Common Hotel Thefts: From Towels to Stolen Bottles of Brunello
More than you can imagine. It happens almost everywhere. It doesn’t matter the number of stars or the type of clientele, whether foreign or Italian. The habit of secretly taking home a souvenir from the accommodation at the end of a hotel stay is almost commonplace.
There is no specific study on this topic from local industry associations, let alone a ranking of the most popular objects. However, just pick up the phone, speak with the hotel secretary on duty, or with the manager, and you’ll understand that this is a well-established custom.
The most stolen objects
Beach towels, small shampoo bottles, soap bars, letterhead paper, white envelopes, glasses, cigarette ashtrays are at the top of the special hit parade. Then there are keys, those of the rooms, but here it’s more about forgetfulness rather than wrongful appropriation.
God, it doesn’t happen often, but when it does, a few phone calls are needed to fix the issue, with the hope—though it’s not always successful—that the item will be sent back promptly by mail.
There are also classy thefts. Those carefully planned in advance, not inspired by last-minute impulse when packing suitcases. An incident from four years ago, for instance, but due to its uniqueness, it deserves to be remembered and featured in the news.
The Brunello theft
Giuseppe Lorenzini, owner of the historic Hotel Gardesana in Torri del Benaco and president of the Unione gardesana albergatori veronesi (Ugav), reveals this story.
“Inside the wine tasting room, among a hundred bottles of different quality, the Brunello di Montalcino was stolen. Clearly, the thief knew their wine,” Lorenzini states.
Previously, a beautiful 30×40 San Vigilio painting had also gone missing from the corridor. It was a unique artwork, not of great monetary value but very dear to him personally. It was a gift from the painter Buffa of Palermo, who stayed at their property before moving in recent years to Caprino.”
Lorenzini’s account of reality
However, Lorenzini does not intend to portray a bleak picture. “In the last two years, I haven’t registered significant thefts—only minor items. The only notable thefts are the crystal salt and pepper grinders, each valued at forty thousand lire.”
Nevertheless, in twelve years, a remote control for the TV has never gone missing from the rooms, despite being a common target. The same applies to towels. More importantly, this year, no guest has left without settling the bill,” he states confidently.
Nothing surprising here. Almost all hospitality establishments are once a season victims of seasoned thieves, regardless of class or social standing. In such cases, the hotels usually send a letter to the guest, politely reminding them that perhaps, out of forgetfulness, they left without paying the bill.
The letter includes a copy of the receipt, and if there’s no response, a second letter is sent, this time signed by the local lawyer where the tourist resides.
In summary, a payment injunction. It’s clear that this procedure involves costs, so it’s necessary to evaluate whether it’s worth initiating the process to recover the debt. “The claim should be for an amount of at least half a million lire,” Lorenzini comments.
“Otherwise, it’s not worth starting the entire process.” That is, first the damage, then the irony.