Ever had your car stolen?

[Marlin65]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Been there, done that. Thought I had forgotten where I parked at the mall and wandered up and down the parking lot rows for 1/2 hour after the movie let out thinking what an idiot I was for not remembering.

Thats what happened to me came out and it was gone kids telling me I am dumb as I can't remember where the van was parked.
Turns out it was raining that day and someone needed a ride. They found it the same night a few blocks away.

[EmilyB]

God Tony, I hope she doesn't have to go through that. Perhaps tonight they'll catch the dude driving around. She didn't have much gas in the car....

[AndyL]

Heh... I was trying to have one stolen out of my garage... Just couldn't seem to make it go away...

Then this little elf (erm troll) came along tonight...

Whaddya know - 4runner fits in the back of my FUGLY truck

Nobody will ever steal my truck - nobody would willingly be caught dead in it

[fishoholic]

Haven't had my car stolen but I have had my purse stolen out of my car. Partly my own fault for forgetting my purse in the glove box and accidentally leaving the car unlocked anyways, it sucked to find it missing.

Hope her car turns up unharmed.

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by mark

Rather than calling me to walk over and get it, they had it towed to their yard, waited a week to call, then hit me up for towing and storage fees.

I'd be so ****ed off if that happened to me!

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Been there, done that. Thought I had forgotten where I parked at the mall and wandered up and down the parking lot rows for 1/2 hour after the movie let out thinking what an idiot I was for not remembering. My buddies even laughed and drove off (although they felt bad afterwards).

Turns out whoever took it kept it as his own car. It took them 6 months to find it, and in that time the guy put major mileage on the car and crashed it and abandoned it somewhere. It took the police 6 months to id the car as mine (stellar stuff - they wouldn't let me even see the car until "they" made the determination). What was left of the car after rotting in their impound lot for so long wasn't pretty. The guy had changed the ground effects and swapped out the stereo and speakers too. Ballsy.

And don't get me started on what a pleasant experience the insurance process was.

In the end they asked me if I wanted to exercise the option to buy it back. Thinking I could maybe have a little project on my hands and restore the car, I said "sure". They said, Ok here's how it works. We'll send the car to auction. We let you know what the highest bid is. You get to place the last bid, if you want the car, outbid the highest bid. I said, no thank you.

Most people I know who have had their cars stolen have had them found sooner or later, most usually sooner. Mine and another friend of mine's stories are the most incredible that I know of (my one buddy had a 1980 Pontiac GTA of all things ripped off and it was found in Hwy1 east of here on blocks - well, what was left of it which was basically the frame, maybe the steering wheel and the windsheild. Not pretty. He was absolutely convinced it was a Pontiac dealership in town behind the theft. I kept saying, no way, BS, no way. It's a random crime dude, get over yourself. Anyhow fast forward a few years and the police inform him they caught the individual mastermind behind his and other thefts ... and it was indeed related to the dealership, well, an employee at the dealership anyhow. I couldn't believe it.)

My case was never resolved - never found the dude, no charges ever laid, etc. Just an insurance payout that didn't cover anything. That's the worst part. It's bad enough being stolen from but you get stolen from twice - once by the theif, once by your insurance company.

Best of luck to her. Sorry to hear this. I empathize with her pain/inconvenience..

Wow that really sucks! I can't imagine having my car stolen, then finally found, only to be told that I have to buy back what was rightly mine in the first place!

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

It'll probably show up in a few days, a little worse for wear. Or it's hidden behind a big truck three blocks from the store. Don't ask.

Originally Posted by EmilyB

I have to.

I must admit I'm curious....

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Had my old 4Runner stolen from in front of my mom's place one winter when I came home to have lunch in between tutoring students. They broke in & drove it away. Recovered a couple of days later on Marine Drive with no tires. I had on big, almost new BFGoodrich All-Terrains 31". I heard later that there was a rash of trucks being stolen just for their tires because of the snow.

Never ran as well after that but then when I bought my new CRV, I gave it to my "little brother" (did sorta big bro thing with a summer camp) to drive back to Winnipeg after he flew here to be my best man at my wedding. Figured he & his dad could work on it together & get it running nice. It was a fun 4x4 that's for sure.

Anthony

[DanG]

Originally Posted by spanky

Ive lived in winnipeg before, unfortunatly if you havent had a car stolen from you living there.....just wait a little longer. They found it running in an alley about 2 days later. I am sorry to hear that happened. With the cold weather coming it will become an everyday occurance. Shut your car off if you are getting out please ppl. Its not a fun experience.

That's actually changed quite a bit. MPI is now forcing everyone who has a car on the most stolen list to get an immobilizer or the won't renew your insurance. The list of cars they can steal is getting lower and lower by the day.

Granted an immobilizer won't stop someone with a tow truck or if they have the keys, it has really cut down on kids stealing them to go joy riding.

[andestang]

A few years back, I left it at work over night (right at the building) and the next morning it was gone. I thought someone from work was playing a joke, but by mid morning after everyone had arrived I finally figured out it was actually stolen. They found about 4 months later. Never did see what shape it was in as I settled with insurance. Loved that little car - Cavalier Z24.

[EmilyB]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

It'll probably show up in a few days, a little worse for wear. Or it's hidden behind a big truck three blocks from the store. Don't ask.

I have to.