This stinks

[MysticalRockets]

Ok, sob story here, so hit you back key if you don't want to read it.


I was supposed to go to a club launch today. Filled up the tank last night, and parked the car on the street, like I always do. Got every thing ready for the launch, and let it all next to the door.

I start bringing stuff out this morning, and my car is GONE. It wasn't towed. It was stolen. Right from in front of the house in a quiet neighborhood.

Cops tell me 50-50 it gets recovered. It was an older car, so it probably wasn't grabbed for a chop shop. Most likely a joyrider, or somebody who needs drugs real bad.

If the car isn't recovered (I'm not holding my breath), we're in bad shape. That car was our lifeline. We're going to be basically shut ins for a while. 6 months? A year? Who knows. I have no money for another car. And with my back being messed up, and my wife disabled, we're in bad bad shape. I can't stop throwing up right now, and Mary won't stop crying.

Thanks for letting me talk.

Bob

[AKPilot]

Bob,

That's absolutely horrible! I am so-so sorry to hear that this has happened to you. My thoughts and prayers are with you guys and for a speedy find to your vehicle. Hopefully insurance will be kinda and get you as close to current value as possible.

[MysticalRockets]

Bob,

That's absolutely horrible! I am so-so sorry to hear that this has happened to you. My thoughts and prayers are with you guys and for a speedy find to your vehicle. Hopefully insurance will be kinda and get you as close to current value as possible.

No theft insurance. Car wasn't worth it. Its 14 years old.

[MarkII]

Bob,

I feel for you and your wife. A few years ago, a friend of mine had his car stolen from right in front of his house. His insurance company was prepared to give him a settlement, but my friend is stubborn, and he did not want them to write it off. He kept pestering the police to find his car. Eight months later he car was found in a parking lot in a neighboring city. The radio was gone, but everything else was intact. He drove the car for another two years before trading it in.

Almost 20 years ago, my brother-in-law's Jeep Wrangler was stolen from in front of his home on Long Island. (With a cloth roof, there was no way to lock it. If he did lock the doors, thieves would have simply slashed the roof to gain access.) It was found a week later at a ferry terminal, intact and undamaged; whoever stole it had simply abandoned it.

I know what it is like to be without your only means of transportation. At the end of last month, my car developed transmission problems, which required a tow to the nearest transmission shop, 70 miles away. It was there for 3 weeks. In the meantime, I had no wheels. Due to a lower back injury, I have great difficulty walking any more than about 100 yards at a time or standing for any length of time (even though I used to run 10K's, speedskated and did cross-country skiing, and was on a local bike racing team for a few years). My wife used to do most of the same, as well as hiking in the mountains with me on the weekends, but rheumatoid arthritis has sapped her strength, destroyed one of her knees (which has since been replaced) and is now destroying the other (surgery is on hold for now). She is essentially immobile and so I had to spend the three weeks schlepping painfully around town for the both of us in order to do the shopping, mailing, etc. It was not fun, but somehow, you find a way to cope.

Good luck, and let's all pray that your car turns up soon and is intact. (It turns out that way more often than you think.)

MarkII

[MysticalRockets]

I had a car stolen in the early 90's. It was in an open, but not visible from the street, parking garage. I found out when I got a 3:30 AM call from the New Haven PD asking me if I knew where my car was.

Something Chuck said on N3 fits here.

"100 years ago you steal a man's horse it was a hangin' offense. They should bring that back. One tree and a rope."

I sure feel that right now.

I expect that if we get it back, we'll have a busted window and a popped ignition. I can fix those. They're easy. I'm just hoping we get it back before NARCON.

[Peartree]

That lacks big time.

Prayers here as well.

[dwmzmm]

My car got stolen back in 1988; was getting ready to go to work in the afternoon only to find it wasn't where I last parked it (apartment complex in
southwest Houston). Was never recovered (my boss at the time "joked" that it was probably already in Mexico; no sweat, several months later HIS pick up truck - furnished by our company - was stolen from the restaurant parking lot
where he and the other Area Managers had gone for dinner!). Oh yeah, I had
only liability insurance (car was paid off already) so I had to work my _ss off
to get another car.

[sandman]

I had a car once... the greatest car I ever owned...I loved that car.

She's gone now I had to put her down.

A 1987 VW Jetta turbo diesel, she died at the ripe old age of 18 year 485,000 miles (at least, the odometer quit 2 years befor she did).

This thing got an honest 50 mpg! When I stomped on it the turbo would kick in and throw you back but...you had better not be tailgaiting me! This thing could block out the sun when the turbo kicked in and she was screaming at 5,500rpm!

The car was never never washed! There was a bird (a robin) that had some sort of emotional problem and would attack the side mirrors all day long!

This left a streak of white bird "stuff" down each door.

The floor was rusted throug and there was a piece of angle iron holding up the drivers seat.

Just for kicks I left this car sit on the street in down town Detroit for 3 hours and I left the keys in it (on purpose).

She was still there when I finished my work.

Plus get a stick shift. Theft insurance is cheaper. My insurance agent said that car thiefs don't know how to drive a stick.

[Pippen]

Sorry to hear this, Bob. We have a 16 year old Buick that my husband drives. In terms of dollars it's not worth anything, but practically speaking it's worth a great deal to us.

[jflis]

So sorry to hear of this. The only advice I can offer is to keep up with the police department. Stolen car reports seem to get lost in the shuffle unless you keep reminding them of it.

My son Joe had his car stolen from the high school parking lot. 3 weeks later, nothing. After a month someone told Joe that they had seen his car in the next city parked a couple of blocks from the PD, looked abandoned.

We reported this to the police. 3 weeks and nothing. We started calling 2-3 times a week and after 2 more weeks they found it... ...2 blocks from the PD, just where we said it would be...

So, chin up. Probably your best thing is that you say the car was of little financial value. It probably WAS for joy-riding and/or some criminal activity and then ditched. Hopefully it'll be found shortly.

[skycopp]

Oh man, I am so sorry to hear that.

[Luv2launch]

I had my current car stolen twice within 3 months, the first time I am suspecting they took it to new york city to pick up drugs and the second time not long after I got it back from the first time being stolen it was swiped again from in front of my house with my front door open didn't hear a thing by some people and I am using that term lightly who needed a ride to go pick up some drugs.the first time they stole my stero and cd changer all my magic the gathering cards which were worth a tight chunk of change ( I am sure those got tossed out the window along the way and some stuff for work.The second time they didn't take anything just left me a gift of a hypo needle on the dash board, since the second theft I haven't fix the ignition been starting it with a screw driver for like 2 years now but it seems that I can leave it unlocked and they don't want it now.My only wish was that it wouldn't have been returned becuase with the way theft insurance works in MA unless they catch the thieves fire and theft doesn't pay out it comes out of your compulsory so they sock you the deductable, damn car was worth more never coming back then being found.

just as an addon the car also had an alarm with an ignition kill on it which didn't stop them first time had to have been a two man job one to open the door/pop the hood the other to cut the line/ripout the speaker for the alarm, and the second time I had just gotten home from picking up my now ex girlfriend from work went out an hour later to get the new driveshaft that I had bought to bring it inside and it was gone, funny part is for drug addicts they left the 80 dollar driveshaft with the receit sitting on the box in the back seat.

[MysticalRockets]

A bit of an update.

Not recovered yet. But hope is still there. After talking with people, and a few phone calls, I learned a few things, as well as some things I forgot.

The Intrepid is popular with joyriders, because the lighted bezel on the ignition is easy to pop. 30 seconds, and they're gone.

My wife's cousin's husband is a cop here. I thought he was working for another town now. She called him. He's going to be hitting all of the dumping spots every day over the next two weeks, because he absolutely adores my wife. (He was a responder the last time Mary crashed on me.)

We have hope that we'll get it back soon, once they dump it because it ran out of gas.

[CharlaineC]

i hope things work out

[dave carver]

So sorry to hear of this. The only advice I can offer is to keep up with the police department. Stolen car reports seem to get lost in the shuffle unless you keep reminding them of it.

My son Joe had his car stolen from the high school parking lot. 3 weeks later, nothing. After a month someone told Joe that they had seen his car in the next city parked a couple of blocks from the PD, looked abandoned.

We reported this to the police. 3 weeks and nothing. We started calling 2-3 times a week and after 2 more weeks they found it... ...2 blocks from the PD, just where we said it would be...

So, chin up. Probably your best thing is that you say the car was of little financial value. It probably WAS for joy-riding and/or some criminal activity and then ditched. Hopefully it'll be found shortly.

....why didn't you go look/retreve your car? I kinda don't get this. I mean, when finding it a cell phone call to the cops, "Hey, I did your job and found my stolen car. Do you like wanna take finger prints or something?"

Priceless

[o1d_dude]

My daughter's Toyota Camry (wotta POS!) was stolen twice from in front of my house. The first time it happened, I filed a report over the phone with the Sheriff's Department and they I went driving around the neighborhood and found it about a mile away...within two blocks of the local high school. No damage and only a few things missing. Called the cops and told them I had located the car and they asked me to wait there for the officer they'd dispatched. Interesting conversation followed...turns out the Camry is the number 1 stolen car in the county due to the crappy ignition lock system. Simply file down the teeth of any Toyota and presto! You've got a "jiggle key" that will unlock any other Toyota.

The second time it was stolen from in front my house in broad daylight, I filed the report immediately and requested they not tow the car when it was located as I have friends with a towing company. About a week later I got a call at 3:30AM from the Sheriff's Department to let me know they'd found the car in front of a trouble spot across town. Apparently the thie(f/ves) broke off their jiggle key in the ignition lock. They didn't know about the key release button behind the ignition. Jumped the car's dead battery and drove it home.

Moral of the story is that you can't rely solely on law enforcement. The motivated citizen is a highly effective solution.

I'm hoping everything works out for you.

[georgegassaway]

Sorry to hear aobut your car. Hope it is found soon in good shape.

I moved last July from a rented house to an apartment. Of course they have no crime problems here, they said, before I signed the lease. 2 months later, I get back from our club’s September launch, to find the front door open. At first I thought I’d not locked the door, then I realized the damage to the door jamb. Also, a bit later, I noticed my neighbor’s apartment across from me ALSO had the front door broken into, but they were in the process of moving out (not home at the time) and there apparently was nothing that was taken from hers (she later told me an apartment another door up from us had been broken into a year before, and that he’d moved out).

Seems like it was a smash-and-grab, since they did not get anything “big”, not that I have much in the way of “big” stuff anyway. The only stuff that seemed to be missing was from my bedroom, some money and two old cameras on a shelf (one that I was planning to sell on eBay shortly after). Also, a computer bag that did not have a laptop in it, but did have things in it from a trip, such as my passport (canceled it), CD player, CD’s, cell phone charger, 250 gig portable hard drive (had won that at NARAM-50, fortunately no critical data or private info lost) and a pre-paid cell phone I’d gotten for my mother, but that she got little use of before she died.

A month after the break-in, I tried calling the stolen cell phone. Someone answered, and I quickly hung up. I called the detective assigned to my case to tell him this, that someone was actively using that stolen cell phone (I had already given them the # for it, of course). They took the info, but clearly did nothing about it, even though they could have tracked down the location of that cell phone.

I made an number of security improvements which go beyond significantly reinforcing the door system, and also beyond adding a security alarm system (but I will not go into details of the other things).

I’d lived for 51 years without anyone ever breaking in. The worst two crime incidents we’d had happen in the past had been my father’s car stolen during the early 1960’s, which was found without any damage 1-2 days later. And around 1985, someone who tried stealing a lawn mower off our front porch. But that made a noise when they did it (they knocked over something), and they apparently later realized they could not run at high speed at 11 PM at night (in a quiet residential neighborhood) while pushing a lawn mower, making a lot of wheel noise, so they abandoned it just past our yard.

- George Gassaway

[BsSmith]

I'm sorry to hear about this. I wish you the best of luck getting it back.

I know what it's like trying to get around with a back problem, I am one of few males diagnosed with moderate/severe scoliosis. On most days it's ok, but on bad days, I can barely stand up. I can not imagine what it would be like to live like that all the time.

[MysticalRockets]

I'm sorry to hear about this. I wish you the best of luck getting it back.

I know what it's like trying to get around with a back problem, I am one of few males diagnosed with moderate/severe scoliosis. On most days it's ok, but on bad days, I can barely stand up. I can not imagine what it would be like to live like that all the time.

Mine was originally diagnosed, by a therapist, as an overworked L1. 10 weeks of therapy did not do jack. It made it worse. I think they messed up. But with no health insurance now, I can't do anything. Standing for 5 minutes will put me in pain. Walking through the grocery store will have me hunched over in pain. You can ask some of the CATO guys. They've seen me have to stop flying for hours sometimes. Thankfully, during the summer we usually have alot of kids. They make good recovery teams. I'll prep like 5 or 6 LPR at once, get them set up, and let the kids chase them down. Win win for everyone.

Hopefully, once I do get some health insurance, I can get a decent electric cart. That will help a great deal.

[dpower]

Sorry for your car, and your other troubles Bob; Feel free to vent here, friends are a big help in rough times.

[MysticalRockets]

Still nothing new on the car.

I'm learning more and more every day though.

Odds are its sitting somewhere, out of gas. Just waiting until it gets towed. Then I'll get it back.

[Sailorbill]

Since everybody is posting stolen car stories.
I will throw in my two.
#1 In 1968 I had just graduated from High School and was looking for something a little sportier than my '63 four door Corvair. I found a '61 Corvette in a neighboring town setting on a Volkswagen lot. I test dove it with my dad and we decided I would buy it. Arranged to trade in the Corvair and talked to the bank about a $1200.00 loan. Corvettes were just cars back then. I was working for a newspaper and one of the reporters told me about an auto theft in the other town. I called the lot and told them I wanted the car. They told me "Somebody else is looking at it right now" to which I replied "Oh really. I heard it was stolen!" They were falling all over themselves trying to cover their backside and then they asked me if I still wanted it if they got it back? I told them to call me if/when they recovered it. A couple of weeks later they called to tell me it was back. Apparently an Army deserter had taken it and drove cross country paying for everything with bad checks. It was still in good shape so I bought it and drove it for many years finally selling it to a family friend who wanted to restore it. I really wish i had it back.
#2 I was stationed on a ship home ported in Long Beach, CA in the mid '70's and a shipmate had a '64 Chevy Impala two door hardtop, gold with a white interior. It was a car all the young Latinos wanted for a low rider. It was easy to break the vent window and he had it taken several times by joy riders. They always returned it, or left it close to his apartment. He got tired of replacing the window so he left a note on the car that read "The vent window is open, the keys are under the seat. Please return it with gas so I can get to work in the morning." He rarely had to buy gas.

MysticalRockets it really sucks to have your car taken hope you get it back or find a replacement at an affordable price. Sometimes charities get cars donated to them for people to use you could look into that.

[MysticalRockets]

MysticalRockets it really sucks to have your car taken hope you get it back or find a replacement at an affordable price. Sometimes charities get cars donated to them for people to use you could look into that.

Already looked. We're not on welfare, so we don't qualify. Of course, this is Connecticut. Not making 60k a year is a crime.

[MysticalRockets]

BIG UPDATE!!!

I talked to the insurance company. They wanted all of these documents. I had no clue why. We didn't have comprehensive on it. The other car does.

Because the other car does, some of the provisions of comprehensive apply to this car. Theft is one of them.

$500 deductible. And using their own figures on their website, it looks like they're going to be giving me about 3500 bucks for it.

I can get a car from where I got this one for that easily. There are also other places I can get an SUV from relatively cheaply.

Don't mind me, I'm going to sit here and giggle for a while. I can't help it. With all the stress I've been under, I need to right now.

[RangerStl]

BIG UPDATE!!!

Don't mind me, I'm going to sit here and giggle for a while. I can't help it. With all the stress I've been under, I need to right now.

No problem at all. You deserve a break and a little healing giggle!

Glad thigs are going better for you.

N

[Pem Tech]

WOO HOO!
That is fantastic!
Glad things are finally looking up for you.

[sandman]

BIG UPDATE!!!

I talked to the insurance company. They wanted all of these documents. I had no clue why. We didn't have comprehensive on it. The other car does.

Because the other car does, some of the provisions of comprehensive apply to this car. Theft is one of them.

$500 deductible. And using their own figures on their website, it looks like they're going to be giving me about 3500 bucks for it.

I can get a car from where I got this one for that easily. There are also other places I can get an SUV from relatively cheaply.

Don't mind me, I'm going to sit here and giggle for a while. I can't help it. With all the stress I've been under, I need to right now.

That does sound fortunate. Sometimes insurance companies do help.

A few years back I was driving down my road in winter. it was really icy so I was going really really slow. I saw 4 or 5 deer crossing the road in front of me so I carefully came to a stop.

As I watched the deer cross the road and go into the woods I thought to my self..."I wonder where the buck is?"

A moment later...WHAM!! He ran right into my door! His goofy suprised face pressed up against the window.

I got out and cursed that stupid deer...I mean really it was still light out...was he totally blind?

$900 worth of damage to the door. I collected the money from my insurance but never got it fixed.

Later...much later in the year about July it was hotter than blazes out and I went to my truck, was about to get in...Hey! What happened to the big dent in the door?

Apparently it was so hot the dent popped out.

Now...moral question...should I have notified my insurance company and if so what would I tell them?

My car healed itself???

[dwmzmm]

That does sound fortunate. Sometimes insurance companies do help.

A few years back I was driving down my road in winter. it was really icy so I was going really really slow. I saw 4 or 5 deer crossing the road in front of me so I carefully came to a stop.

As I watched the deer cross the road and go into the woods I thought to my self..."I wonder where the buck is?"

A moment later...WHAM!! He ran right into my door! His goofy suprised face pressed up against the window.

I got out and cursed that stupid deer...I mean really it was still light out...was he totally blind?

$900 worth of damage to the door. I collected the money from my insurance but never got it fixed.

Later...much later in the year about July it was hotter than blazes out and I went to my truck, was about to get in...Hey! What happened to the big dent in the door?

Apparently it was so hot the dent popped out.

Now...moral question...should I have notified my insurance company and if so what would I tell them?

My car healed itself???

Sandman, what did you do with the $900? Buy some more rockets?!

[sandman]

Sandman, what did you do with the $900? Buy some more rockets?!

Prabably!

[MysticalRockets]

Prabably!

Anything left over with mine will be used for my L1 cert.