Caz Man Miffed Over ‘Borrowed’ Step Ladder

Caption: The ladder that Randy Phillips said belongs to him can be seen through this utility shed but he is unable to get to it because the shed is locked.

Claims AT&T workers helped themselves two months ago, property remains unreturned

By Aaron Gifford

(Cazenovia, NY) It’s a situation almost anyone can relate to: A neighbor borrows a tool and neglects to return it in a timely manner. You politely ask for it back. More time passes without the tool being returned. You want to be a good neighbor, but at some point you must take action.

That’s sort of what happened to Randy Phillips of Cazenovia after his aluminum step ladder disappeared for a short time in early November. Only in this case his neighbor is a huge corporation, AT&T, and he said the workers didn’t ask to borrow it in the first place, though they may have mistaken it for company property. He shares a shed with the utility near a Route 92 cell tower and can see his ladder through a fence in the other half of the building.

AT&T has an easement to Phillip’s property and he has a contract to use part of the utility’s shed for his amateur radio equipment. Phillips said phone company workers have access to his half of the locked building but he cannot get into their half.

“It was actually missing for a few days, but I didn’t call anyone because I knew they had it. But then it was in their half [of the building] and I couldn’t get it back,” Phillips said.

Phillips waited to see if it would be returned. It wasn’t, so on Nov. 6 he tried to call AT&T. He said the phone numbers posted on the chain link fence around the property and in the building were no longer valid.

“It took me awhile to get a person, and then the right person, on the phone,” said Phillips. “I ended up speaking to someone in senior management about this, and still no ladder.”

“It’s not worth much money, but this is more about the principle of the matter,” he said. “The problem here is they unlawfully took it, and they don’t take my concerns about it seriously.”

Marcia Murray, the AT&T leasing manager who Phillips dealt with in this matter, was unavailable for comment last week.

Phillips contacted the Madison County District Attorney’s Office, which advised him to file a police report. He presented his complaint to the Madison County Sheriff’s Department last week.

Deputy Jamie Badgley contacted AT&T and is awaiting a response. He said it would be difficult to prosecute the phone company in this situation.

“From what I gather, it’s more of a civil matter,” Badgley said, “because they share a building. Someone could have borrowed the ladder and not known that it isn’t theirs (AT&T’s).”

Before the ladder dispute, Phillips was already feuding with the phone company over an access road that connects the cell tower site to Route 92. He says the roadway has eroded to the point where it’s unsafe to drive on.

6 Comments on "Caz Man Miffed Over ‘Borrowed’ Step Ladder"

Don Gillespie on Tue, 5th Jan 2010 11:32 am

Dang Phone Nazi’s, you sure do get their attention if the shoe is on the other foot. Get’em Randy!

K2CAZ on Tue, 5th Jan 2010 1:22 pm

Makes you wonder about our society when a couple is so poor they get caught shop lifting BABY FORMULA, can’t make the $500 bail, and spend New Years Eve in jail.

This article is about a rich company just being arrogant ignoring the law while they make enormous amounts of money.

Truth is indeed stranger than fiction.

K2CAZ on Wed, 6th Jan 2010 9:28 am

Just the type of sterling folks that you would want for neighbors. NOT!

N2NRJ on Wed, 6th Jan 2010 8:12 pm

Keep after them Randy…..you’ll get their attention eventually…!!Amazing how these people feel they are above the law…*I’LL* come up and get ur ladder for you.. (grin)

Dibby on Thu, 28th Jan 2010 3:47 am

I don’t suppose you can climb over the fence. Nah, too easy.
So sue ‘em! Small claims court. Yeah, it costs a few bucks but it’s the principle, right? They will probably ignore the suit and you’ll win by default.
Then you’ll have a judgement against them for the value of the ladder. Not much, but you can bombard them with letters, phone calls, etc. Just like the credit card guys do. Copy one of those recorded messages that ask them to call you back. Call every phone number that they will answer, especially ATT corporate headquarters. Name names – Make sure Marcia gets a call from some high mucky-muck vice-president asking what the hell she’s doing down there. THAT will get her attention.
Don’t call before 7am or after 9pm, it’s against the law.
Make copies of this news story and send it to the Public Relations department(s). AT&T doesn’t need bad press, they have armies of PR guys to ‘spin’ stories to make them look good.

K2CAZ on Tue, 9th Feb 2010 10:25 am

The “fence” is inside the building and runs floor to ceiling and wall to wall. No way to climb over or would have done that already.

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Caz Man Miffed Over ‘Borrowed’ Step Ladder

Claims AT&T workers helped themselves two months ago, property remains unreturned

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