Public Storage auctions soldier in Iraq's belongings when automatic payment fails

[letsgoflyers81]

SOURCE

Belongings sold while soldier was in Iraq

String of bad luck led to storage company auction.

Wes Johnson
News-Leader


When Patrick Rogalin got his orders to Iraq, the Army Reserve specialist had just enough time to stuff everything he owned into a Public Storage unit near St. Louis before shipping out.

He set up automatic payments with the company, knowing it would be difficult to keep in touch from his outpost in the Iraqi town of Al-Kuk, near the Iranian border.

The past year was spent repairing "everything from handguns to artillery and trucks" and looking forward to a future career as an Army officer.

But Rogalin, 20, was stunned by what he discovered when he returned from his one-year tour of duty.

"When I got back I called Public Storage to find out the status of my account and they told me the contents of my storage container had been auctioned off in June because the bill hadn't been paid."

While Rogalin was in Iraq, he said someone fraudulently accessed his checking account, writing more than $900 in worthless checks that caused his automatic Public Storage payments to bounce.

He learned of the problem when a Bank of America representative contacted him. The bank put an immediate hold on that account, and Rogalin opened another one.

Rogalin resumed making payments to Public Storage but discovered it was too late. His belongings already had been auctioned.

Rogalin said he never received any warning from Public Storage that his account was in trouble.

Nor did he get any notice everything he owned was going to be sold.

He's now fighting the company, based in Glendale, Calif., to get appropriate compensation for his clothes, books, electronic gear, furniture, historic magazines and other property it disposed of without his knowledge.

"I was shocked that they had done this," Rogalin said. "I moved in with my girlfriend, who's going to Missouri State. Otherwise I wouldn't have anything."

Ron Ramler, regional vice president of Public Storage, said his company policy prevented him from talking about Rogalin's case.

"I can say that I am in communication with Patrick again to resolve it," Ramler said Friday.

Rogalin still has his car and the military clothing he brought back from Iraq. And his girlfriend, Jaimie Alonzo, 21, and her parents bought him some clothes for Christmas.

"At least now I'm not wearing the same three things every week," Rogalin said.

Rogalin estimated his belongings were worth $8,000.

But he said Ramler offered him only $2,000 — and an apology — for his loss.

"I called them back and told them this isn't anywhere near right," Rogalin said. "They upped their offer to $2,500 and gave me seven days to accept it or get nothing."

Rogalin's contract with Public Storage states the company is liable for losses only up to $5,000.

"I didn't expect to get $8,000, but I did expect to get at least $5,000 for my stuff," he said. "I didn't accept the $2,500 and I can't afford to go to court to fight them for the rest. It's really insulting, after all I went through over there serving my country, to come back and have to deal with this."

Despite the hassles he's faced, Rogalin plans to move forward by taking history and journalism classes at MSU this spring.

He also hopes to join the university's ROTC program so he can resume his Army career as an officer when he graduates.

Unless President Bush makes some unexpected policy changes in Iraq, such as adding a new mission name or significantly increasing troop strength, Rogalin said it's unlikely he'll have to go back anytime soon.

"By the time I graduate it will be 2010," he said. "I hope we're not still in Iraq by then."

So the guy is in Iraq and due to identity theft, a payment bounces and PS goes ahead and sells all his stuff? I'd sue the crap out of them for that.

[CameronJr9]

I'm sure if this gets enough press, there will be a lawyer or two that will take his case for free.

[Jaranath]

Hm.

My sympathy. Bad enough to be called into a war (though at least, thankfully, it sounds like he wasn't in combat), but then to have these wonderful problems crop up...ugh.

I do have some mild skepticism/caution over this. The article's misrepresenting and failing to mention a few things. Doesn't lessen my general sympathy much, especially thanks to the identity theft. I definitely think Public Storage needs to "make it right" for this guy, as a PR decision if nothing else, although I must point out that I've learned from experience not to trust a person's estimate of the value of their property.

I've also learned from experience not to do precisely the sort of things it appears Rogalin did here. But then, I suppose that's another reason to give him some slack, as a fresh 20-year-old just starting out.