My Newfoundland Adventures ... Solicitor says "you're on your own mate!"

We have been seeking the return of our snowmobile gear (14xsuits, 15xhelmets, boots etc), and unpaid monies from MY NEWFOUNDLAND ADVENTURES for the last 15 months.  It's been hard work and cost ... despite us clearly owning the gear, (having the receipts etc) and coutless emails from him and his local "business mentor" Mike J, confirming the agreements between us.  The company and its owner, director, and only real employee, Martin (aka Marty) Hanzalek has refused to talk to us, or respond in any sensible manner.

When I visited the shop (in December 2009) to ask for the gear face-to-face, he called the police using 911, (aka 999 in the UK, can you believe it????!!!!) and pretended that I was threatening staff and scaring customers. Unfortunately for him I had recorded the whole situation and the police were very interested to hear the recording, and the fact that there were NO staff, and NO customers in the shop at the time - and all the claims of his were false and lies! They were looking at prosecuting him for wasting police time and false accusation.  I was told by the police that they've experienced similar previously from him ...

So after 15 months ... we finally have gone through the legal process and swapped evidence prior to "discoveries" (which is the stage before court, allowing both parties to face-up and be clear on their position).  Unfortunately, the My Newfoundland Adventures solicitor did not send their evidence against us, or defending them.  Why?  Because he wasn't getting paid!

Just after Christmas the MY NEWFOUNDLAND ADVENTURES solicitor went to the Supereme Court to request authority to be removed from the case he had previously been defending, on the grounds of not being paid by his client (MNA aka My Newfoundland Adventures)!!!!

Our claim against MY NEWFOUNDLAND ADVENTURES is over $20,000 and the return of our  snowmobile gear. (This is all public domain information).

Now he feels he can carry on without response to our attempts (over the last 18 months) to find an amicable solution ...   strange behaviour! ... its so unlike real Newfoundlanders ...

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Website award for CrazyAboutNewfoundland website developer ** (or is it??)

The designer of the CrazyAboutNewfoundland.com website (Daniel Gray) also built from scratch the new My Newfoundland (mis)Adventures website ... which was awarded the The Telegram 2008 the "Silver Spider Web Awards for Best Site Promotion" managed by Newfoundland's "The Telegram" newspaper   ....

Bizarrely the owner of the company (Marty Hanzalek) who attended the awards ceremony to collect the award, has still not paid the designer for his work and the website copyright!

The lack of payment or even recognition is an ongoing issue ... which the web designer is now progressing through legal channels.

Meanwhile, anyone dealing with this company and Mr Martin (Marty) Hanzalek should be fully aware of his business practices.  You have been warned!!

The website recognition - but to the right person???

** Award went to the business owner who had not paid the developer


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What happens when you ask for your stolen gear back .... ???

So we visited My Newfoundland Adventures last week, to ask face-to-face for our stolen snowmobiling gear back, (he has our 14 blue snowmobile suits, black helmets, boots and more!) and he refuses to even talk to us about it, let alone return them.

On entering the shop at Steady Brook, I meet Mr Marty Hanzalek the owner and principle in our situation.

"Hey, Happy New Year" I offer, "... I'm here to collect my stolen equipment". 

"GET OUT OF MY SHOP, OR I'LL CALL THE POLICE" is the unsurprising response. 

"Go ahead, I'm happy for you to call the police, after all you are holding my stolen equipment!". Getting no where (and after a total of 30 seconds) I leave, with Hanzalek on his phone ...

Later we get home and find a police calling card. We respond by email, but get nothing back, so 24 hours later we call into the police station, and find the police officer.

We had an interesting conversation. Turns out Hanzelak called 911 !!!  I pointed out that in the UK someone ringing 999 inappropriately is deemed "wasting police time". He shrugs and says its the same here, but he says you were threatening staff and scaring the customers.

"Oh I see ... well perhaps you'd like to hear the conversation we had" I say, putting my recording device on the table and pressing play!

Having listened to the 40 seconds recording, he expressed disgust in the wasting of police time, and the issue of false accusation in the report.   There were no staff present. There were no customers. There were no threats, nor shouting. Just a repeated calm request for the return of our stolen equipment.  I left the officer, considering what to do with Mr Hanzalek and his false accusations plus wasting of police time and inappropriate use of 911.

So, if you see Marty Hanzalek or My Newfoundland Adventures this winter ... don't forget to ask "Are you going to return the stolen snowmobiling equipment?"

thanks!

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