A Bochur traveling from Monsey to Borough Park ahead of Shabbos had his trip take an unexpected turn when he discovered his suitcase missing after arriving at his destination — but thanks to the swift and tireless efforts of Chaverim of Rockland volunteers, the suitcase was recovered and returned just in time.
The Bochur, had boarded a bus to Boro Park on Friday morning. Upon arriving he realized his suitcase — which contained personal belongings including his tefillin, Social Security card, birth certificate, and other sensitive documents — was missing from the luggage compartment. He recalled that during a stop in Monsey, someone had waved to the driver, prompting him to briefly open the luggage compartment. The Bochur had noticed the door ajar and closed it, but it appears the compartment had not been properly latched at an earlier stop, causing the suitcase to fall out on Robert Pitt Drive.
The Bochur’s father immediately reached out to Chaverim of Rockland for assistance. Volunteers sprang into action, spending hours reviewing footage from the bus’s onboard cameras, which confirmed the suitcase had fallen off in Monsey.
Unable to locate the suitcase at the scene, volunteers turned to nearby surveillance cameras. One of the critical locations was RHP hardware, a store near where the suitcase had fallen. Despite being at closing time, RHP staff graciously stayed behind and assisted Chaverim of Rockland in reviewing their surveillance footage. The video showed a man retrieving the suitcase and placing it into his car.
An RHP employee recognized the individual and identified his employer — a local contractor. Chaverim contacted the contractor, who provided the location where the individual was working, allowing volunteers to retrieve the suitcase — completely intact.
In a fortunate twist, a Chaverim of Rockland volunteer who happened to be traveling to Borough Park for Shabbos offered to personally deliver the suitcase. He transported the suitcase and hand-delivered it to the grateful Bochur.
The Bochur and his father were extremely thankful to Chaverim of Rockland for their extraordinary dedication and coordination. Thanks to their efforts, the Bochur’s tefillin, important documents, and personal belongings were returned safely just in time for Shabbos.
