B*st*rds.

[SimonsMerc]

Not sure how to write this down, but I figured writing it down might help me calm down so here goes. Ignore it if it's incoherent.

Last night, I went out to the car to get my son's bag, which had been left there. It's parked in my mum's driveway, we're staying at hers for a couple of months while the new house is done up. While I was getting the bag, a group of young black men were walking by the house, obviously drunk and rowdy. As I was heading back in, I tripped on the stairs outside the house and fell over. What I didn't notice as I was picking myself up off the floor was my keys falling to the ground.

Well, obviously one of the youngsters did notice it, as when my sister came home about an hour later she asked where my car was as she'd parked in the drive. I looked out of the window and it was missing. It was found a couple of hours later (some ridiculous time this morning), dumped at the side of the road, keys in the ignition and run out of diesel (it was very low). It was full of rubbish - including empty beer cans. It was dirty. My new beautiful AMG mats were covered in mud. There's a little scrape on the rear, which I don't think was there before (although it might be). But worst of all my beautiful new Brabus wheels are horribly kerbed and scratched.

The police seem to think that there is precious little that can be done. I couldn't even give them descriptions of the youngsters apart from young and black (it was dark, and I wasn't specifically looking at them). They say that there's almost 0 chance that the offenders will ever be caught, and even if they were it would be almost impossible to prove that it was them as I can't recognise them, and I didn't actually see the theft taking place. The policeman said that there's been a number of cars taken for joyrides in the area recently, that I should count myself lucky it hadn't been totally wrecked, and that I should be more careful with my keys. I guess that's true. They had an opportunity and took it. Of course they also had an opportunity to say "excuse me mister, your keys dropped on the ground" but they didn't.

The police actually spent more time warning me about my registration number than they did talking about the state of the car or catching the "offenders". I have an "inappropriately" spaced private number, in that I have an apostrophe before the final letter 'S'. Yes I know that's wrong, but surely that's less important than this?

I'm still kinda in shock at the moment, haven't really taken stock yet. I was meant to get to work early in the AM, but I didn't leave until 7am or so. I guess when it actually sinks in I'll be fecking livid. But it hasn't hit me yet, so I'm still kinda calm.

Still not sure whether to contact the insurance company. I have a £500 excess, and I'm sure there's not £500 worth of actual damage. So I guess I won't.

Anyway I'm at work for the day, so trying not to think about this for now. Will think about work stuff for now, will think about this later. Sorry if this post is sorta incoherent, I'm trying to get it straight in my head. I've never had anything stolen before, it's a shock to the system. Those bastards were in my car. I guess I should just be glad I got it back.

-simon

 

[lotusmark2]

Sorry to hear this mate.
I'm afraid the insurance company will probably load you with a higher excess if you claim as the car was stolen using your keys.
As you say I doubt that it would be worth it.
Hope things look up a bit mate
Mark

 

[Flash]

Sorry to hear of ur misfortune... those animals deserve to be hung up by the b*alls and get what they deserve.

R u going to get the alloys refurbished or go for new ones claiming off insurance ? Try and claim of insurance if u can (if bonus protection) and get brand new ones and sell/refurb the originals and get ur excess back at least...

Flash

 

[fuzzer]

The police actually spent more time warning me about my registration number than they did talking about the state of the car or catching the "offenders". I have an "inappropriately" spaced private number, in that I have an apostrophe before the final letter 'S'. Yes I know that's wrong, but surely that's less important than this?

sorry to hear about that :

typical plod ... was nice and easy to tell you off about the plates , but harder to catch the theifs ....

hmm , easy target i thinks.

 

[peterchurch]

The little F**kers

The fact that they are walking around must mean they are local to the area... keep a low profile and Im sure they will turn up

 

[marc777]

You've got my sympathies - I have had cars stoeln recovered and it is a terrible experience.

Trouble is, in this day and age, you know that if you did see them again there is likely nohting you could do about it - take law into your own hands and it'll be you in the wrong and you'll pay the price - look at that schoolteacher with the airgun. Prison. No job. 'kin mad world.

Suggest you get the car checked over carefully though by a dealer, as kerbed wheels could mean suspension is out or damaged, possibly off road and damage to underside/exhaust/brake pipes (this happened to my Calibra) -

But then as my wife says to me (and she has a point, although one I struggle to alway agree with) - its only a car..........

Marc

 

[Pietre]

correct me if i may have missed something, but i thought you could take fingerprints from beer cans or did plodd miss that one. Let me know if you get your Brabus wheels refurbed as mine need doing as the laquer is flaking off on the rims.

 

[Satch]

You need to be careful here. Some of the scummier insurance companies are trying to extend the concept of "Keys left in or on car" exclusions of cover to a variety of cases where they reckon the owner has "failed to exercise reasonable care in safeguarding the insured vehicle."

A friend of our had this when their car was stolen thanks to the scum entering their hall and taking the keys off a table. Insurance company tried to argue that a reasonable person would have taken steps to secure the keys better.

They backed off eventually.

 

[Laters]

I feel sorry for you.
I’ve had a car nicked a long time ago and got a similar response from the law!! Makes you wander who's side they are on sometimes.
A mate of mine had his car taken in similar circumstances (his keys were lifted off a desk at work ). Luckily they didn’t get far with it.
He ended up fitting a keypad immobilizer to his car so that it wont happen again even if he looses his keys.

 

[mobeyone]

Sorry to hear that - but its a sign of times.

Not too long ago, i bet there would have been a knock on the door and heres your keys - you left them outside.

Agree that your insurance company will probabaly blame it all on you and worse case scnario, revoke your policy.

At least you have the car.

 

[peterchurch]

I suppose they would reclassify your car as stolen recovered as well

 

[OGiii]

Gutted for you mate.

You need to look at the positive side, it could have been a lot worse.

I would have been more anoyed about the coppers - my wife got pulled up for her reg on the school run, they treated her like shi7e in front of the young 'uns, including making her get out of the car and stand at the roadside leaving the (at the time) 1 yr old and 6 yr old wondering why mummy's getting told off by the police - 'cos she's a dirty criminal boys that's why........

Hope you get it sorted and try not to let it get to you too much.

 

[andy_k]

as others have said there will be very little you can do

scenario one

The police manage to catch the thieving little toerags and they say "nah mate he's a friend we didn't steal the car, he gave us the keys - he lent it to us and only got the **** when we didn't bring it back on time. Yeah I know it was a mess inside but we were on the way to the garage to clean it out when it ran out of diesel which is why wer were late back"

Unbelieveable, you know they are lying, the police know they are lying but it will never go to court because at the end of the day it's your word against 5 or 6 others.

scenario two

They admit to "borrowing" the car but even if they are caught they say that you left the keys in it - you will probably get your insurance policy revoked and there is certainly very little chance of them paying up - you didn't take adequate precautions to safeguard the vehicle.

It's bad luck but if I were you I'd put the word out amongst any of the local kids you do know and see if they are willing to let you know who was responsible. Now, I appreciate just asking them isn't going to work too well but (how can I put this ) if you phrase the question correctly then theymay turn out to be more co-operative. Once you find out who was behind it then get one of your friends to have a quiet word with them and point out the error of their ways.

Andy

 

[Madferrit]

good advice Andy.., sorry to hear about the crap you've been through Simon..

I would get the car checked over by either a dealer, or someone you know will give it a thorough check, then you can assess the damage to the vehicle, mechanically and cosmetically. I guess the main thing is that you've got the car back and for now its ok.

Unfortunately PC Plod doesn't seems to spend too much time on other issues but what needs to be done in the publics best interest so i woundn't rely on them too much. I had one of my cars torched at the end of last year, and the police found the petrol can which was used to cover the vehicle before igniting it.. but sods law was in force and they never did any tests on the can for anything.

The main thing is don't let this incident get you or your family down in any form.. if anything, show those b@st@rds that you're not going to let this eat you inside.

Good luck mate!

 

[PAUL R]

Like everyone else on this thread i feel sorry for you, There fingers should be cut off.

Lets just hope it happens to them, in there boy racer cars,(if they every could afford one) cost might not be the same but the gutt feeling will,then perhaps they will reflect on what b@st@rds they were, then.

On another point make sure to police know the car was missing for that period of time, in case they have been racing through saftey / speed camaras(cash generators) and gaining you some points for your licence

 

[grasmere]

I really feel for you I do - but I think your going to have to let this one go and out it down to a bloody annoying experience.

Even if you could identify etc etc etc - what would happen to them - ticking off etc, not worth your own time with the procedures

. . . now hanging and whipping, thats another story

 

[230K]

Hi

Before i say anything else, sorry to hear of your misfortune.

Not much consolation but it could have been worse, much worse. Spend £200-£300 getting wheels refurbed, get MB alignment check £150 and an interior valet £50 and put it down to a bad £500 experience.
I would not go near insurance co.

If the thought of them being in your car still bothers you then think about selling.

Also do not even contemplate trying to get even, they know where you live you dont know where they live and they have got all day every day to torture and harass you if they happen to find out that you are trying to discover who they are.
It is not easy but i would let it go.

Again sorry to hear all.

230K

 

[fwb44]

But for the misfortune of you dropping your keys as they went by, it would have been most unlikely to happen wouldn't it?

On those grounds alone, I'd say it'd be unlikely to happen again. BUT ... it was one of those things just waiting to occur in our unguarded moments. And I'm sure you'll be doubly careful from now on ...

What were you thinking about, what distracted your concentration, at the moment when you missed your footing and fell over?

Still I feel highly sympathetic and hope all this doesn't put you off your lovely motor, which if you cherish and restore it NOW will seem all the dearer to you for surviving its ordeal.

 

[prprandall51]

Following the suggestion to replace the wheels if your insurance premium is protected, in my experience "protected no-claims discount" does *not* mean you can make a claim and not lose out financially.

Your bonus (e.g. 60% discount) will still be maintained if it is protected, but at the next renewal the insurance company will adjust your premium upwards to reflect the increased risk that they perceive you to be.

They will then (oh so generously) discount the substantially increased premium by 60%.

This is good news in one way in that if you were not protected, the premium would go up and then by discounted by less (say, only 50%) so in theory you are in pocket - or less out of pocket. But you will also lose one of your "lives" and will find that all other motoring-related insurance is adjusted, too.

So, consider carefully before making any claim, even if your premium is "protected".

Philip

 

[zishan03]

Its times like these when you wish that we had the laws of a country like Dubai I believe it is, if you steal something and get caught you get your hand chopped off, plain and simple. I cant even begin to understand the mind of someone who feels it is okay to steal, that was your car that you worked hard for and those people could just trash it like that, what disgusting people!!!

Zishan