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Title: Stolen Post by TiberiuS on Feb 7th, 2007, 11:59pm Members who know me well might remember I've spoken about my aunt a few times before. About 3 years ago her sister died and left my aunt her car as part of her will, now in her 80's she barely uses it but I couldn't ever see her letting it go, it means so much to her (read STUBBORN). She had a garage for 30 years but now the council want to build and have made her give it up, the car has been parked outside her flat in Canning Town for the last couple of months. Anyway, Sunday morning I got a phonecall from her, in a right 2 and 8 - says her car's been stolen. She said it was there on Saturday night but she'd just looked out and it had gone. Told her to report it to the police and stay calm, that was that. Late Sunday night she calls to say the police have been in touch, car's been abandoned in a local side street and we should go and pick it up ASAP before it gets nicked again??? She was in such a state, I drove down early hours of Monday to pick it up, drove down the road where it was supposed to be but no car...went to the police and it turns out that it was in fact never left there, the officer who put the note through her door was mistaken - they saw it and gave chase at 4am, two youths dumped it and ran into some flats, police followed but lost them, youths doubled back and drove off again...car was then spotted twice again the same night. I drove around for a while but no sign of it, until today that is. Tonight I got another phonecall, car has been found in Upminster, is with a local salvage firm there, I'm to call them in the morning. Car is damaged but not written off, damage to the driver's door, broken window, missing ignition lock etc... So now I've got to go back and pick it up for her, get it secured and alarmed (no, it's a base spec 1990 995cc Fiesta Popular, no alarm...car thief's dream) and get onto the insurance so she can claim...no idea what the chances are considering the rock bottom list value of it. A bit of a rant but it really makes me angry, I know it's asking for trouble having it sitting outside like that but it's a free country and she pays to keep it insured, taxed, MOT'd and serviced just so some little scroat can come along, get a free ride and wreck it... I'll post a couple of photos when I collect it. Regards, Bruce :-/. |
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Title: Re: Stolen Post by jonnycab on Feb 8th, 2007, 2:05am Sorry to hear that Bruce. Although car theft isn't exactly a new phenomena, it is still very distressing for the victim....especially if they are elderly :( The realisation that you have been a victim of crime can sometimes be overwhelming & very stressful (I still suffer from slight anxiety late at night after that drunken idiot assaulted me just before Christmas). I hope your aunt isn't too distressed & is bearing up okay :) |
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Title: Re: Stolen Post by TiberiuS on Feb 8th, 2007, 11:34am Aye Jonny, I know these things happen mate :) Not that I'm surprised that it happened but I'm the only one who keeps in touch and I live miles away...no way she could deal with it herself. Been in touch with the salvage company, the car's being kept at the Upminster business park...no idea how it got that far without being totalled. They're calling back once they've looked at the damage to let me know whether it's driveable and whether it's badly damaged apart from the smash in the driver's door, then I've got to drive down and pick it up... Regards, Bruce :) |
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Title: Re: Stolen Post by jonnycab on Feb 9th, 2007, 1:27am I know the Upminster business Park.....500 yards from the A127 Warley turn off. If they dumped it near there, then they must be local to Brentwood, West Horndon, South Ockendon or Upminster. My guess is that it was probably dumped nearer to South Ockendon........as that is the dodgiest area in the vicinity ;) Anyway...good luck Bruce :) |
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Title: Re: Stolen Post by TiberiuS on Feb 11th, 2007, 4:08pm Well, went down Friday morning and got the car back, total fee to release it? £317.37 :o Damage wasn't as bad as I expected, managed to drive it back to her place - only damage inside was the steering column/smashed choke cable and they'd used the dash as an ashtray and melted some of the plastic... Outside they'd levered the passenger door open and distorted it and there was a couple of dents I'm sure weren't there before. And there was a nasty knocking sound coming from the back somewhere, seems like it's hit a kerb sideways. Got the ignition lock back together (these things are way too easy to start without a key), managed to close the gap in the door and left it at that. Ran her over to the insurance broker but they won't pay out even for the recovery fee, even though she's got fully comp insurance and full no claims, they say because the car's worth so little. The only way she'd get anything would be to get it written off and re-registered, no way she'd be able to do that. So, that was that, left the car Friday evening, glad to see the back of it and get home to be honest. Gets a call from her this morning, the bloody thing has been stolen again, was there last night but gone this morning, beyond bloody belief, nicked within 36 hours of being recovered, from the same place exactly a week after the first time. I'm spitting blood because I know full well that the little scroat who took it the first time must have seen me drive it back and sit out there all afternoon putting it back together, must be laughing at her behind her back, knowing this little old lady wouldn't be able to put up a fight if she saw them nicking her car. She's already been mugged in the last year and been duped twice by bogus callers... Regards, Bruce. |
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Title: Re: Stolen Post by Kjetil S on Feb 11th, 2007, 4:35pm :o |
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Title: Re: Stolen Post by Dave on Feb 12th, 2007, 1:28pm My god, what can you say to that ??? Sympathies to your aunt and you Bruce :( Losing a car isn't a very nice feeling. |
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Title: Re: Stolen Post by TiberiuS on Feb 12th, 2007, 5:50pm Alas, these things happen - I'm not getting involved this time, makes my life a misery too ;). I feel sorry for her but she's the most difficult and stubborn person you'll ever meet, not easy to live with or to try and help. In a way I'm glad I live so far away, if I lived around the corner I'd never hear the end of it... Aye, I guess that sounds harsh but I doubt I'm the only one on here with a much loved but highly difficult relative, I guess I'll be like that someday ::) Regards, Bruce :). |
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Title: Re: Stolen Post by Dave on Feb 12th, 2007, 8:08pm Amen to that my friend, you've done your bit :) |
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Title: Re: Stolen Post by ghia-x on Feb 13th, 2007, 12:27am Hi all. Sorry to here about the diffuclties your aunt & yourself have had. ??? :'( To put a lighter note on it. In the future its best to know. If your car is stolen or is involved in an accident & your car is taken away by recovery company, {you dont instruct them to do it, but the police do} as long as you get intouch & collect it from the recovery company within 3 days you dont have to pay. :) :) :) :) :D :D ;D ;D It may have to be driveable or trailered away!!!!! Sometime you need to take ID with you & insurance. |
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Title: Re: Stolen Post by TiberiuS on Feb 13th, 2007, 5:23pm Ah yes, but the police will only take it away if you ask them to, they give you the option when you report it ;) Otherwise it gets left there for someone else to come along and list it on eBay ::) Haven't heard anything yet, my guess is that it might not be seen again intact - to be honest I'm not looking forward to going all that way to pick it up again, I reckon secretly my aunt doesn't want it back, won't let it go but it's a burden to her I think... ...the plot thickens :) Regards, Bruce. |
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Title: Re: Stolen Post by TiberiuS on Feb 16th, 2007, 3:33pm Got a call from the police this morning, car has been found torched on a playing field in Canning Town :'( Ahhhh...I guessed this would happen sooner or later, was surprised it came back the first time in one piece and relatively undamaged - couldn't be that lucky the second time. I'm angry it happened but a bit sad for her too, not about the car but she still has the photo from when her sister picked the car up new from Rates Ford in Grays in July 1991, that car had a lot of sentimental value to her... I'm going down on Tuesday to sort out the paperwork. Funnily enough if she'd got the car back again she'd have had to pay another £320 to the pound but this way, as the car's been written off she might just get back the peanuts value of the car plus the money she spent getting it back the first time around. Makes me sick, these a***holes see this little old lady and know they can get away with murder - only last year she let in a bogus council worker and had £2500 stolen (yes, she keeps best part of her savings in doors). She's old and gets confused easily, there's nothing I can do because I live miles away and as much as I want to help, I have my own life too...no family anywhere near her now. Ahhh, such is life I suppose :) Regards, Bruce. EDIT: Couple of images after I got it back the first time last Friday. I always carry the digicam and take a couple of snaps if anything happens, just in case it went to the insurance... The damage to the door, not much but you can see the gaps where they levered it open, door is closed tight - lock and handle damaged... http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l89/TiberiuS1250/Fiesta2.jpg And the car, parked where I left it on Friday, nicked 36 hours later from that very spot: http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l89/TiberiuS1250/Fiesta1.jpg I dunno :-/ |
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