Exclusive: $556,000 Nabbed From Safety Deposit Box And Now This Citibank Customer Wants Answers
SHERMAN OAKS (CBSLA.com) — A Citibank customer says she dropped off more than half a million dollars in cash and jewelry at her safety deposit box before going on vacation and came back to find it all gone.
The woman, who only wanted to be identified as Janna for security reasons, said it happened at the Citibank at 4464 Van Nuys Boulevard in Sherman Oaks.
"It's not replaceable, what's been stolen from me, stolen from my heart," she said.
Janna said she dropped off 43 pieces of custom jewelry, family heirlooms, watches and cash totaling $556,000 before she and her husband headed on a 3-week vacation in June.
When she came back to the bank two weeks ago Janna "touched the box. I found it was very, very light. My heart stopped."
Janna said she opened the box in front of the teller and it was empty.
No one besides Janna had signed to access the box and only she and the bank have keys. Both keys supposedly have to be used simultaneously to open the box.
Attorney Diana Aizman, in Sherman Oaks, represents Janna. She said the LAPD took a report but she was told Citibank was tasked with investigating the matter themselves.
That's something she and Janna don't trust.
Aizman said she was told surveillance video in the bank only captures the vault entrance, not the boxes, which are not insured.
She said her clients have been treated like criminals.
"We have nothing to gain, no reason to lie. These were uninsured items, that's the reason they were in the box, they were uninsured," Janna said.
The customer said she favored what she thought was security over costly insurance. But she hopes others hear her cautionary story.
A Citibank spokesperson said they can't comment on the case, but that they generally take any lost content claim very seriously. They also said investigators not from this branch are looking into the matter.
