Patriot Ford, Inc. v. Wilkinson, Inc.

This is an action in negligence to recover the value of the plaintiffs motor vehicle which was stolen from the defendant’s business premises.

At trial there was evidence tending to show that: The defendant owns and operates a restaurant known as “The Ship” in Saugus, Massachusetts. The defendant maintains a parking lot adjacent to the restaurant and, at the time of the incident herein in question, offered valet parking through its employees to restaurant patrons and guests. No additional monetary charge was made for this service.

On April 19, 1975, an employee of the plaintiff drove the…