A Warning to those having Gift/Card Boxes

[dpangel33]

Engagement Gifts of 40-Thousand-Dollars in Cash Missing in Grapevine

(Grapevine, TX) -- Grapevine detectives are poring over hotel surveillance tapes -- hoping to see someone walking away with a box containing about 40-thousand-dollars in cash intended for an engaged couple. The money turned up missing during an engagement party at an Embassy Suites hotel. Throughout the day, guests slipped cash into an envelope intended for the couple. The envelope was put in a gift box which was apparently left unguarded during the reception.

CBS11tv.com

Their advice was to appoint someone your trust to watch over and take care of the gift box. They also suggested having the gift table at the front of the party where it would be hard for someone to walk off with a gift unnoticed.

I got married a month ago in the same city where this incident occured. Looking back, my gift table was right next to the front door which could have been tragic, but we did have a police officer who mantained the lobby. You can never be too careful!!

[Chimichanga]

I want to be the couple who has friends/family who will give $40K at an engagement party! Wowza!!

Most halls will tell you to keep the card box away from the door - or a family member should mention it. Also, don't have a card box that can easily be picked up and moved. We used a lawn fountain (wooden wishing well) for our card box. That thing was so cumbersome but everyone would have noticed if someone was moving it.

[maplekitty]

We made sure that the box was taken away about an hour after the reception started, and there was someone "keeping an eye" on it as everyone was coming in.

Better safe than sorry

[maplekitty]

I want to be the couple who has friends/family who will give $40K at an engagement party! Wowza!!

LMAO, yah no kidding!?!?!

[dpangel33]

This happened to an Indian couple and traditionally Indian familes give monetary gifts of about $100 a person. They got their family and friends to cancel the checks and reissue them, but they couldn't do anything about the $40K in cash.

I never once thought about anyone stealing wedding gifts, so I thought this was a good heads up.

[Happy1]

Card boxes are extremely common around our area. That's why no one uses a bird cage or something someone can easily stick their hand in or something light enough/small enough to carry away. Every single card box is purposefully oversized and/or locked up tight so no one can do that. That's really too bad.

Nikki

[BTB]

$40K? Yikes! How would anybody know how much was in the box when it was stolen?