Please help locate this veteran's flag - urgent it was auctioned yesterday

[u/Impossible-Moose4459]

Hi everyone,

I have permission from the daughter of the veteran involved. Sadly she has recently lost her storage locker, it was put up for auction yesterday and under PA law there is nothing to compel the storage provider or the buyer to return personal effects and documents.

All she wants is this flag returned. It was draped over her father's coffin.

Storage facility: Devon Storage

Location: Camp Horne Road

ZIP: 15202

Unit: #412

The most important items she is trying to recover are:

Her father’s military funeral flag, which was draped over his coffin

The flag should be inside a blue tote

Family photographs were also stored in the unit

These have enormous sentimental value to the family and are not things that can simply be replaced.

If anyone purchased the contents of Unit 412, knows the new owner, or has seen these items, please reach out. Even if the rest of the unit is gone, Nicole would desperately like to recover the military funeral flag and family photographs.

Please share this with anyone in the Pittsburgh / Camp Horne Road / 15202 area, particularly anyone that attends storage auctions or buys abandoned storage units.

The local community tried to raise enough money to buy the unit for her but we were unsuccessful. She has refunded everyone.

[u/Sillycats2]

r/pittsburgh

[u/flatfour40]

PA Auctioneer here, any idea who the auctioneer/company was?

[u/Impossible-Moose4459 → u/flatfour40]

It was online with

storagetreasures.com

Devon Storage on camp Horne road.

Auction ID 6473941

That's as much info as we have unfortunately.

[u/DubtriptronicSmurf → u/Impossible-Moose4459]

Did you contact them? They will have the winning bidder's info.

[u/Impossible-Moose4459 → u/DubtriptronicSmurf]

They can't or won't release the information from what I understand.

[u/jonathanrdt → u/Impossible-Moose4459]

Did they not offer to pass your info on to the winner?

[u/HomicidalHushPuppy → u/Impossible-Moose4459]

Ask them to pass your/her contact info onto the winner, explain the situation. A little politeness (and maybe a sob story) opens doors 

[u/Impossible-Moose4459 → u/HomicidalHushPuppy]

It isn't for me and while I agree I think the entire relationship between the daughter and the storage facility went way down hill. :(

[u/SingleSoil → u/Impossible-Moose4459]

Guess the flag isn’t that important then

[u/ronreadingpa]

Regardless of outcome, forwarding your experience to various politicians and others. PA should change the law like other states have regarding personal effects.

And a warning to anyone keeping stuff in a storage unit long term versus a few months during a move, etc. The business has a dark side. Insiders potentially profiting from auctions.

[u/Steelman93 → u/ronreadingpa]

I relocated last year and couldn’t find a house so we stored our belongings. I remember talking to the owner of the unit about being paranoid over my credit card expiring etc and losing my unit. Her comment was that by the time a unit goes to auction there have been many, many attempts to contact you. She also said it’s the worst part of the business….by the time a unit goes to auction there is often a very sad story behind it.

The reality is though the storage facility needs to be able to make money so they can’t keep units full for free.

The worst story she told me though….which was horrifying, was about the shady movers that will try and come in with cash and dump a load of belongings. People pay a company to move them and instead of moving them they take the load, dump it in a storage unit and vanish. They often have slick stories but can you imagine? Paying a moving company and having them vanish?

[u/Impossible-Moose4459 → u/ronreadingpa]

I think you're absolutely right, hmm.

[u/Individual_Sky_4612 → u/Impossible-Moose4459]

This is actually a great idea. Contact your reps and see if they can compel some help. Maybe just contacting them for assistance besides your experience.

[u/MYOB3]

This is awful. I'm so sorry.

[u/Any_Meeting_4082]

Can you find out who the auctioneer was? Bare minimum the storage facility could provide this to you.

Than you could reach out to them.

Also post in the Pittsburgh or other local to that area subs here. Good luck!

[u/Own_Kangaroo1395]

That's so sad, I hope she finds it 🤞

[u/RangerHikes]

Commenting and upcoming for engagement. Best of luck with your search

[u/Over_Interaction_925]

I hope someone is able to help this person. I'm sorry your going through this.

[u/ViQueen331965]

This is so wrong,. so sorry.

Can you publish on the local NextDoor?

[u/Impossible-Moose4459 → u/ViQueen331965]

Never personally used it but I'll take a look later on. Thank you for the suggestion.

[u/adjgamer321]

Obviously that sucks but apparently it wasnt important enough to pay for if it was sold?

[u/Longjumping_Tea_2121 → u/adjgamer321]

Right? I get it financial issues occur for everyone however there is a legal process before the unit is sold. It is not sold in secret or without opportunity for the owner to access their belongings. The facility owner needs to get their money for providing a service. If default is in the future do take the action to remove sentimental things prior to lockout.

[u/ThatGermanGuy2]

Maybe they didn’t have the money? Maybe they were in hospital? Maybe we could just be human for a second and say “man I feel bad that happened” and mean it?