Hidden Cam Shows Toyota Dealership Employee Pocketing Loose Change from Pick-up Truck
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When phone calls and letters failed to get a local business to own up to its mistakes, a local man used the power of technology to catch employees in the act.
Jason Leonard of Lafayette placed a hidden video cam in his truck after he suspected Hampton Toyota employees of stealing money when he brought it in for service.
The camera recorded what appears to be employees digging through the truck's compartments, pocketing loose change and emptying a medicine vial attached to his keychain.
Leonard purchased a new truck from Hampton Toyota in 2007.
When he brought the truck in for its first oil change, he noticed more than $10 worth of quarters were missing from the driver's side door compartment.
The next time he brought in his truck for service, Leonard noticed more quarters missing from the same compartment.
He complained and sent letters to the dealership on both occasions, but never received a reply.
During his third visit, Leonard decided to take matters into his own hands.
He placed a small, digital video camera in the passenger side door.
The camera recorded what appears to be 3 separate employees rifling through various compartments, pocketing loose change and watching what sounds like pornography on a diagnostic computer.
All 3 of the employees were fired after the dealership received the video, along with its service manager, said Hampton Toyota business development director Randall Mann.
The dealership has also showed the videos to other employees as a means of caution.
Hampton Toyota owner Mark Hampton and Chief Financial Officer Mike Perry apologized personally to Leonard. They offered to extend his service warranty for his trouble.
"Obviously, we're embarrassed it happened," Mann said.
"But we feel like we responded the best way we could with regard to the customers and employees."
Leonard has continued to bring his truck to Hampton Toyota for service, and said he plans to accept the dealership's extended warranty offer.
Sharane Gott, president of the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana, said this is the first time she's heard of a consumer using a video camera to capture poor service.
It's natural, however, for customers to become frustrated when their complaints are not resolved, she said.
Hampton Toyota has received an F rating from the bureau for failing to respond to previous complaints.
Gott said customers should check with the Better Business Bureau before doing business with a company.
If their complaints aren't resolved, she suggested taking it to manufacturers or other sources up the chain of command.
"The great thing is there is more than one company to do business with," she said.
"Consumers have a choice."
07-12-2009, 01:43 PM
after the dealership received the video, along with its service manager, said Hampton Toyota business development director Randall Mann.
