Complaint Review: Sea Star Line

We shipped our car from Fort Lauderdale to St. Thomas, USVI in August 2012.  We used a Broker called Top of the Line Transport.  Top of the Line put our car with Sea Star Line.  We dropped off our car in Fort Lauderdale on Aug 15.  We had loaded the car with a bunch of things, for which we were charged an additional $350, not sure why, but there you are, they make the rules, we dont. 

Given the $350 fee, it would have been ridiculous to just put a box of toilette paper, so it is not toilette paper we put in our car, its costly stuff that  would be at least $350 more costly on St. Thomas and included items you simply cannot buy there either.  So you can imagine that there was quite a few things of value.  The car arrived on St. Thomas on time two weeks later.  We went and picked it up and guess what, when we got to our apartment we went through the car and discovered that things were missing, the more we looked the more things are missing. 

Among them, my tool bag including specialized electric tools, digital multimeter, bunch of pliers, strippers, clamping tools, etc..  all top professional grade at $25 to $50 a pieces (total estimated to over $800), two large boxes full of Tupperware, a brand new Le Creuset Dutch oven and skillet (over $273 right there) and food, we went to Publix and bought $298 worth of food.  We had purchase all king of food, knowing how much more expensive food is here on St. Thomas.  GONE!!   and I am sure we are forgetting other thing on this list.  We filed a report with their 'Risk Management' department, who just declared the claim 'declined'.

To which we answered with the following e-mail: "This is not acceptable. We had our trunk locked so nothing but a cooler was in view. Your company had the keys which should have kept our items secure---with the responsibility to do so. That you clearly allow open access to the vehicles in your care and appear to give free reign for stealing is negligent on your part. Clearly our car was carefully searched for items of interest. These were not small items that would be easily hidden. Did no one think it unusual that someone was carting out cookware and other kitchen items???

Word of mouth is a very strong marketing tool and if this claim is not paid I will take it as my responsibility to warn others about how openly you allow thefts. It isn't a stretch to see that this negligence on your part will begin to lead to not just thefts of anything inside a car but car parts and the car itself.  Please advise if you would like me to proceed." 

We never heard back from them.  From the broker we never got anything but empty apologies.  He had assured us that this had never happened before.