You might have seen the fuss that I've made on facebook and msn. I've been robbed (not literally) by the employee/owner of the Hosp Card and Magazine. Here's the story.

Last Monday, I went to topped up my snapper card for $50. For some ridiculous, head smashing reason, I left the card in the store and have totally forgotten about it until this morning. I searched high and low for the card and finally decided I must have dropped it somewhere. Good things about snapper, you can called them and traced it just like a credit card. Bad side, they can't do anything about it if the transaction has been made. So, having that small little hope that most people in NZ are honest and considerate, I called the snapper to check my balance. I knew the odds but still I was shocked when they told me I have only $0.90 in my card. Two transaction has been made yesterday at exactly the same store. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it has to be the shop keeper. I like to believe that they intend to return the card to me one day. There are ways if they care enough to do so, you can call the snapper and they would send an email to inform the whereabout of my card. A so called friend told me "aiya...it's just 50 dollars, if you go to max and buy a dress, it will be more than that." It's true $50 dollars is not that much nowadays. But it is not the amount that hurts me, it's the act. I have been their regular customer to top up my snapper and vodafon ever since I came to Welly. It hurts to know that instead of waiting for me to come back or call the snapper to inform me, they seize the chance to 'rob' their own customer and disguise it with the attitude of finders keepers.

I'm not sure if the outcome would be different were the shop keeper a kiwi european. I am an asian myself. But I have to say at such times, I am reluctant to trust asian shop keepers ever again.