"Install my broadband within 24hrs or else i'll kill you!"

gurramok

Man goes to some length to get his promised broadband, you'd swear it was made of gold the way he kidnapped the UPC rep!
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0622/breaking42.html

Irish Times wrote:

A man has been sentenced for falsely imprisoning a cable TV salesman after waiting at home for two days for an engineer from the company to show up.

Dariusz Pelc (38) threatened to cut the UPC salesman’s fingers off and later told him he would kill him if his broadband wasn’t installed within 24 hours.

He was given a four-year suspended sentence but ordered to return to his native Poland to serve an outstanding two-year sentence for threatening behaviour.

His co-accused, Lukasz Pietruch (31), who assaulted the salesman, was sentenced to three months, suspended on condition he hands over €1,750 compensation to the victim.

Pelc, of Old Court Lodge, Firhouse, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and making threats.

Pietruch, with an address at Ballymount Cottages, Clondalkin pleaded guilty to assault.

Judge Mary Ellen Ring promised to jail Pelc if he gets into trouble on his return to Ireland. She said it was understandable he was frustrated at UPC’s behaviour but that his response was completely inappropriate.

Basq

Disappointed Craig Doyle didn't show up...

.. if only for the fact he'd be off our screens for a full 48 hours.

mawk

yeah, I get angry about technicians calling themselves Engineers too. but this might be extreme

CrazyRabbit

As someone who has lost 9 vacation days due to UPC engineers not showing up, I can sympathise. He's still an @sshole though.

mikom

"Craig Doyle will be eliminated"

The Gnome

So did he get his broadband or what?

frozenfrozen

I know it's bad and everything but I hope this scares the shite out of the rest of them so they actually start treating people properly

mikemac1

ordered to return to his native Poland to serve an outstanding two-year sentence for threatening behaviour.

Pelc has a history of using violence against others.

Why was this thug let into the country in the first place?

Are there any controls to screen for criminals, there are plenty here already without bringing in more

ctrl-alt-delete

mikemac1 wrote: »

Why was this thug let into the country in the first place?

Are there any controls to screen for criminals, there are plenty here already without bringing in more

I'm gonna guess something along the lines of him threatening the passport control people to let him through or he'd kill them!

mikemac1

hah, good answer

Sir Oxman

"Judge Mary Ellen Ring promised to jail Pelc if he gets into trouble on his return to Ireland"

Eh, return? why the fck would this asshole be allowed back in here?

event

mikemac1 wrote: »

ordered to return to his native Poland to serve an outstanding two-year sentence for threatening behaviour.

Pelc has a history of using violence against others.

Why was this thug let into the country in the first place?

Are there any controls to screen for criminals, there are plenty here already without bringing in more

No don't think so, once its EU.
Same way Larry Murphy was able to go to Spain when released. i doubt they wanted him.

Scioch

Idiots signed people up for broadband and didnt bother their holes hooking them up costing a guy two days wages. And they are surprised an employee was threatened ?

The guy clearly wasnt right if he lured the dude in, held him for 40 minutes and threatened him though.

Two lessons from this as I see it. People with a criminal history shouldnt be let into the country. And UPC need to improve their shítty service.

gurramok

mikemac1 wrote: »

Why was this thug let into the country in the first place?

Are there any controls to screen for criminals, there are plenty here already without bringing in more

No, no controls from anywhere in the EU. You could be a mass serial killer and migrate to Ireland if you like. Of course if the serial killer is known in his own country, their police might notify the Gardai of his impending arrival. If unknown, lock yourself inside your house!

michellie

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

As someone who has lost 9 vacation days due to UPC engineers not showing up, I can sympathise. He's still an @sshole though.

What how did you lose 9 vacation days ?

Diego Maradona

michellie wrote: »

What how did you lose 9 vacation days ?

The hood on his Cadillac fell down on his head.

Badly Drunk Boy

Do Irish people have vacations? I've only ever had holidays...

ejmaztec

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

Do Irish people have vacations? I've only ever had holidays...

Only when the Guards tell people to vacate the premises when it's three hours past closing time.

CrazyRabbit

michellie wrote: »

What how did you lose 9 vacation days ?

Very persistent broadband connection issues for almost 3 years. 220+ calls to their helpdesk where they keep sending engineers who then show up at either the wrong time of the day, the entirely wrong day, or just stick a note in the letterbox saying that there was no answer.

Of course, there was always the option of waiting 2 weeks for a weekend visit, but I'm rather impatient when my broadband isn't working.

CrazyRabbit

Badly Drunk Boy wrote: »

Do Irish people have vacations? I've only ever had holidays...

American company. Vacation days. It actually makes more sense. To me, Holidays = Easter, Christmas etc.

Jesus Wept

I'm on his side.

southcentralts

Used to work in call center, once had a granny who locked the tech in her living room until the TV was fixed, didn't threaten him though, although that might have gotten it working, she called me up to say he was not leaving until it was fixed.

*Adds hostage negotiator to the CV*

Sappa

NO wonder all the Irish fans had such a good time in Poland,they have shipped all their thugs and undesirables here.

King of Kings

That lad is a hero.

He stuck it to UPC for their ****ty service on behalf of us all.

I lost two days work (therefore no pay) waiting on an engineer that never showed , despite being promised after day 1 that he would be there on day 2.
Not as much as an apology.

When Engineer eventually showed on a sat (3rd day) said he'd nothing to apologise about cos nobody told him, told him to **** off then .Maybe I should have taken a shears (if I had some) to his fingers. I feel inadequate reading the story now.

mike65

I know how that Polish fella feels - NTL/UPC the name changes the service doesn't.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=33277

MagicSean

King of Kings wrote: »

That lad is a hero.

He stuck it to UPC for their ****ty service on behalf of us all.

I lost two days work (therefore no pay) waiting on an engineer that never showed , despite being promised after day 1 that he would be there on day 2.
Not as much as an apology.

When Engineer eventually showed on a sat (3rd day) said he'd nothing to apologise about cos nobody told him, told him to **** off then .Maybe I should have taken a shears (if I had some) to his fingers. I feel inadequate reading the story now.

He was likely just a contactor who was given your job to do that day.

chin_grin

King of Kings wrote: »

That lad is a hero.

He stuck it to UPC for their ****ty service on behalf of us all.

Are trolls illegal yet?

A hot headed asshat and his hotheaded asshat friend decided to resort to threats and violence after not being able to go on redtube? I wouldn't really be fighting their corner.

KindOfIrish

gurramok wrote: »

Man goes to some length to get his promised broadband, you'd swear it was made of gold the way he kidnapped the UPC rep!
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0622/breaking42.html

the guy did not know that in Ireland, if you are told the job will be done tomorrow, it mean - in the next 2 months..maybe...

Phill Ewinn

MagicSean wrote: »

He was likely just a contactor who was given your job to do that day.

Oh right. That makes everything OK.




Oh wait, no it doesn't.............

Capt'n Midnight

KindOfIrish wrote: »

the guy did not know that in Ireland, if you are told the job will be done tomorrow, it mean - in the next 2 months..maybe...

:rolleyes:

Before the wall came down the East was legendary for service,

A customer orders a Trabant car. The salesman tells him to come back to pick it up in nine years. The customer: "Shall I come back in the morning or in the evening then?" The sellers: "You're joking, aren't you." The customer: "No, not at all. It's just that I need to know; the plumber is coming in the afternoon."

MagicSean

Phill Ewinn wrote: »

Oh right. That makes everything OK.




Oh wait, no it doesn't.............

Why would he apologise if he had done nothing wrong? He certainly didn't deserve to be told to **** off.

Phill Ewinn

MagicSean wrote: »

Why would he apologise if he had done nothing wrong? He certainly didn't deserve to be told to **** off.

Pretty sure it's called common decency. Or at very least good customer relations.

MagicSean

Phill Ewinn wrote: »

Pretty sure it's called common decency. Or at very least good customer relations.

You aren't his customer. He is a contractor. Common decency doesn't extend to apologising for other peoples mistakes.

Nodin

Sappa wrote: »

NO wonder all the Irish fans had such a good time in Poland,they have shipped all their thugs and undesirables here.

I knew there'd be one. Didn't know who or when, but I knew there'd be one.

DarkJager

King of Kings wrote: »

That lad is a hero.

He stuck it to UPC for their ****ty service on behalf of us all.

I lost two days work (therefore no pay) waiting on an engineer that never showed , despite being promised after day 1 that he would be there on day 2.
Not as much as an apology.

When Engineer eventually showed on a sat (3rd day) said he'd nothing to apologise about cos nobody told him, told him to **** off then .Maybe I should have taken a shears (if I had some) to his fingers. I feel inadequate reading the story now.

Whatever you think about UPC, the engineers/call centre guys are not responsible for causing your problems. I honestly don't think I'd be able to do a job like that Engineer, because I would have left the "customer" with his head kicked in after a threat like that.

Fromthetrees

Basq wrote: »

Disappointed Craig Doyle didn't show up...

.. if only for the fact he'd be off our screens for a full 48 hours.

I went onto the RTE player to watch the Apres Match Craig Doyle sketch only to have to watch an ad by Craig Doyle before it came on. :rolleyes:

Only in Ireland could this happen.

msg11

http://content7.flixster.com/photo/13/98/21/13982137_gal.jpg

Madam_X

Haha, the nutter was standing up to UPC "on behalf of us all" - sure seems the social justice campaigning type all right.

LordSmeg wrote: »

Idiots signed people up for broadband and didnt bother their holes hooking them up costing a guy two days wages. And they are surprised an employee was threatened ?

Where does it say they're surprised he was threatened? The behaviour isn't in the least justifiable. Anger is understandable for sure but that thug and his pal deserved consequences (although the friend's punishment is stupidly lenient - no surprises there though).
The sales rep operates separately to the technician also. He just picked a soft target. How is it the rep's fault the tech didn't show up? It is atrocious not to turn up but I doubt the reason is simply "not bothering their holes".

Milk & Honey

It is only a matter of time before someone is killed. Do these companies not have any compunction about making appointments and not keeping them? People are supposed to sit effectively under house arrest waiting on their convenience. If it was a government department doing, that there would be uproar.

Madam_X

The problem is that the tech is not directly employed by UPC.

It's the only company I've ever had a problem with but they sorted things out for me really well and refunded me.

Sappa

Nodin wrote: »

Sappa wrote: »

NO wonder all the Irish fans had such a good time in Poland,they have shipped all their thugs and undesirables here.

I knew there'd be one. Didn't know who or when, but I knew there'd be one.

Same as there is always one from the PC brigade shining their moralistic badge to the rest of us who call a spade a spade.

Madam_X

... or a wog.

Nodin

Sappa wrote: »

Same as there is always one from the PC brigade shining their moralistic badge to the rest of us who call a spade a spade.

No, I'm pointing out the intrinsic stupidity of your statement. A criminal from any country here does not mean that the country in question dumped its criminals over here.

uncle_sam_ie

KindOfIrish wrote: »

the guy did not know that in Ireland, if you are told the job will be done tomorrow, it mean - in the next 2 months..maybe...

It's no joke. It's frustrating at first coming here and having to put up with crap service all the time. They act like they're doing you a favour when your the one handing over the cash. In a lot a of cases I've just learned how to do things myself rather then having to deal with paying someone else to do it.

smirker

I am not hopeful that the company will learn anything from this. I have spent days in my house waiting for technicians and washing machine repairmen. It should be an offence to mislead someone as to the time that a technician will call.