So I spent the night at my friend's boyfriends house (In Kent, WA) and accidentally left my purse there leaving in such a rush for work. I said, okay, and talked to my friend Amber. So she said that she would bring to me and took it out of his apartment. Amber and my best friend Leslie decided to drop it off at work the next day but it was pouring so hard they wimped out and I couldn't answer my phone.

So, the next day it gets broken into and my purse is stolen. I totaled the price and it was roughly $420. She said her boyfriend would cover it but now she's saying that she's not responsible. Who's fault is it, and if possible, what can I do?

Thank you. Chelsea

Chelsea, you left your purse in a car and it was stolen. No one is responsible but you. You have no recourse at the moment.

If your purse was in someone else's car and the car got broken into - there is essentially nothing you can do about this unless the owner of the car had theft coverage and a low deductible. You are essentially out of luck on this.

Why didn't you go back and get your purse yourself or have your boyfriend bring it to you?

So I spent the night at my friend's boyfriends house (In Kent, WA) and accidentally left my purse there leaving in such a rush for work. I said, okay, and talked to my friend Amber. So she said that she would bring to me and took it out of his apartment. Amber and my best friend Leslie decided to drop it off at work the next day but it was pouring so hard they wimped out and I couldn't answer my phone.

So, the next day it gets broken into and my purse is stolen. I totaled the price and it was roughly $420. She said her boyfriend would cover it but now she's saying that she's not responsible. Who's fault is it, and if possible, what can I do?

Thank you. Chelsea


Depending on whether you have homeowners insurance, the amount of your deductible and your coverage it MIGHT be covered by your homeowners. You will need a Police Report to file a claim.

Well you are partially for two reasons, you left it first of all, and you did not go back and get it the next day.

The friend who would not bring it in because of the rain,
And the person who left it in the car, ( not in the trunk)

So I guess you could sue the other two people for a part of the value, But to be honest, it is mostly your own fault for leaving it and not gong back to get it.

It is possible, under the law of bailment, that Amber and Leslie could be responsible.

As soon as your friends agreed to care for your purse and return it too you they arguably became bailees. Bailees have a duty of care with respect to the property entrusted to them and can be held liable if negligence can be proven.

If your friends did not want to become bailees they ought to have refused to care for and return your purse to you and instead insist that you come and pick it up.

Bailment, especially involuntary or gratuitous bailment (which is what you could be looking at here) can be difficult to argue even in the best of circumstances.

It is possible, under the law of bailment, that Amber and Leslie could be responsible.

As soon as your friends agreed to care for your purse and return it too you they arguably became bailees. Bailees have a duty of care with respect to the property entrusted to them and can be held liable if negligence can be proven.

If your friends did not want to become bailees they ought to have refused to care for and return your purse to you and instead insist that you come and pick it up.

Bailment, especially involuntary or gratuitous bailment (which is what you could be looking at here) can be difficult to argue even in the best of circumstances.



Right - and in "the States" it's reasonable care, sort of what the person accepting the property agrees to do so it's a difficult legal argument.