Suspected racket by security/waiting staff - Munich

Has anyone previously suspected that the Waitresses or Security were taking jackets and bags and turning them into the Lost & Found for some kind of kick-back?

It sounds crazy, but twice on this week long trip of mine this has happenned. The first day, my brother lost his bag, even though it was on the freaking bench next to us until it disappeared. It miraculously showed up at the Lost and Found and was retrieved for a 50E fee (it even had his check book and point-and-shoot camera still in it.

Last night I was hanging out at Fischer Vroni beer garden. I had a jacket sitting on an empty table behind me and was keeping an eye on it. Its not a an expensive jacket. I noticed that the staff was flipping the benches and my jacket was gone. This is by no means where it ends.

I asked the wait staff who had flipped the benches on the table that had my jacket -- they likely know where it is. Nobody knew -- consistent response was that it was stolen. I left bummed but had a nagging feeling that they were lying to me. A police officer said to get the security number of the head of security in Fischer Vroni and file a report.

I go back -- maybe 10 minutes later and repeat the conversation with security. They would ask me where I had left my coat and ask me to show them the table, then completely scatter when I took 5 steps towards the table to show them. Thats when I started getting pissed off and saying that I think they are deliberately being dishonest. The head of security comes out and argues with me that they do not have my jacket. btw -- nobody speaks English and can understand me, which is really convenient for them. I told them I was calling the police and the head of security literally walked around the corner and produced my jacket. I shit-you-not, it was 5 feet from me behind a countertop and the guy had known precisely where it was the entire time. Perhaps 8 seconds had passed from the time I said 'polizei' to when my jacket was in my hands.

Long story short -- I ask for the guys security number -- and was immediately manhandled and assaulted by one of his cronies and thrown out of the building. If they had told me to leave, I would have done so.

Is there some kind of racket with the Lost & Found? I tried to file a police report for being assaulted but the people at the Oktoberfest police station refused to let me file one.

What is the big fucking deal about withholding my cheap-ass jacket???

Sounds totally steckerlfischy... 50E to get something back from the lost & found?

Go to a police station this morning and report the incident. They'll take you seriously in the cold light of day.

What about the fact that I was manhandled by security? Should I drop that issue or persue it with the police?

I would think that you pursuing that issue would seriously get in the way of you being able to relax and have a god time at the fest. Unless you were injured I think you should drop it just for the fact that you have better things to do with your time.

As for the 50 EUR to get your bro's bag back, that's as sketch as it gets. I don't know who you paid, but you should have asked for a receipt.

If the NYT got it right (http://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=151178 - link to article in post #1) there is a fee to pay to the lost and found office:

ergo, 5% for goods worth up to €500.

You don't have to pay to get shit back from Lost and Found. That's the only dodgy part of this story.

Then somebody should tell the people cited in the NYT story to file a complaint.

you have to pay 5% to whoever found it http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finderlohn

So if there is an expensive camera in your jacket that might add up. 50 eur still seems a little bit too much though. (total value over 1000 eur ...)