Has anyone had a storage unit broken into?

Has anyone had a storage unit broken into? If so, were you compensated by the storage facility or by your home owners insurance?

No but if you take out the monthly insurance from the facility .. mandatory in most places nowadays when you rent they will pay out, otherwise your homeowners/tenants insurance will pay out but most have a policy provision that states the contents must be in there for 30 days or less to be covered. 

However, if you have neither and tell the facility you are going to go on fb, twitter ..etc. and tell people that their facility is not safe they will usually do a quiet buy out.

However, if you have neither and tell the facility you are going to go on fb, twitter ..etc. and tell people that their facility is not safe they will usually do a quiet buy out.

The good old American way...extortion.

I've found that Google reviews and BBB complaints work best to get disputes resolved. Although, I only use these tactics when I feel wronged by a product or service and there are no other ways of resolving the issue. Plus, once the business owner gives into your demands, you can remove the review or resolve the complaint.

I only use these tactics when I feel wronged by a product or service

That is the absolute correct time to use those tactics. In a case where like posted above, there was an insurance option and the tenant opted to not have it, then the loss should be on the back of the tenant, not the property owner. To me this is like having your apartment getting robbed and making the landlord responsible to replace the lost items. If it's you stuff, it's your job to protect it.

If the landlord came into your house and left the front door open and you got robbed its his fault.  If he hired a locksmith, movers, painters ...etc. to make repairs to the house and they broke in its his fault ...etc.

So it depends on how the unit was broken into irregardless of whether you had insurance or not, it was offered or not.  If the gate was broken, the cameras down ..etc. the security and piece of mind that you pay monthly for was not present and they are liable.

Simply by asking these questions the landlord/facility manager will usually recognize they are wrong and will offer a buy out.

There is an Uncle Bobs in Bayshore, NY that had 70 units robbed in one night.  The gate was left open and the cameras in that row were turned off.  Obviously an inside job but no one was fired and no police reports were filed.

  Insurance wasn't required at this facility so many people didn't have it.  Uncle Bobs basically knew they would get decimated in the press and that would cost them far more in future rentals than a payout so they had each owner write out a content list and submitted it to their insurance for payout.  In the end the tenants won and the facility saved face.

I bought a unit at a Public Storage auction, and the next day I came to clean it out and I noticed my lock had been cut. After speaking with the district manager, I found that 50 or so units had been broken into that night. Luckily, the unit I bought was just full of books and the thieves didn't take anything.

It's ironic that the break in occurred the night of the auction. Perhaps someone who was at the auction saw something they wanted and was hoping it hadn't been moved yet. Now that I think about it, an auction is the perfect way for a burglar to case a storage facility. They can see where the cameras are, watch managers enter door codes, etc.

What I know that has happened at an extra space is that a tenant whose room was going up for auction broke in the night before, cut his lock and removed all of his stuff .. he didn't want them to know it was him so he cut another 20 locks to mask that he was only after his stuff.

Unfortunately for him he tried to use his gate code, and of course it got rejected, but it also got saved on the facilities computer. 

He was charged with trespassing and 20 different counts of breaking and entering

*** note to people considering breaking into their own unit,

DON'T DO IT

...and if you do, don't use your own gate code.   

Luckily, the unit I bought was just full of books and the thieves didn't take anything.

Or so you think!

Now that I think about it, an auction is the perfect way for a burglar to case a storage facility.

I've always been more concerned of a robbery of the attendees the day of the auction. It's fairly common knowledge that these auctions are cash only. It could be an easy $50-$100K haul at the right auctions.

Unfortunately for him he tried to use his gate code, and of course it got rejected, but it also got saved on the facilities computer. 

Not very bright of him. All he had to say was that he was there hoping to see if he could get into his unit and retrieve some of his property before it was auctioned off. Then say how his code was rejected so he gave up and went home. After such a statement, anything else is circumstantial evidence, assuming he wore gloves and a mask.

Alloro, you should write a book and call it "How to get away with it." 

Alloro, you should write a book and call it "How to get away with it."

And tip off the wife? I think not!

And tip off the wife? I think not!

The other night, I was standing in front of the Bellagio waiting for the water cannon show, when this group of college kids walked up. I asked them if they knew what time the next show started. One kid replied, I think the show starts every hour, but I might be lying to you. I told him "it's okay, I'm used to it. I'm married."