Let’s be honest, who hasn’t taken the liberty of nabbing some of those miniature shampoo bottles, soap bars, or doll-house-esque ketchup bottles from a hotel. They’re adorable. And what harm could it really do? Well, stealing from hotels, is… well, it’s still stealing. But you’ll be shocked to see the things that some people have the audacity to hide in their luggage.
According to a recent survey by Wellness Heaven, fun-sized shampoo bottles being pinched are the least of hotels’ problems. After surveying more than 1,300 hotel managers, there is a clear spike in felonious thievery amongst guests at luxury hotels, with people stealing TVs, pianos, mattresses, and even stuffed animals from hotels.
Interestingly, according to the report, there is a clear distinction between guests of 4-star vs. 5-star hotels when it comes to items stolen, with guests of the more opulent variety much more prone to stealing.
Nearly 800 hoteliers from 4-star hotels, and nearly 650 from 5-star hotels were questioned over the behaviour of thieves in correlation to wealth and, as suspected, the 5-star clientele are much more prone to break the law for their own benefit, specifically the more gratuitous items like TVs and even mattresses.
In a similar 2010 study from Ransom Lawfirm, researchers found that owners of expensive cars were more prone to reckless driving and disregarding traffic laws.
Thieves by Nationality
Americans have a tendency to steal pillows and batteries; Austrians go for dishes and coffee machines; Italians prefer wine glasses; the Swiss want hair dryers; the Dutch take light bulbs and toilet paper; and the undisputed champ of hotel theft goes to the French, who take entire TV sets and remote controls – the Wellness Heaven report states.
But the oddest item stolen is a grand piano. According to an Italian hotelier, “Once I walked through the lobby, I noticed that something was missing, and soon after I learned that three unknown men in overalls had taken away the grand piano, and it never reappeared, of course.” Not exactly a packet of chips from the hotel mini-bar, is it?
Most of us can agree that an AED 50 “complimentary” bottle of water on the nightstand is outrageous, but stealing a TV, nonetheless an entire mattress? Truly appalling (but we can’t help but admit that it’s also impressive).
