My car was stolen on Christmas day

32 · Retired Number Joined: 04 Nov 2009 Posts: 73061

Hey guys. Early in the morning Christmas day my car was stolen from the area where I park. I live in a apartment building with a security gate and you need a card key to get in and out. I guess it didn't help very much. Several other cars were vandalized but mine was the only one stolen. I filed a police report immediately. Today it has been 6 days. It was an older car but in great condition and unfortnately I had no theft insurance. It's a terrible feeling. Right now I really don't have extra money to spend on another car. My fear is if they find it, it will need repairs and possible towing/storeage fees. God knows where it's at. Has anybody had there car stolen or know of a family member or friend that has? Any feedback or suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks.
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22 · Franchise Player Joined: 05 Apr 2013 Posts: 17063

Sorry to hear Bobby

When I was younger someone stole my mom's car from our driveway. Police found it all chopped and parted out

32 · Retired Number Joined: 04 Nov 2009 Posts: 73061

Thanks 22.
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jonnybravo · Retired Number Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 30678

Sorry to hear that brother. Unexpected car troubles are the absolute worse. I've fortunately not had one stolen but have had major issues pop up throughout the years. That sinking feeling of having to spend throw cash out you didn't intend is awful.

Way back in the day (like late 80s), our family van got stolen. It was aToyota LE van that they thieves took for a joy ride. It was found a week or two later. There were some dents but it still drove.
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hoopschick29 · Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 4:06 pm Post subject:

My car was stolen right in front of my apartment building. This was 2010. I drove a 1988 Toyota Camry. Stole my old bucket. Longest 3 days of my life. They found it with the thieves in it. Took them to jail.

Getting my car back was as big of an ordeal as it being stolen. My car was in the yard for 10 hours. Cost me $250 to get it out. Since that was my only car, I took the city bus to the yard they told me it was at. I get there, and they tell me that my car was at their overflow lot across town. But I couldn't get it unless I paid right then and there. I asked the dude if it was at least drivable, and he didn't know. But I was more than welcome to go across town, look at the car, come back and pay, and then go back and pick up the car. I was BEYOND pissed, hotter than fish grease. I decided to just go ahead and pay. Good thing I spent years taking public transit and knew how to get around LA. The overflow lot was sandwiched in the middle of this barrio neighborhood in East LA. Took another hour to get there.

So I finally get to my car, it reeked of weed (and did for WEEKS afterward). There were partially eaten Subway sandwiches in the backseat. And apparently, they had gone shopping in the Garment District (Downtown LA), for a spree of caps and boxers and white t-shirts. My full tank was down to fumes, and I could barely get it to the gas station to fill up.

But it ran. And other than feeling completely violated and pissed that getting my car back cost me $250 I didn't have, I was happy to get it back in 1 working (albeit stinky) piece.
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32 · Retired Number Joined: 04 Nov 2009 Posts: 73061

I don't care about dents. I am am more concerned with fixing the ignition or the wires they used to start it. Anybody mechanical here that know how much this would cost to fix?
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32 · Retired Number Joined: 04 Nov 2009 Posts: 73061

Thanks for sharing you story hoopschick29.

I have heard nightmares with these tow yards ripping people off for the tow and storeage fees. I heard they are not regulated.

hoopschick29 Do you know how they started your car?
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hoopschick29 · Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 4:21 pm Post subject:

32 · Retired Number Joined: 04 Nov 2009 Posts: 73061

jodeke · Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 4:29 pm Post subject:

Ask your management who were the last tenants to leave that didn't turn in their key card. I lived in a similar apartment. About every three months or so we were issued new key cards. Maybe a place for the police to start.
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32 · Retired Number Joined: 04 Nov 2009 Posts: 73061

It could have been an inside job but it's not to hard to jump over the gate. Also once they broke into my car and others they got the key cards to get out. Mine was in my car although you can't really see it looking into the car.
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hoopschick29 · Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 4:37 pm Post subject:

^^VERY lucky. I was lucky to get it back at all. Keep your head up. Keep checking in with the police. Share with them any unique identifying 'flaws' which older cars tend to have. In my case, the back windshield was quite weathered and had a moderate piece of tint missing and apparently that was factor in them identifying my car as possibly stolen before they pull over the thieves.
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So glad we gave you your flowers while you were here, Kobe.

DaMuleRules · Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 4:49 pm Post subject:

Many years ago I had a Prelude that was stolen purely for the seats. It sat on a street in South LA for 6 weeks getting parking tickets despite the fact that it was in the stolen car registry. Finally got notice it was in a tow yard. It was in fine shape other than the missing seats, but I had to drive it home sitting on a milk crate. Had to go to the court to get all the parking tickets dismissed. Was out $1200 for new seats. I'm convinced there was a racket of guys who dealt in car seats who just went around stealing cars for the seats so there was a rotating demand for new ones.
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JerryMagicKobe · Moderator Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 15100

Your car was stolen on Christmas?

PRIME SUSPECT

32 · Retired Number Joined: 04 Nov 2009 Posts: 73061

32 · Retired Number Joined: 04 Nov 2009 Posts: 73061

DaMuleRules · Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 5:23 pm Post subject:

DaMuleRules · Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 5:25 pm Post subject:

Hammett · Star Player Joined: 20 Dec 2008 Posts: 9380

My car was stolen this month as well. It was found two weeks later and I had to go pay 400 bucks to pick it up from the tow yard.

Luckily it was not damaged and nothing was stolen from the trunk (I had a few tools in there worth about $200).

Unfortunately, there is no "stolen car" discount at the tow lots. Don't forget, though! Every day your car sits there and you don't pick it up they add an extra $40 in charges.
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ExPatLkrFan · Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 6:15 pm Post subject:

999 · Franchise Player Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 20266

I had my car stolen from a guy who I thought was valet. It was gone for 2 weeks and he racked up close to 1800 miles on the car

Ted · Star Player Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 3477

Had my 96 civic stolen when I was in college, worst feeling ever. Found the car a week later stripped clean. And had to pay a few hundred to get it out the lot. Car thieves are some of the worst people alive.

Huey Lewis & The News · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2016 4:39 am Post subject:

My parents had a 1988 caprice classic stolen off of our driveway on Halloween night 1999. It was taken by the same people who stole my best friend's mid 80s fleetwood off of his driveway, 8 houses down, on the same night. Both had that same lowrider, gangbanger aesthetic with black metallic paint. Friend recovered his that very same night. The police called him and asked him if he knew where his car was. "In front of my house, of course!" Nope. It was 6 miles away, run up on to a curb in one of the city's ghettos, scratched up, driver's window gone, stripped of its aftermarket rims and sound system. The cops told him it was used in a shooting. I wasn't so lucky. Our chevy was gone until my dad got a call from the LBPD 8 years later, and we hurried down to the tow lot. The car was impounded after the driver got himself busted somehow. The exterior was alright, but definitely looked like it hadn't been cared for by people who knew both of their biological parents. Inside, there were cheap baby clothes and crumpled burger wrappers in the back seat. In the glove compartment, more burger wrappers along with dollar pregnancy tests, delinquent bills, failure to appear notices, and SNAP paperwork, and, curiously, a brand new copy of Heart Shaped Box, still wrapped. I wanted to take it but the lot monkey was breathing down our necks the entire time. The interior reeked of cigarettes and cocoa butter. Someone did a great job of covering the VIN# with a fake one and the cops had to tear it off. They tried to stick us with the lot fees to-date but my dad raised hell. He asked me if I wanted to reclaim the car, and then I expressed concern about what financial traps await us within the engine. After exiting the car, we left the lot with only a strong desire to wash our hands. Car thieves are scum.
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non-player zealot · Franchise Player Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Posts: 21365

DancingBarry · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2016 11:01 am Post subject:

Sorry to hear, 32. Keep your head up.