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Has WILLARD ENGINEERING stolen my camera? Seems so.


Matt Stevens

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I write this with a very heavy heart. Back in January I sent my beloved Canon 1014 XL-S to Steven Willard of Willard Engineering for a clean/lube/service with an agreed upon price of $200. The camera was shipped insured and delivered on January 30th.

 

Up to that time Steve was lightning fast with all his communications via email and text. But once my camera was in his hands all communication stopped. He would not answer me to verify he had the camera.

 

Not until I left a forceful voice-mail in mid February did he finally return my call and explain the camera was in his hands, but that he had been ill. He promised all was well and he would get to my camera in a week. Okay, I can accept that.

 

Two weeks pass and nothing. I start emailing. I hear nothing. I text and hear nothing. I call and eventually leave a vm explaining I fear he has stolen my camera.

 

The next day he calls and says his wife is ill. Okay, but I have NOTHING via text or email stating he has my camera. He agrees to send me an email stating he has the camera and also explains he will do the job next week.

 

I receive the email on March 12. Since then, silence. Nothing. No response to any methods of communication.

 

This camera is very important to me and it cost me big bucks. I cannot just eat the cost.

 

Has anyone had an experience with Steve Willard? I have only heard good things about the man, which is why I sent the camera to him. But it appears I may have made a terrible mistake.

 

Should I not have this situation settled by the end of the week I will probably have to look into filing charges of mail fraud. That's a felony. I'll also have to go to the BBB. I'd rather not do that to the man if it can be avoided, but fact is HE HAS MY CAMERA and will not fix or simply return it to me.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just an update: Mr. Willard and I spoke today. He has been ill and unable to work on cameras due to his health. He has improved and promised to fix my camera this weekend.

 

I take him at his word and want everyone to know it looks like this situation will be resolved. Once the camera arrives I will update you all.

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There's a lesson in patience and temperance here. Having a 40-year-old camera repaired isn't the same as clicking through and waiting from the postman. If the poor man gets too much grief he may just retire and that won't help anyone get their kit fixed.

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  • Premium Member

There's a lesson in patience and temperance here. Having a 40-year-old camera repaired isn't the same as clicking through and waiting from the postman. If the poor man gets too much grief he may just retire and that won't help anyone get their kit fixed.

Are you implying that Matt was some how in the wrong for wondering where his camera was? Some people rely on their gear for a living.

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I'm glad you were able to contact people who repair our beloved cameras, today are often older people and it is normal that sometimes are ill.

 

In case you hadn't put two and two together, I am bending over backwards to be diplomatic.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I wouldn't have cared had he communicated with me. It was the weeks of no communication and ignored phone calls, texts and emails begging him for answers that pushed me over the edge.

 

As of right now Mr. Willard is being responsive and working hard on the camera. he has been for a few weeks now so I am grateful for that. All i want is my camera repaired so I am praying he can do it.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I'm not exactly rich. Owning two or more top level 8mm cameras is not exactly practical for me.

 

My Canon arrived last week. I tested a cartridge over the weekend and it went fine. I'll test another this week then send them off for processing and scanning. Fingers crossed.

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