car stolen from business parkinglot is business liable?

[buky]

hello!

i had my vehicle stolen from a gated locking parking lot with security cameras and a posted security guard not even 50 feet from where my vehicle was parked.. i tried despretly to get the police to help me retrieve the video but they were useless.. all i got was a big run arround! the business informed me that they would not release the video footage to me, but only to the police.

the police didnt care enough to get the footage.. and with that footage i could have found out who had my car.. 1 whole week later my car turned up burned in an alleyway.. and untill this day i havent been able to get the video footage from the business..

now i feel that since they wronged me and hindered the investigation (a police officer with the autotheft unit asked me to get the video and the business refused without police presence) id like to take them to court.. my vehicles fair market value was about 3000 dollars.. which is convenient because thats the maximum i can claim in small claims court..

the business has signs that say they arent responsible for theft or vandalism of vehicles in the parking lot.. but then why would they have security cameras and security guards?

ive done alot of business with them.. and employees know me well but the manager is a (insert colorful word here)

i would like to know if you think i have a case..

or what grounds i could use to argue my case.. if i have one..

and if i understand correctly small claims courts dont have lawyers present?

thanks you!

 

[CdwJava]

You don't mention your state. But, I can't imagine that you will have a cause of action against a business for theft unless you can show that their staff was involved and they reasonably should have known.

If there really is a video, then maybe you need to speak to someone with rank at the police department and ask why they have not (apparently) asked for the video. It seems rather elementary and not too difficult to do. It could be that no video exists and they don't want to admit that to you.

If you want to try and make them pay, I'd go the small claims court route because at least then you would not be paying an attorney the value of the car just to obtain enough to pay him on the off chance you'd win.

- Carl