxxx 曾打给我说衣服收到了，但布料要去韩国找，希望我要耐心，多给他一点时间，同时这一套衣服第一次干洗的费用全由他们公司出。我很爽快地答应了。直到新年前，也就是说过了差不多两个多月的时间，终于等来了Kxxxxx的电话，他说袖口的那两块布都帮我换好了，只是纽扣的洞他们不能用机器做，因为他们的工厂在中国，送去再送来会需要很长的时间，（他们当时卖给我的时候说这些衣服都是意大利的）他们只能让他们这里的裁缝手工制作，质量方面肯定跟及其没法比，他叫裁缝在最不明显的地方作了一个，叫我下去看看能不能接受，我去了，老实讲真的是糟透了，但想想已经付了钱也没有更好的办法了，便说这个就这样吧，但别套的衣服希望能避免这种情况的发生，所以希望其他套的衣服也由他们公司来洗第一次，他说着要跟老板商量，然后也叫婉转地说由于我用了清水漂洗，所以我有责任之类，被我驳斥了回去。这次下去是我有证人，我的朋友和我一起去的，当时我还只指出过了这样久，都没见那位Gxxxxx向我道歉，Kxxxxx 还说他已经接到warning了。我的朋友也说一定要记得叫他道歉。Kxxxxx 说一定的，只是到了今天也没见他道歉。此后我一直也没接到他的电话，过了新年后的第一周，我亲自到那家分店去找他，他说没那么快，因为是过年期间，店里很忙，希望我能谅解，叫我在等最多一个星期，他会打电话给我。我等啊等啊始终没见这通电话。上星期我只好硬着头皮打给他们，才竟然发现Kxxxxx在他答应打给我的那个时间已经离职了，原来再拖一个星期不过是敷衍，接替他的是一位叫Hxxxx 的。起初我打给她她不听，她说她很忙，有很多投诉要处理，（这是我才知道原来这家公司已被那么多人投诉了）后来她终于打来了，但说她刚刚接管，不了解情况，叫我给她一些时间，(原来他们公司管理如此混乱）没办法，谁让我已经上了贼船了呢。等吧，她答应星期一一早9：00就打电话给我。我等到12：30pm, 也没见她打来，只好打给她，她说现在有事，下午再说，我说你不是答应我要大的吗，怎么没兑现？她说我只是说今天打给你没说的什么时候。咦？明明说好一早9：00的，怎么又不承认？没办法，只好耐心等。终于下午她打来了。猜得出来是什么吗？一定猜不到吧！等我将给你们听后你们也会跟我一样大吃一惊！衣服不见了！！！！！！！（吃惊吧，你们听完以后还敢不敢在这件店买东西了？因为衣服不同于别的，需要改的，这一改不要紧，丢了。看出险情了吗？）我惊讶的说不出话来，相信你们也跟我一样。我问她那该怎么办呢？接下来的更气人，她说要回去核实一下价钱，然后作赔偿，怎么赔呢？她振振有词地说因为那件连身裙是可以独立的，所以不许赔了，另外两件按价格可以允许我去店里挑选等值的衣服，如当时选不到可以给我voucher，在指定的时间内购买，如还买不到，那就只能自己多保重了。你们觉得这口气我该咽吗？首先，三件是一体的，去了那件衣，裙子就毫无新意可言了，我买它干嘛？再说了这质量有问题，同样质量的裙难道就没问题了吗？如果脱色影响到人的健康怎么办？前一段时间不是报上指责中国出的衣服含有有害的化学物质，会导致癌症么？这个呢？谁能担保不会，那个被指责会致癌的可没有像我得这样明显的脱色诶。我的岂不是会更惨？再说了，既然你们把人家的衣服弄丢了，或者照原价赔偿，获赔回原样的东西，难道不是天经地义的么? 可那位经理怎么说？她说抱歉本公司无此惯例，不管发生什么情况从没赔过一分钱。还敢买吗？要不要挑战一下？你们说说看voucher那就那么容易刚好选到价钱一样的衣服？在他们限定的那个时间段里，能有中意的就已经很幸运了，如果价位不到，你吃亏了，如果超过你还要往里搭钱，就是说为了减少损失，还要再上一次当。还不要提极有可能会有同样的质量问题。你们说说着世界上还有理可讲吗？到现在为止再也没有接到他们的任何一个电话了，根本无心解决任何问题。各位读者心往大家帮我出出主意，该怎么办？也希望跟我有同样问题的一起联合起来，去起诉他们。还没有陷进去的，千万别去买他们的东西了。我决定将此案提交给CASE，由他们来出面帮忙解决，这种售卖质次价高的假冒伪lue产品且态度蛮横的害群之马应被停止营业，否则会对新加坡的声誉造成严重的伤害。
Last Oct, I bought 12 set of women’s suits at Bxxx & Co at The Central Mall. There was one set that consisted of 3 pieces; a jacket, a dress and a skirt. It cost me almost S$600. The three pieces complimented each other and it looked quite interesting. But the first time I wore it, I dropped a tiny drop of green apple juice on the sleeve. It's not at all obvious. However, since I know where it was, I felt somehow quite uncomfortable because it was both new and expensive. After I reached home, I immediately cleaned it with just some tap water. Nothing happened at that time. But the following morning, I was shocked to see that the white color on the sleeve turned into a dark rust color. I have never seen anything like this in my whole life. I immediately called their customer service department. They told me their manager was not in. I said I’d be willing to talk to some other person-in-charge. They said they had only one manager who was currently on a business trip. I couldn't wait and insisted on talking to somebody. Finally they found me G who was an HR manager. It was a horrible conversation. It made me feel much worse after talking to him. He insisted that their clothing must be dry cleaned. Because I used water in this case, I had to bear the whole responsibility. I explained that I did not wash it at all. What I did was to simply rinse out a dirty spot with some tap water. I was puzzled to hear of such a special dress which could not be touched with even one drop of water. Imaging if we were unlucky and happen to be soaked in the rain, then our clothes would become like a rainbow? However I was still patient enough to tell him that I knew his limitations and I'd like to talk to his supervisors. They would understand. But he kept on strangely saying that all his bosses were not in Singapore. Then I asked him where his company was so that I would pay him a personal visit. He refused and simply asked me to wait until their customer service manager to come back and contact me. I was too worried to wait. Many times he refused to give me the address and still kept saying they had not done anything wrong. Just 1 or 2 hours ago, I received the news from home that my mom's cancer had spread to her bones. Now I had this additional strike. I completely broke down. I cried and shouted. Hearing that, he was still unwilling to help. Such an inhuman person I had never seen in my life time. I would never forget. One of my Japanese friends heard my crying and quickly came to ask me what happened. I showed him the jacket. He said this was definitely a poor quality product. It was not at all allowed to be sold in Japan and even if it did get sold accidentally, the manager would keel down and apologize. In the afternoon, their customer service manager K called me. He assured me that the problem would be settled and not to worry. He instructed me to send my jacket to Cxxxxx Choa Chu Kang, which was another branch and more convenient for me. I did as he suggested and folded my jacket in a bag. After I reached there, I found another sleeve had also became black due to the folding. I showed it to the two shop assistants on the spot and briefly told them what happened and the unhappiness I encountered after dealing with G. They all felt sympathetic with me. They said their company had very good reputation in Singapore. They did care about their fame and customers. They admitted it was the quality problem -- the black color was not dyed properly. They promised it was their responsibility. After hearing what these three people said and seeing the bright smile of the shop assistants, I felt a bit relieved. I thought it would be smooth from then on. K called me after he received the jacket. He told me to be patient because the material was from South Korea and it would take him some time to search for it. He also promised the first time dry cleaning fare for the whole set would be paid by his company, which I agreed to. After about 2 month time, he called that he had already found the material and changed the fabric for me. The only thing left were the button holes. There were 6 button holes there on the sleeve. He said he could not have them done by machine since their factory was in China (earlier on they told me this suit was from Italy) and it would take too long to send back to the factory. What they could do was to ask the local tailor to mend it for me but it wouldn't of course be as nice as the one made by machine. He had already asked the tailor to make one at the most unobvious place and told me to go down and see whether it was acceptable. Frankly speaking, it was horrible. But I had no energy to drag it out any more. So I simply accepted. But I also pointed out that to avoid the same unhappiness in the future, their company should have all other suits I bought from there to dry clean for the first time and the company bear the cost for the service. He said he needed to discuss it with his boss which I had agreed. At that time I had a witness, my friend was with me and he insisted that G should apologize to me. K said he had already received a warning, etc. After that I had never received any phone call from him. One week after the Chinese New Year, I went down personally the C Choa Chu Kang. K was there and he said it was not ready yet. Due to the Chinese New Year, they were very busy. He asked me to give him one more week. It would definitely be ready. I waited and waited soooo patiently. In the end I had no choice but to call. I found that so called K was no more with the company, he left about the time he promised me the jacket would be ready (coincidence?) Ms. H took over. I called her, she refused to answer by saying she was very busy. She had many complaint cases to deal with (only now I knew there were may complaints by others). Finally, she called. She told me to be patient for she just took over, not very familiar with the situation. (The company was so messy?) What to do? Since I've already made the full payment, I had to wait. She promised to call me at the following Monday morning 9:00am. I waited until 12:30pm, there was no call at all. I asked her how come she failed to call me for the entire morning. She said in an very irritating voice that she only promised to call on Monday, never mentioned in the morning (lying). I had no choice but to wait again. In the afternoon, she called. Guess what happened? Can't right? The jacket was missing!!!!!! (Shocking right? You dare to buy anything here? Because the dress is different from other products. Most of the time it needs alteration.) I was speechless upon hearing this. I thought to myself, “Guess you are the same.” Then I asked what to do. She said she would check the price and then based on that the company would compensate me. How? She said since the dress was stand alone. So it was not at all necessary to compensate. The rest two they would give me the voucher which I need to use within a certain time frame. If I failed to find anything, then too bad. How can I swallow this? Firstly, these three pieces are in one, they complement each other. Without the jacket, the dress is nothing. I could get the similar one at a very cheap price. Secondly, the voucher is a very bad idea. What if I can't find anything within the time frame given? I'll lost about $600. Eventhough I can find something. Say it's cheaper than the voucher given, then I take a loss. More than the voucher given, I have to make up the difference. Does it make sense? Last but not least, the quality problem. I thought some time ago, media were bombing at the Chinese fabric by saying it would cause cancor? But that was not as bad as mine. Mine was even worse. The color was running from one piece to another. In fact after I had touched it, my palm also became that rusty color and it would last for quite number of days.