Laptop Computer Stolen From Staples After Virginia Man Dropped It Off for Service

After a Virginia man’s laptop computer disappeared from the store he took it to for service, the compensation he was offered left him unsatisfied.

Bobby Fontaine of Lorton took his laptop to Staples in Springfield a few months ago. The store told him he could expect a call in three days, maybe sooner, when it was ready for pickup.

When he hadn’t heard from them three days later, he started calling the store. Employees were vague about the laptop’s whereabouts, Fontaine said.

“Then a little more prodding, and it’s like, ‘OK, someone stole it,’” he said. “And I was like, ‘OK, the computer was stolen. When was it stolen?’ He doesn't know.”

Fontaine was furious. Banking, medical and other private financial information is on that stolen computer.

“At that point I was still concerned about, OK, who's got the computer?” he said. “What information is on there?”

Staples offered to replace the laptop with something it had in stock, but what they had wasn't comparable, Fontaine said. Staples then offered $1,000 and that wasn’t fair to Fontaine, either.

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“So it's like we want you to pay what you owe us, and they wouldn't do that,” he said.

He called police and the Better Business Bureau, and nothing happened.

His wife, Cindy, suggested contacting NBC4 Responds.

If a unit is stolen from their store, Staples will offer to replace it or give a cash equivalent, the store told NBC4 Responds. In this case, Staples "valued the unit at $799.99" plus "$149.99 for office software."

The Fontaines "were asking for $3,000," Staples said.

They were happy to accept a compromise for $1,500.

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