# Seeking advice



## stagehand1975

I have worked for this pro haunt for 3 years now. It is for a not for profit. I work in the capacity of a technical director. I provide thousands of dollars of pa gear, lighting, and props. Well I don't know what happened but it seams like they are hold my stuff hostage. I have been in there once to get some stuff out and now I can't get them to return my calls or emails. They live on site and it has been over 2 week since I have heard from them and the last time I heard from them they did nothing but make excuses. So yesterday via multiple meens, I gave them 48 hrs to make some kind of contact with me. Tomorrow I will call call a lawyer. I will sue if I have to. I understand it is a not for profit bit this list is just a sample. $1000 in scaffolding, $500 in lighting gear, $3000 in Pa gear, a camper valued at $3000, $1000 in props in pnumatics, $1000 in tools, $1000 in power distribution equipment, tents, ladders, lawn care equipment. I should have never allowed myself to have that much there but I have never had a problem until now. 

I am seeking similar stories and outcomes and advice. I am losing money now becuase I use this equipment off season with bands and other events.


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## MapThePlanet

I had a similar situation several years back when I was in Memphis. The items were "on loan" to another business. The business that I had loaned the items to, had decided to give me the same treatment that you are getting. I contacted the sheriff's department and local police both. I had receipts and could prove ownership. Turns out a few things had been sold and others were just gone. I received maybe half of what I had loaned them. I was told that I could take them to court, I did and now about 10 years later, with a judgement in my favor, I'm still waiting on my cash. Depending on what type of organization it is, i.e. are they the top level of the organization, can you go to the next level of management, ownership......

Sorry, probably not what you wanted to hear. And not much help either. Other than that, organize a night raid and just "reacquire" your things


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## sickNtwisted

Eek! Is there any documentation that the equipment is yours and that you were lending it to them?

I've heard of this happening before and because their props etc. were on haunt property the owner of the haunt was able to claim possession.


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## Johnny Thunder

Unfortunately the only recourse I see here is retaining the attorney and legal action.

Good luck, let us know how it gets resolved.


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## HalloweenRick

Actually I run a rental company and I go to the State Police and they take care of it as it is a theft in your case. Why be out of pocket money for a lawyer when the police is much more effective anyway? Here's the order provided to me by the County DA when an overdue rental turns to theft:
1) Write a Certified letter to the address. No matter who signs it, it is now official that you have served notice you want your property back. I give 10 days, but was told even 48 hours would be sufficient notice. Be polite but firm, and emphasize that you WILL involve the police should they not return your property.
2) Take a copy of the letter, your certified letter receipt (What you get back from the Post office once your letter has been delivered) and any photos of the equipment or serial #'s to aid in the recovery. 
3) The cop will ask you whether you want to prosecute or not. As a business I always prosecute (Doesn't cost me anything-its a criminal matter and the DA handles the prosecution- all I have ever had to do is show up and testify- and they've always plea bargained anyway.) In this instance I could see telling the cop No I don't want to testify-I just want my stuff back as you're dealing with a supposed "Non profit entity"
This as always worked for me as once the Police knock on the door-its gone to a different level. Quite Honestly, usually the certifed letter itself does the trick as either they call me to tell me when they'll drop it off, or when to come get it, or it shows up on my business front gate in the morning. Good luck with recovering your stuff.


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## Revenant

I'm with Rick. The hell with lawyers, press charges as soon as possible and make it a criminal matter. Gloves off, no mercy, no second chances.

Oh, and check every pawn shop in a 25 mile radius for your stuff.


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## debbie5

Yep- around here you call the cops 1st. I hope your stuff is still even there and not up their noses.


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## Spooky Chick

Rick, Revenant and debbie are right. Go to the cops. But do take Ricks advice, he's pointing you the right way!


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## fontgeek

I'd also give them notice that you will go to the newspapers with the story, for a non-profit or not for profit org, this can be a whole lot more damaging than the LEOs.
Push the fact that you just want all of your stuff back, be polite but firm (as already mentioned). But stick to your guns, if you say in a week then you really need to mean it. Once you try to bluff them you are just setting yourself up for problems.
Hopefully you have a full, detailed list of ALL of the goods, model numbers, serial numbers, etc. will be a big help. I'd do a search to see what the going rate is for all of the equipment in case you have to sue for replacement or repayment.


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## Sananeko

Update us on what happens... I had this problem happen to me once, just make sure you have paper to show the cops your not trying to pull a fast one.. Cops here don't do anything unless you have documentation.


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## Bodybagging

I agree with Rick.


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## stagehand1975

For those who were following this. I still haven't gotten my stuff. I saw the owner yesterday face to face and she tried to tell me that I told her back October on the last day of opperation that non of my stuff was there anymore. How could that be posable. I can't afford and never would donate that much stuff unless I was rich. Well I am not rich and out of the Halloween business for a while. They have everything Halloween that I ever owned. A large portion of lighting and pa gear that I use throughout the year. Because of those last items, I have already lost hundreds on job I can't do because I don't have the stuff. 

Let this be warning to all who bring there own stuff into a haunt. Get something in writing.


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## debbie5

CALL THE COPS. 
If you have others who will attest that your stuff was there, you have something to go on. CALL, dude! Pissing & moaning won't get it back. It's YOURS.


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## randomr8

I agree with the general feeling here. Not that that road is easy. I'm sure you like(d) most of these people or you wouldn't have worked with them. The other thought that keeps rolling around in the back of my head is how badly these people are screwing themselves. I half expect these idiots to call you in October when they start having problem with your equipment or need your expertise. Start with the suggested certified letter. Maybe that will make them understand. People can be dense....


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## remylass

Go do the certified letter TODAY. Explain you will have to take legal action if you do not get your stuff back. You can't take this lying down.

I think I will take this as a lesson. If I ever loan out my stuff, I am going to document what is being loaned, take pics of everything, and have both parties sign it.


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## stagehand1975

I did the three page letter over last weekend And an 8 page list of what's in there. Mailed gym a notarized copy and knowing that they were going to be at town court last Monday for another legal matter that they caused for someone else that worked for them. I showed up at court and handed them another notarized copy that was notarized by the judge. That is when they told me that I told them that I had nothing left there. 

If they didn't know how to use it, they would just let it sit around till it didn't work anymore. They are not the smartest people in the world as I feel they are running the haunt right into the ground along with childerens camp it takes place.


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## Merlyn67

Saying there is nothing there and it being true are two different things. Since they have the paper, get the Police and go to the location where your stuff was and verify it is truly gone. You had better move fast, or it will be gone for sure.

If any of it is there, then have them charged with theft. 

Whatever you do, do it quick!


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## stagehand1975

New update. After threatening legal action by more than just me. Today I was able to recover 75% of my things. Read back through this post and notice, they said I didn't have anything there anymore. In the course of the last month they actually accused me of stealing several thousand dollars of.there stuff. After proving I had nothing of theirs. Today, with a police pesence, I remove what that had set aside for me. When asked about the rest of it, they no idea of the items that I was talking about. Now let me remind you all. I gave them a detailed list of everything, where it was in the haunt, how it was plunged and wired together. I wasn't allowed to get my own stuff out. They disasembled everything and brought it to one central location in the grounds. So for things that were pluged together. One part was there and the other was missing. Example, speakers from one setup but no cd player or amplifier or conecting cables.


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## Aquayne

Time to press charges for theft.


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## stagehand1975

Already in the works


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## Bethene

good, am glad you are pressing charges, what jerks.


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## remylass

Well, it is wrapping up better than I hoped. I was afraid you would lose all of your stuff. Glad you are pressing charges.


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## Dark Angel 27

sounds like cracked up charity to me. keep pressing till you get everything!


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## stagehand1975

I get to this point I had to threaten there not for profit status, they did not.do,anything at all last year as a children's camp. The place is in to much disrepair and the health dept won't let them open. They continue to have this fundraiser and take donations and appear to those that know the place that they are just living off of it.


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## fick209

What an awful ordeal that you have had to go through! Glad that you are pressing charges and that you have at least gotten back 75% of your stuff so far. Good luck!


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## remylass

stagehand1975 said:


> I get to this point I had to threaten there not for profit status, they did not.do,anything at all last year as a children's camp. The place is in to much disrepair and the health dept won't let them open. They continue to have this fundraiser and take donations and appear to those that know the place that they are just living off of it.


That is really gross. They should have their non-profit status revoked.


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## BioHazardCustoms

I agree with remylass. I've been working on my haunt for almost five years now. I don't make a dime from it, every penny goes to a pit bull rescue center here. I've attempted on more than one occasion to achieve non-profit status, with no luck so far. I usually pay the taxes out of pocket, and let the lady who runs the center keep what we earn for her. The way these people are abusing the non-profit status nauseates me, and I hope it comes back to bite them in the arse.

Glad you've gotten most of your stuff back, and I hope you end up getting the remainder, as well.


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## stagehand1975

I had intentions of going on my own this and I still have hardly a prop to put anything together.


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## BioHazardCustoms

LOL, my wife is watching one of those court shows on television, and the judge is tearing a 501(c)3 charity owner a new one for charging admission to some function, then pocketing the money. Made me think of this thread, so I thought I would give you a ray of hope. You can take them to civil court for the monetary value of the things that they have kept. Good Luck!


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## stagehand1975

Update, I went to court today finnaly. With not so good results. The judge scolded both parties for keeping proper track of what I brought in and what I brought out. He has not ruled yet on the case. They accused me of lieing to them the entire time I worked for them. After recomending hauntforum to them years ago, there lawyer accessed this site and had this very thread in his hand trying to somehow use it against me. I was then told by there there lawyer and by the haunt in question that I am not qualified to give advice on this site. You have have to be qualified to post on this site? This comes from the same people I watched try to hook up a large unpowered speaker to the headphone jack of a small boombox and didnt understand why it wouldn't work. This was.the haunts 16th year in opperation with rapidly declining numbers. According to a news paper aticle. This was there worst year yet. suck to be them. 

I am offering up to anyone that wants to write them a letter of disgust an address for you to send it to. Pm me for it. By the way, thks was year number 4 of operating a not for profit for handicapped children and not doing anything to show it. I have changed my privacy settings on this site. I never thought I would have to do that on a site like this.


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## Hauntiholik

stagehand1975 said:


> I have changed my privacy settings on this site. I never thought I would have to do that on a site like this.


Sorry to hear that


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## stagehand1975

I keep forgetting this as well. To all of those that said call the cops. I did, and they all said there was nothing they could do, it was a matter for the courts, a cival matter and unless there was a crime being commited at that momment, there was nothing they could do.


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## BioHazardCustoms

Sorry to hear that they tried to use a thread on a PUBLIC forum against you, and that the cops wouldn't do anything to help you. I've always been under the impression that theft of property is a crime, but I understand the cop's side too. If he has no proof that the stuff is yours, he can't just take it from them and give it to you.


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## scareme

stagehand1975 said:


> Update, I went to court today finnaly. With not so good results. The judge scolded both parties for keeping proper track of what I brought in and what I brought out. He has not ruled yet on the case. They accused me of lieing to them the entire time I worked for them. After recomending hauntforum to them years ago, there lawyer accessed this site and had this very thread in his hand trying to somehow use it against me. I was then told by there there lawyer and by the haunt in question that I am not qualified to give advice on this site. You have have to be qualified to post on this site?


Dear lawyer for the scumbags,
If you are following this thread I feel qualified to give you some advise...you can kiss my lily white a$$. Thank you.


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## BioHazardCustoms

scareme said:


> Dear lawyer for the scumbags,
> If you are following this thread I feel qualified to give you some advise...you can kiss my lily white a$$. Thank you.


Yay, now I get to clean sweet tea from my monitor. Thanks, scareme. I needed that.

**Edit**
On a side note, sweet tea burns like He|_|_ when it comes out of a broken nose. Just thought you guys would like to know that.


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## scareme

Sorry Bio, I'd give your nose a motherly kiss if I was there.


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## debbie5

I dont understand what lying or being on HF has to do with this case. (Dont you love how lawyers will drag up any nonsense & try to make it real?Lying?? Umm..right. ) They have your stuff. You need it back. Period. I hate NY courts...


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## stagehand1975

The judge hasn't ruled on this one yet. He wanted to go over all of my evidence and receipts, but from the way he was talking, I won't ever see any of it again.


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