First hand experience suggests that if you leave your car for service at Scarborough's Heritage Ford dealership, you best avoid leaving the car there overnight.

To: Greg Bleeks
From: Frank Ch. Eigler
Subject: Custody of Customer Vehicles

Dear Mr. Bleeks:

I am a current customer of maintenance service at Heritage Ford.
This morning (2006-02-03), my car was one of the several apparently
broken into while on your property, and some contents were missing.
But all this is background.

When I pointed out the problem to Ashton Francois, he went looking
for the items, in case they were misplaced during the service.  A
few minutes later, he asked me to talk to his manager, a gentleman
named Arthur Ophelders.  I hoped this person would attempt to set
things right somehow, but on the contrary, he made it even worse.

He started a blustery little speech that he must have given several
times this morning already: that others' cars were also broken into,
that so was his own ("but not my personal car, my dealership car").
That you have insurance, but it does not cover customers' property.
That the other customers were told to call their own insurance
companies and address the loss that way.  That you have the "best
security" and "nothing could have prevented it".  That it's just
like if the car was broken into in a parking lot across the
street.  From many defensive euphemisms, I was to infer that he
was willing to do *absolutely nothing*.

During the entire conversation, he did not express even the
basic courtesy of:

- apologizing, showing any sympathy
- asking what was lost, how much it was worth,
- asking whether the value was below our insurance deductible
- checking if the company can make up the loss in any other way

For the record, had he asked the above questions, these would
have been my answers, respectively:

- okay
- an old piece of electronics and one cassette, much less than $100,
  much much less than the amount of the service invoice I just paid
- yes, and therefore essentially irrecoverable
- yes, perhaps some consideration on a future transaction

Need I say that I'm disappointed that a small loss was given
unnecessary amplification by such rudeness?  You should be
concerned that such a person is representing your company to
customers who, despite having many other options, plonked down
good money at your establishment.  My story may well turn some
away.

Please ask Mr. Ophelders to reconsider his attitude.  Please look
into improving physical security for the vehicles entrusted to
your care and custody.  Please let me know if you are willing to
set things right.

Frank Ch. Eigler
(contact information on file)