I Finally got Caught Last Monday Morning

[JHS]

Gents
A question
My 2016 GLc, the one that is now in Africa or Romania or broken into its constituent parts, had a steering wheel which had a flat section at the bottom.
When I look through Autotrader, all the GLc's on offer ard the same.
EXCEPT, the one that I'm buying, which has properly circular steering wheel

Any thoughts chaps?

Could it be that your new one is not an AMG Line?

 

[Big Janner]

Could it be that your new one is not an AMG Line?

Now there's a thought!
I'll check via the vin number.

Now . . . More interesting;
Got a call from Essex Police this morning
The Met have recovered my car! and I'm notified on the day I took delivery of its replacement.

Apparently it's at the Police pound in Perivale.
It's not mine now, so my only interest is in getting back the stuff I didn't claim for on the insurance;
Prescription sunglasses
Boots; walking for the use of
Photos of my wife
Some papers related to the death of my nephew, which I planned to give to his mum when I see her in a couple of weeks.
Some other bits and pieces

Guess what;
There is no phone number for the Perivale pound, on which I can talk to a real, breathing person.
Back to the email and a minimum 2 day wait.

God . . .there are times when I hate the advance of technology, I mean, really hate it

 

[HappytalkAgain]

Could it be that your new one is not an AMG Line?

This ^^

Standard steering wheel on ‘Sport’ trim. Flat bottomed in ‘AMG-Line’ and above.

 

[AMGeed]

No human reply or a robot ?

Phone: 020 7161 0944

 

[MeQ]

Now there's a thought!
I'll check via the vin number.

Now . . . More interesting;
Got a call from Essex Police this morning
The Met have recovered my car! and I'm notified on the day I took delivery of its replacement.

Apparently it's at the Police pound in Perivale.
It's not mine now, so my only interest is in getting back the stuff I didn't claim for on the insurance;
Prescription sunglasses
Boots; walking for the use of
Photos of my wife
Some papers related to the death of my nephew, which I planned to give to his mum when I see her in a couple of weeks.
Some other bits and pieces

Guess what;
There is no phone number for the Perivale pound, on which I can talk to a real, breathing person.
Back to the email and a minimum 2 day wait.

God . . .there are times when I hate the advance of technology, I mean, really hate it

Would you have wanted it back had the claim not settled yet?

 

[SpikyMikey]

Would you have wanted it back had the claim not settled yet?

Personally, I wouldn't want it back if it were mine, but getting back the precious personal stuff I'd take as a win.

 

[Big Janner]

Would you have wanted it back had the claim not settled yet?

No, thanks

I very glad the process of claiming was quick and fairly stress free.
Anything else and I may not have had a choice.

I'd like some of the personal bits and bobs back though

 

[Big Janner]

Personally, I wouldn't want it back if it were mine, but getting back the precious personal stuff I'd take as a win.

I got an email address for the Perivale pound from a lady working the phones for the Met.
I sent a very polite email explaining my dilemma
I got a reply 4 hours later from the pound, it turns out the car was stripped of everything inside, including the photos and paperwork I really would have liked to get back.

It's sad, but, not life threatening.
Apparently, the car was not forensically recovered as it should have been, so no useable scientific stuff.

Chalk it up as another win for the bad guys

 

[AMGeed]

^ That's a great shame your photos were missing.
But look forwards and enjoy your new wheels.
Please post a photo or two when you get the opportunity.
I'd love to see that interior.

 

[SpikyMikey]

I got an email address for the Perivale pound from a lady working the phones for the Met.
I sent a very polite email explaining my dilemma
I got a reply 4 hours later from the pound, it turns out the car was stripped of everything inside, including the photos and paperwork I really would have liked to get back.

It's sad, but, not life threatening.
Apparently, the car was not forensically recovered as it should have been, so no useable scientific stuff.

Chalk it up as another win for the bad guys

That's disappointing

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

it turns out the car was stripped of everything inside, including the photos and paperwork I really would have liked to get back.

I’m sorry to hear that you couldn’t get your belongings back, after coming so close, especially those things with great sentimental value like photos.

A few years we had a car stolen and unfortunately our baby’s ashes were inside. Naturally we were devastated and thought that we’d never get them back.

Almost exactly a year later the motion sensors and cameras went nuts at around midnight, a child ran to our front door and ran away again so fast it was just a blur.

There was a plastic shopping bag left at the door, containing our baby’s ashes. The car and contents were never recovered, but incredibly the ashes were returned.

We had long since given up hope, and whilst the whole thing caused a huge amount of upset, I am still grateful that they had the decency to return them.

 

[SpikyMikey]

I’m sorry to hear that you couldn’t get your belongings back, after coming so close, especially those things with great sentimental value like photos.

A few years we had a car stolen and unfortunately our baby’s ashes were inside. Naturally we were devastated and thought that we’d never get them back.

Almost exactly a year later the motion sensors and cameras went nuts at around midnight, a child ran to our front door and ran away again so fast it was just a blur.

There was a plastic shopping bag left at the door, containing our baby’s ashes. The car and contents were never recovered, but incredibly the ashes were returned.

We had long since given up hope, and whilst the whole thing caused a huge amount of upset, I am still grateful that they had the decency to return them.

It's difficult to imagine how devastating that must have been for you both.

 

[Big Janner]

I’m sorry to hear that you couldn’t get your belongings back, after coming so close, especially those things with great sentimental value like photos.

A few years we had a car stolen and unfortunately our baby’s ashes were inside. Naturally we were devastated and thought that we’d never get them back.

Almost exactly a year later the motion sensors and cameras went nuts at around midnight, a child ran to our front door and ran away again so fast it was just a blur.

There was a plastic shopping bag left at the door, containing our baby’s ashes. The car and contents were never recovered, but incredibly the ashes were returned.

We had long since given up hope, and whilst the whole thing caused a huge amount of upset, I am still grateful that they had the decency to return them.

Puts my problems into perspective.
To lose a child is heartbreaking, to then have the little ones ashes taken must have been devastating.

Someone, somewhere, realised just what an unacceptable situation they had created.

I'm pleased for you and your family

 

[HappytalkAgain]

I’m sorry to hear that you couldn’t get your belongings back, after coming so close, especially those things with great sentimental value like photos.

A few years we had a car stolen and unfortunately our baby’s ashes were inside. Naturally we were devastated and thought that we’d never get them back.

Almost exactly a year later the motion sensors and cameras went nuts at around midnight, a child ran to our front door and ran away again so fast it was just a blur.

There was a plastic shopping bag left at the door, containing our baby’s ashes. The car and contents were never recovered, but incredibly the ashes were returned.

We had long since given up hope, and whilst the whole thing caused a huge amount of upset, I am still grateful that they had the decency to return them.

That must have been excruciating for you all Rob. Thank goodness for their return.

 

[Big Janner]

This ^^

Standard steering wheel on ‘Sport’ trim. Flat bottomed in ‘AMG-Line’ and above.

Yes, that was my understanding
My previous GLc had the flat bottomed wheel

This one is a sport premium plus spec, with most of the bells and whistles fitted, so it all starts to make sense

 

[HappytalkAgain]

Yes, that was my understanding
My previous GLc had the flat bottomed wheel

This one is a sport premium plus spec, with most of the bells and whistles fitted, so it all starts to make sense

Great choice. And no doubt smaller diameter wheels and larger profile tyres. AKA smoother ride.

Looking forward to photos and review. Health to enjoy.

 

[NickW205C63]

I’m sorry to hear that you couldn’t get your belongings back, after coming so close, especially those things with great sentimental value like photos.

A few years we had a car stolen and unfortunately our baby’s ashes were inside. Naturally we were devastated and thought that we’d never get them back.

Almost exactly a year later the motion sensors and cameras went nuts at around midnight, a child ran to our front door and ran away again so fast it was just a blur.

There was a plastic shopping bag left at the door, containing our baby’s ashes. The car and contents were never recovered, but incredibly the ashes were returned.

We had long since given up hope, and whilst the whole thing caused a huge amount of upset, I am still grateful that they had the decency to return them.

Just teared up reading this.

I'm so sorry for your loss, at least they proved they had some level of human decency

 

[Big Janner]

Great choice. And no doubt smaller diameter wheels and larger profile tyres. AKA smoother ride.

Looking forward to photos and review. Health to enjoy.

Yep 18" instead of the 19" wheels on the last one.

If it stops raining and brightens up a bit I'll get out and take some snaps

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Just teared up reading this.

I'm so sorry for your loss, at least they proved they had some level of human decency

It's difficult to imagine how devastating that must have been for you both.

Puts my problems into perspective.
To lose a child is heartbreaking, to then have the little ones ashes taken must have been devastating.

Someone, somewhere, realised just what an unacceptable situation they had created.

I'm pleased for you and your family

That must have been excruciating for you all Rob. Thank goodness for their return.

Thank you for your comments

We had been away on a three week tour of Europe and were heading home. We’d stopped in Affalterbach for lunch with our engine builders and that night we stayed in the V8 hotel at Motorworld in Boeblingen before doing the final leg home next day.

We were getting lots and lots of false alerts from our motion sensors and cameras which were keeping our children awake - they were young, it was almost 0100 and we all needed to be up at 0600 to get to the Eurotunnel - so we silenced the alerts.

We received a phone call from my father in law at 0700 as we were heading to the car, to tell us that a neighbour had noticed that our front doors and flanking windows had been knocked through and away from the brickwork, and were lay at 45 degrees.

We checked the cameras, and incredibly the first silenced alert was just five minutes after I silenced them, and was the thieves stepping on to our drive. Had I not silenced the alerts then I would have seen them and could have sounded the alarms.

To add to that, on the first day of our holiday the home security system received a firmware update and completely bricked the control unit, meaning that when the door was knocked through, the sensors didn’t trigger and the alarm didn’t sound.

It was a once in a lifetime holiday but as well as losing the ashes, the alarm failure, our dog also passed away on the second day, and when we arrived home we were greeted with cars parked on our drive and teenagers drinking in our front garden.

We arrived home precisely 24 hours after the car was taken, literally to the minute. A footballer who shall remain nameless was renting the house opposite - he was away and his home-alone teenage daughter had a Facebook party which was out of control.

Had the party happened the day before then the car and ashes wouldn’t have been stolen. Had the thieves arrived a day later then the car and ashes wouldn’t have been taken. Had the alerts not been silenced or alarm not failed then they might have aborted.

Minutes after we heard the news I remembered that I had taken our baby’s ashes to work with me the day before our holiday, and they were still in the car - I was taking them to have jewellery made with them as a surprise, but ran out of time.

We were all devastated. It was a very long and very painful journey home.

 

[SpikyMikey]

Thank you for your comments

We had been away on a three week tour of Europe and were heading home. We’d stopped in Affalterbach for lunch with our engine builders and that night we stayed in the V8 hotel at Motorworld in Boeblingen before doing the final leg home next day.

We were getting lots and lots of false alerts from our motion sensors and cameras which were keeping our children awake - they were young, it was almost 0100 and we all needed to be up at 0600 to get to the Eurotunnel - so we silenced the alerts.

We received a phone call from my father in law at 0700 as we were heading to the car, to tell us that a neighbour had noticed that our front doors and flanking windows had been knocked through and away from the brickwork, and were lay at 45 degrees.

We checked the cameras, and incredibly the first silenced alert was just five minutes after I silenced them, and was the thieves stepping on to our drive. Had I not silenced the alerts then I would have seen them and could have sounded the alarms.

To add to that, on the first day of our holiday the home security system received a firmware update and completely bricked the control unit, meaning that when the door was knocked through, the sensors didn’t trigger and the alarm didn’t sound.

It was a once in a lifetime holiday but as well as losing the ashes, the alarm failure, our dog also passed away on the second day, and when we arrived home we were greeted with cars parked on our drive and teenagers drinking in our front garden.

We arrived home precisely 24 hours after the car was taken, literally to the minute. A footballer who shall remain nameless was renting the house opposite - he was away and his home-alone teenage daughter had a Facebook party which was out of control.

Had the party happened the day before then the car and ashes wouldn’t have been stolen. Had the thieves arrived a day later then the car and ashes wouldn’t have been taken. Had the alerts not been silenced or alarm not failed then they might have aborted.

Minutes after we heard the news I remembered that I had taken our baby’s ashes to work with me the day before our holiday, and they were still in the car - I was taking them to have jewellery made with them as a surprise, but ran out of time.

We were all devastated. It was a very long and very painful journey home.

OMG Rob
Doesn't bear thinking about.