Ken and Nina say that that $92,000 was stolen from their safe deposit box after Bank Midwest allowed someone else to access it.

They’ve filed a police report and written the bank’s president. The bank manager won’t release any information unless required to by subpoena. Ken and Nina are interested in hiring a lawyer, but of course, they can be expensive. They want to know what else they can do.

Do you have homeowner’s insurance? It may cover the contents of the box. Contact your insurance company and find out. In cases like these, it’s often best to have your monster (your insurance company) fight theirs. Also, another of our readers had something very similar happen to his family. Read the comments on Bank Of America Let Conwoman Steal My Dead Aunt’s Identity And Rob Her Safe Deposit Box for more ideas about how to press your issue further.

Ken and Nina’s tale, inside…

We, Ken and Nina N.have a safety deposit box at Bank Midwest location at 13270 Metcalf, Overland Park, Kansas.

On April 11 of 2007, we went to our box to take out money to pay for our business tax owe, we were stunned to find out that our money and diamond ring weren’t in there. It was $75000 in cash and a ring worth for $17000. We ask each other and traced back to see if one of us would use it, but none have touched the money or the ring since August 2006. I tried to locate the second key, but couldn’t find it.

We were disbelieved and confused, so we went back to the bank to check the signature card. We were shock when we discover that there was a signature which wasn’t our on the card. It was on September 2, 2006. We immediately pointed out to the manager of the bank. He asked us we have visited a few times after September date and did not notice anything? We told him that we did not check because the money and the ring were in a carton box and outside was many important paper documents. Besides, who would think that anyone could get in and have access to this box other than us; unless, the bank didn’t check identity of a person to access a highly secure place in the bank.

We request the Bank for the video on that particular date but they refuse to let us see neither the video nor the copy of the signature card. The Bank manager told us that we have to have an attorney request otherwise they won’t be able to help us anything because of bank policy. We tried to talk and reason to the manager but he said that he has nothing to do with it and suggests us to talk to the bank lawyer.

We tried to contact the president of Bank Midwest, but he didn’t respond. Finally, we hired an attorney to represent for us. The Bank attorney said they did not have the video and they kept it only one week for analog and six months for digital.

As a customer, we feel that Bank Midwest didn’t put any effort to help us and protect our identity, property and customer right. We didn’t know where to turn for help. We have tried looking for an attorney, but they are expensive. We also reported to the Overland Park Police on 4/26/07, but haven’t heard from them.

Please help and advise us what to do. Thank you so much.

Sincerely,
Ken and Nina N.

Very sorry to hear about your loss. That’s got to be incredibly maddening and painful. Beyond fixing the problem, we wonder how it ever happened in the first place? Don’t they call them “safe” deposit boxes for a reason? — BEN POPKEN

RELATED: Bank Of America Let Conwoman Steal My Dead Aunt’s Identity And Rob Her Safe Deposit Box

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.