Kokua Line
Kokua Line
I found a purse with quite a bit of money, cellular phone, etc., in a cart at Sam's Club. When we took the purse to customer service, the clerk just took it, never asking our names or telephone numbers. She refused to give us the name of the owner, saying it was company policy not to give the finder the name of the person who lost it. So we asked for the purse back and said we were going to call the police instead. She then ripped off a piece of paper and told us to fill out our names. We were told there was no lost-and-found policy. I know the law states that if no one claims the item in 30 days, the finder gets to keep it. I don't care about any reward -- just a thank you from a relieved person who can believe there are still a few honest people in this world. I've e-mailed Sam's/Walmart corporate offices with this similar complaint, but with no response. Why is Sam's being so hard-nosed about this? Lost-and-found problem
not normal Sam’s policyA management spokeswoman apologized for your experience, saying there was "just a miscommunication everywhere."
Normally, it would take two to three days for communication sent to the home office to be passed on to the local store. In this case, it took about a week.
"What we would normally do is call the member once we get (a complaint) and call and find out what happened to get to the root of the problem," the spokeswoman said, noting she had since spoken with you.
"This whole incident is not normal procedure -- we're not out to treat people rudely when they find things -- if that did happen," she said. Employees don't recall the incident, she said.
The normal procedure is to log a found item and to take the name and number of the finder. If the owner is known, the store would get in touch and say who found the item.
"This looks more like an isolated incident," she said. The owner did get her purse back.
Also, the company policy is for individuals not to accept any gratuity or gifts, she said. Whatever is received, "we turn around and donate it."
To the person who turned in my wallet on the No. 3 bus a few weeks ago. My jaw dropped when I got back all my money and cards. -- Brian Mahalo
To the couple on Lokahi Street, for letting your brown dog loose so you don't have to pick up his mess. He also has no tag. -- M.S. Auwe
To whoever found my state ID card and sent it to my home. You saved me a lot of trouble. May God bless you in whatever you do. -- Grateful senior citizen Mahalo
To three young gentlemen for pushing our stalled car to the side at Haiku Road and Kahekili Highway on May 29. Also, to the young woman who provided a ride to a nearby relative's home and to the mechanic friend for getting out of bed to see if he could help. -- No name Mahalo
To the woman who parked in the handicapped parking stall at 6:30 p.m. June 8 on the upper level near JC Penney. You had no permit. -- No name Auwe
Potted plants and artificial flowers may be placed at grave sites tomorrow through Aug. 17 at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl, in honor of the Obon season. Punchbowl plants
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
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