Interesting call at 5AM = car stolen

[digitard]

Thats what happened to me, well not exactly, like a year ago.

1:30am my cell rings and the officer asks if my truck was in my space. I checked and it was gone. Someone stole it, jacked the stereo, destroyed the steering colum, trashed the interior and dumped it at a Circle K. Luckily I had full coverage.

Then a week or so ago someone broke into my POS Eclipse and trashed it, took the stereo and cut the battery cables and took the battery.

Funny thing is I live in a REALLY nice area in AZ. Picked up another vehicle and now both vehicles (mine and the gf's) are alarmed.

[Warewolf50]

Thats what happened to me, well not exactly, like a year ago.

1:30am my cell rings and the officer asks if my truck was in my space. I checked and it was gone. Someone stole it, jacked the stereo, destroyed the steering colum, trashed the interior and dumped it at a Circle K. Luckily I had full coverage.

Then a week or so ago someone broke into my POS Eclipse and trashed it, took the stereo and cut the battery cables and took the battery.

Funny thing is I live in a REALLY nice area in AZ. Picked up another vehicle and now both vehicles (mine and the gf's) are alarmed.

Wow that is some bad luck.

I am always to paranoid to leave my keys in my car, not bout the gettnig stolen part but about the locking myself out of my car part, and the really sad part about that is I drive an explorer that has a keyless entry code thing on the door. It jsut worries me that my battery might die or someting and i wount be able to get in.

[grw4w34]

My neighbor had his car stolen when he was inside of a store. He had gotten his mail out of his mailbox as he was leaving for the store, so his adress was in the car, as well as a house key. So after calling the police, he called me and told me to get my baseball bat and wait in the bushes across the street until the polce showed up. Smartly ( if you call someone who robs a car smart) the theif never showed up. Turns out he made an illegal turn out of the parking lot and an officer saw him. The rest is self explanitory....

[Lohman446]

Wow, that's incredible. I would think that the Ribbon would be one of the things left undamaged? Unless the car burned afterward. Any bends in the Freak kit? 90MPH on corners of dirt roads? That's suicide. I start to fishtail just going 60+ on our little backroad trails. The term "road" is an exaggeration for some of the roads here.

I forgot to mention, at some point he stopped and ditched stuff from the car that he did not see of value - all my gear was in the trunk which he was to stupid to open (its got a pull handle on the left of the driver's seat) - 92 Taurus. The Freak kit was in its case, so Im asuming it is ok. I lost a lot of papers in this, and am slightly concerned with identity theft as a result. This is where the police figured my car was stolen, when they foudn a bunch of paperwork (insurance and registration for instance) with my name on it and called me.

I lost two physical things in this, and both upset me greatly. One was the ribbon - luckily I live in a small town and the chamber of commerce which sponsors the "pumpkin roll" (great event, they close down a hill in town and roll down pumpkins - first one to the bottom of each heat gets a blue ribbon) will replace the ribbon (which also has a button on it), they are all out but they are actually ordering next years supply early just because of this . I owe them a thanks.

The other thing was my keys to the shop - which I expect are sitting somewhere or have copies made. So we will do the annual lock change (every January) early this year. It just means i have to go around to all the guys and vendors that have a key and tell them I lost mine...

You know.. until the ribbon, the failure to stop for poilce, and the attempt to run down an officer I could not be any more than annoyed at this kid. There are a few select situations where I would justify, to myself, stealing a car or such. If i can justify it, can I really tell him his reasons are wrong. Yes I can, they were stupid reasons, but I could have been more understanding.

I talked to one of the officer chasing him - when he ran he was blowing through stop signs, the officer says his car was at 100MPH and he was loosing him. He went through several stop signs, and was well ahead of the officers. Had he just stopped... I'd still have a car frankly and he would be in a lot less trouble and pain. I am thankful though... he did not hit anyone else who was innocent, and noone was killed. People make mistakes, he made a mistake, and hopefully he will live to learn from it and go on. Am I a wimp for thinking this - understand that had he been caught in the act it would have been at gunpoint and had he become a threat I have already resolved that I am willing to kill someone over a physical threat to myself or loved ones. I will not sit idly in the house while something goes on like this. Should that threat result from my confrontation of a lesser situation I will be prepared when it does.

I don't know... I have had a lot of problems in the past few months, this year has not been that great. I have always had the opinion that you had to face problems, get over them and go on, even if that meant getting professional help. I mean really this is just a car in the end, some items that will be replaced. But... well my kids have been through a lot this year, more than they should have to be... and this to my four year old. She can't understand why someone would just take a car without asking me. I have never beleived in mental illness making someone unable to do anything, and I have acknowledged that this flies in the face of medical knowledge. But to me, well it was just a lack of willpower, why don't you get up and go to work, that you don't face your problems, etc. I know good friends who have gone through mental issues and come through them... its not that Im callous. This is just karmas way of showing me just a small fraction of what these people must feel... there comes a point where you look out and say you dont want to do this thing anymore... I will, its a phase, I'm not asking for pity.. I'm trying to express what I feel at this point.

[Rob218]

Express away. I'm sure everyone here, including myself, will listen to you let it out, and will help you through it. Most of us are mature young, to actual adults, and will respect you. Indeed, everyone is lucky that no one else was hurt. Often times, cars accidents in which a vehicle is going in excess of 100 MPH leave no survivors, and the cars look like crushed sardine cans.

Approximately how much time did he have to "joy ride" until the police caught on to him? Do you know how old the kid was? Is he "of age" yet to where penalties will be just as strict as they are to other adults? In my opinion, commit the crime, do the time. It takes alot to look at it as just material belongings. Most people, including myself would be furious, and would be out on the hunt for him.

I used to live in a so called "neighborhood" in which my neighbors were too far away, and if anything happened there we'd be all alone. When I lived there we'd have windows get smashed, someone broke into our garage, tried to set it on fire...Our cars were keyed while out front of the house. It's just one of those things where you're so used to knowing everything that normally happens in your "domain," and then some person comes and messes that sense of security all up.

[Lohman446]

Approximately how much time did he have to "joy ride" until the police caught on to him? Do you know how old the kid was? Is he "of age" yet to where penalties will be just as strict as they are to other adults? In my opinion, commit the crime, do the time. It takes alot to look at it as just material belongings. Most people, including myself would be furious, and would be out on the hunt for him..

The police were chasing him at 10PM last night around here on foot - I saw my car at 11. At 5AM this morning it was definetly gone... likely gone about midnight last night. He crashed just after 9AM this morning... so he had it for quite awhile, and was involved in pursuit (active) for at least 25 minutes though they were trying to find him since last night.

He's 16, he'll be out within a year, likely a month. So he's not going to learn, he's been in and out of juvenile on probation etc for some time. HIs family sucks (not against them, they just well are known to live this lifestyle). The police figure its just a matter of time before the calender catches him or someone shoots him. On officer flat out told me that he would either be in prison or dead by the time he was 20.

The police would tell me where he is if I wanted revenge... they have removed him from the county though for treatment at this point, and will detain him there to make future escape harer. In fact they told me where he was, and I kinda didn't pay attention, just didn't want to know.

[Chipper]

Say with me now people.....

"Garage"


Now that thats done I will continue to say that that sucks, all of your storys. I am making sure that I never ever leave my keys in my car and my car outside. (If I can help it)

[toolfan62]

ya sucks that happened but, everyone should always lock there car regardless of where you live

[PyRo]

Very few people around here even consider leaving keys in the car. Doing that is just asking for it to be stolen. Then you know what happens ontop of the morons destorying your car and nearly killing themselves? Some smartass lawyer will sue you for leaving the keys in the car a creating a dangerous situation or some B.S. like that (I forget exactly what it was but some little punk got a whole bunch of money from someone like that). On the other side sue his family in small claims court (up to $2,000), it is only $30 to file and no lawyers are necessary that way if he or his parents ever do get a job you get part of their paycheck.

[magmanl337]

Consider yourself lucky my friend. In the 12 years ive lived i nthis house, we ahve been robbed once, had 3 bikes stolen, and our van stolen. Luckily we got the van back. It was pretty funny actually, the person stole the car, but it broke down after 100 yards or so from our house. But when we were robbed they took EVERYTHING. If you've ever helped a friend move to another house...imagine that, GONE. TV's computers, game stations, vcr's, computers, stereos.... And let me just say that insurance doesn't like paying for anything. And its sad to say, that im in one of the best areas in the city. Its just little 12 yr old punks that steal the bikes and such. They jsut try to be cool. I keep trying to get my parents to buy a firearm, even if we never buy ammo. Back when we had our first bike stolen, i had to stay up all night after that, with my spyder sonix air and such. I even confronted the guy i nthe driveway, i just dry fired out the window and he took off. He was probably 15-16 or so from his height. O well, its just a sad fact that people steal from other's. When i buy my '65 Mustang (Less than a year or so) It's going to have an alarm system, and a GPS Chip installed into the console, since it wil lbe worth so much after im done rebuilding it (More on this later AO!) If i were you, i would take this kid to court. Sure i'd feel sorry for the parents, the least they could do is either pay for the car or give you yours. Best of luck my friend.

[SlartyBartFast]

Gonna lock your car from now on?

Sorry, but I'm real confused. You're paranoid enough to double check the house is locked and keep a loaded pistol around, but your unconcerned enough leaving a very valuable object (filled with other valuables) unlocked and with the keys in plain sight.

Make sure you get a judgement against the thief for the value of the car. Maybe once the ingrate gets out you can recover something.

[TMAXXKING1]

this might sound stupid to some people

i would like to say that this really sucks about your car .... but this kid seems to be in his own world of crap.....
i would say maybe visit the kid while he is in juvey .. and talk to him man to man ..
sounds wierd but i think the needs a role model .. talk to this kid maybe take him to a feild and get him into paintball try to be a big brother to the kid and teach him that life is what you make out of it not .. the hand you get dealt ..at 16 he still can be changed into a normal kid ... instead of trying to get money out of the family he has that as you said yourself doesnt give a flying turd about him ... get him to clean the yard .. wash the other cars you own ...if you live in a small town get the judge to .. make the kid work weekends in your yard or neighbor hood ... you might end up changeing this kids life . and he wont end up in jail or dead .. just my thoughts on it ..
and no i am not one of those kids that was saved but a few of my child hood freinds needed the help and no one was there for them ....

[Pickle]

SBF has a point about getting a judgement against the kid. I am not a sue happy person but if this family owns a house, you should have a new car. The kids is only 16 and the parents are still responsible for his actions. Good luck bro.

[Repoman-gene]

I hope the cop car was taping the wreck so we can ALL enjoy it on some up-comming edition of Americas Wildest Police Chase's....

[magmanl337]

i would like to say that this really sucks about your car .... but this kid seems to be in his own world of crap.....
i would say maybe visit the kid while he is in juvey .. and talk to him man to man ..
sounds wierd but i think the needs a role model .. talk to this kid maybe take him to a feild and get him into paintball try to be a big brother to the kid and teach him that life is what you make out of it not .. the hand you get dealt ..at 16 he still can be changed into a normal kid ... instead of trying to get money out of the family he has that as you said yourself doesnt give a flying turd about him ... get him to clean the yard .. wash the other cars you own ...if you live in a small town get the judge to .. make the kid work weekends in your yard or neighbor hood ... you might end up changeing this kids life . and he wont end up in jail or dead .. just my thoughts on it ..
and no i am not one of those kids that was saved but a few of my child hood freinds needed the help and no one was there for them ....

Well said TMAXX.... i agree with him, the kid needs a role model. If his parents aren't there for him, someone has to.