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A woman in southwest Houston is grappling with the task of recovering her cherished family heirlooms after they were stolen from her storage unit over the weekend. She is perplexed as to how the burglar managed to gain access to the gated facility, which requires a unique code for entry.
Maryam Nabhani recounted receiving a distressing call on Sunday morning from Public Storage, informing her that her storage unit was among several that had been broken into. Upon arrival, she found her unit ransacked, with all valuable items missing.
Among the stolen items were electronics, but what deeply troubled Nabhani was the loss of gold jewelry passed down through generations, valued at thousands of dollars. Despite having insurance with the facility, she learned that it does not cover heirlooms.
Having experienced a burglary in the past, Nabhani had turned to the storage unit as a perceived safer alternative to her apartment for storing valuable belongings.
Expressing her distress, Nabhani lamented, “They’ve taken something that I will definitely never be able to replace. One of the rings is from my great-grandmother, who gave it to my grandmother, who gave it to my mom, who then gave it to me. It’s not even really about the money that they can give me back.”
Nabhani promptly filed a report with the Houston Police Department, whose Property and Financial Crimes Division is awaiting surveillance video from Public Storage.
However, if recovery of her belongings proves futile, what recourse does she have?
According to attorney Saahir Ramji, the course of action depends on the terms outlined in her rental agreement. “A lot of times, the rental agreement will state what the renter’s responsibilities are and what the facility’s responsibilities are,” Ramji explained. “We have to look at if there’s any negligence on their behalf.”
Ramji also offered practical advice for storage unit renters, emphasizing awareness of surroundings, thorough reading of rental agreements, and vigilance when entering and leaving the facility.
Despite requests for comment, Public Storage has not responded.