Our car was stolen last night.

[rbnyc]

:grr:

Cliff just signed up for theft insurance starting in March so if it were stolen next week, we'd be covered. But since it was stolen in February, we are shit out of luck.

Has anyone ever had a stolen car actually found and returned by the cops. What do you think our chances are?

Anyway, this truly sucks. I feel terrible for my husband. He needs that vehicle for his shows, and he borrowed money to pay for it, so he still has to pay back the money even tho he has no car.

I hope we get a huge settlement from our accident case soon, so I can buy him a new car. But that will take forever, and who knows how much we'll get. I just wish I could make this all better right now, but I can't do anything. It sucks.

Oh well. Had to vent. Thanks.

[bif]

1. Lots of times it's just used for a joy ride

Our neighbor had his Jeep stolen. It turned up a couple days later in another suburb. Stolen tape player and a broken window. But otherwise fine. It'll probably turn up.

[rbnyc]

19. I hope you're right.

I will let you all know for sure one way or the other.

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

2. Kiss it goodbye.

My wife had her's stolen. They caught the perps after they flipped and totaled it. They were required to pay restitution. That was 20 years ago. SHe hasn't seen one penny yet and she finally gave up.

That sucks. Sorry to hear it.

[rbnyc]

18. Thanks. I'm afraid you may be right.

Now my husband is saying that the cops said another car like ours was broken into, but they couldn't start it. So if they were looking for a particular kind of car, they were looking for parts I'm sure.

Crap!

[proud patriot]

3. Yes ... My neighbors car was stolen , found , and returned

He's a liberal too , came up to the door before the Iraq
Invasion looking for a bumpersticker .

Anyway , the car had not been damaged or anything .

Think Positive Thoughts :-)

[rbnyc]

20. I'll try.

Thanks.
;-)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Depends on the kind of car

If it's a HONDA or similar, it will be found stripped and the parts traded on the black market.

If you guys need a helping hand after all you've been through..set up a pAYPAL...many of us will contribute.

Sorry honey...remain calm..you've survived much worse. :loveya:

[rbnyc]

11. I don't even know what kind of car it is. LOL

That's how much I pay attention. If I heard the name, I'd probably recognize it.

My co-workers are saying that it's probably been stripped down to parts by now.

I'm worried about Cliff.

[trogdor]

12. Insurance companies won't touch used parts anymore...

...for this reason. Besides that, it seems the VIN numbers wind up in inconvenient places on a lot of these parts nowadays. Honda is an industry leader in this kind of initiative.

[Another Bill C.]

5. I got mine back.

By the time I got it back, it had two parking tickets.

You might have to go looking for it yourself.

[rbnyc]

21. Cool.

A couple parking tickets would be fine with me. Thanks.

[SOteric]

6. It's complicated, I think, by that fact that you're in New York.

Out here, stolen cars are often recovered. They're used for joy-riding, gang initiations, getaway vehicles, etc. And then found abandoned in some remote location, often slightly worse for wear but driveable.

As I understand it, however, New York adds the potential that the car could be stripped down and sold for parts and scrap. For reasons I can't explain, we see that less here.)

I'm really sorry for your vexations. :pals: But I'm glad that the car traumas this time round have left everyone healthy. We're gonna have to organise a monthly karma vigil for you folks or something.

[rbnyc]

10. LOL

Monthly karma vigils sound like a good idea. Thanks for putting a smile on my face.

[GOPisEvil]

7. Argh! I've heard of vehicles being returned after being used in a joyride.

And I've heard of them just being stripped for parts. I'll definitely think positive thoughts for you and Cliff.

:hug:

[rbnyc]

13. Thanks.

I feel so bad for him. I hope it somehow turns out to be ok.

[lovedems]

As a matter of fact, I have had a car stolen.

And returned.

I had a Toyota Celica when I lived in San Francisco. My car was stolen in broad daylight. By a stroke of luck, the cops found my car and the theives on the way to Utah.

My car was returned with a busted out drivers seat window and blood all over the front seat. They obviously cut themselves bad. It was very bloody.

I could not drive the car for awhile because it felt very weird. It was a very violating feeling.

[rbnyc]

14. Wow.

That's creepy. I would have been weirded out too. Glad they found it tho.

[Bertha Venation]

8. SFD!

Shit fuck & damn! I'm so sorry to hear it. :grr:

[rbnyc]

16. SFD is right!

Thanks.

[Bertha Venation]

24. I lost my head one day when I saw

a tall thin young man bust out the back window of my old Starlet. I screamed out the window at him and he ran away. I called 911, upset far beyond what the situation called for (hysterical) and a cop came & said all he could do was take a report for my insurance.

A few days later, once I calmed down, I had to admit to myself that they guy looked terribly raggedy . . . and I did have a sleeping bag in the back seat . . . I felt ashamed. The guy shouldn't have busted my window but I didn't need the sleeping bag. I wish I'd've realized what he was after and let him get away with it.

[trogdor]

9. My hat's off to the Jefferson Co. (NY) Sheriff's Dept.

They caught the perps only a few miles from my house, where they stole the vehicle. Seems they were driving it someplace they shouldn't have been, and they got stopped. For hours, they swore up and down they had permission to drive the car (which had a bunch of stolen merch inside), since they had my wife's set of keys which were inadvertently dropped onto the floor inside the car. Aside from the CD player they trashed when they clumsily ripped it out of the dash, there was no damage.

I made sure the punks who had the audacity to do this on a military installation did time.

[rbnyc]

15. Wow.

Well, I hope the whoever stole ours gets caught too. I don't understand people.

[flamingyouth]

17. Oh, that sucks

But if it is any consolation, my car was stolen when I was in college. The cops found it a few blocks away, and it was in okay condition (just a few dents, but it was an old car). Here's the weird thing, though: there were six cans of black olives in the back seat when I got it back. :shrug: Never have quite figured that one out!

Good luck! :loveya:

[rbnyc]

22. That's very weird!

Glad you got it back tho.

[Rainbowreflect]

23. Our truck was stolen a few years ago.

We did get it back in about a week, but it was trashed.
I'm sorry this happened to you both.

[rbnyc]

25. Thanks.

I just feel so bad for my husband. He works so hard and has the worst luck. He tries not to get discouraged, but we've been through so much. I just feel helpless.

Anyway, thanks again. It could be much worse, and we do have some wonderful things to be grateful for.

[Rainbowreflect]

31. Please keep us up to date and let us know if we can help.

You have both been through so much.

[KCDem]

26. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it comes up!

Keep us updated. Geez, and it'd have been insured in just a few days... figures, huh?

[MI Cherie]

27. Our car was stolen ...

... on a very rainy night. Said car made horrible groaning noises when driven in the rain. It was found less than two blocks from our home. They probably thought it wouldn't make it very far!

Hope things get better for you.

[tom_paine]

28. My car was stolen August 1999. Found by cops Sept. 1999

This was in a Big City where I was certain such things didn't happen.

Surprise.

Unfortunately, the damage was so extensive the insurance totalled it and wrote me a check.

Hopefully, you will be similarly, but mroe pleasantly, surprised.

[PVnRT]

29. If it is found

chances are it will be busted up bad - stolen cars are driven like they're, well, stolen.

Unless, of course, they take it to the nearest Pay 'n' Spray and get it all fixed up (ham-fisted GTA reference).

Sorry the insurance hasn't kicked in yet, that is a pain in the ass. I go with Progressive, and they're very good about making sure you get everything you need quickly.

[ScreamingMeemie]

30. Our truck was stolen a few years ago. Five days later they found it parked

on a side street. It had a few dings...and a lot of miles-we had kept the miles low-and was obviously not treated very well. The worst part was that they had thrown out my son's carseat and his stroller. When we got it back I felt violated every time I got in it. We ended up getting rid of it. Good luck. Many times they find the car. :hi:

[CanuckAmok]

42. "Thrown out"? Try "sold"

My bet is they sold the stroller and carseat--those are high-demand items.

[ajacobson]

32. Got mine back a couple of times.

My former boss had his stolen three times and got it back every time. Like others have said, joyriders dump the car somewhere and the cops can trace it. If the car is stolen for parts, fuhgetaboutit.

[DS1]

33. *stunned silence*

Wow ;( :hug:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

34. I have a friend whose car was stolen twice last month...

The second time, they stole her husband's car as well. Both cars were totaled the last time, and it was a pain in the ass.
On the other hand, when my sister's car was stolen, she got it back in one piece. But it was still a pain in the ass.

I'm so sorry RBNYC...We have to do something about this raincloud that likes to hang out over your heads! :hug:

[Stephanie]

35. My sister got her car back.

It was missing for a few days and then the cops found it. Someone else's briefcase was in the backseat, which she returned. Not too much damage. Hang in!

[ronnykmarshall]

36. Memo to "God":

GET OFF RENE'S BACK!!


SHEESH! Give it a rest already. She's put up with enought crap in the past year to last a lifetime.

Go bug Bush.

[rbnyc]

38. LOL

That's right! I'm totally on board with that memo. Thanks!

[Susang]

37. I've had three cars stolen and all of them have been returned

Though one was returned in very foul shape. But after a thorough detailing, it was good to go.

I have very bad luck when it comes to cars being stolen. Have faith, it's very common to get your car back, often in one piece! :-)

[rbnyc]

39. 3!

Good Lord! Anyway, it's good to hear that so many times cars have been returned. Thanks.

[flama]

40. If it weren't for bad luck,

you wouldn't have any luck at all! (OK, I stole it from a song.)

That sucks! Cliff's car wasn't that much of a prize. It's not like he drove a Hummer or even a Camry. Hopefully it was a prank pulled on the wrong car and you'll get it back soon. (Like somebody who always forgot where he parked his car and his friends decided to move it really far away - that would explain two similar cars being broken into, right?)

Gee, I need a new transmission for my van. Think I should go steal a van to get one? Naw. I like my little Grand Prix and couldn't lift a transmission if you paid me a million dollars. (But if someone offered me a million dollars to lift a transmission, I'd break my back doing it and then split it with you and Cliff.)

I remember when I used to leave my keys in that old yellow Chevy - at the mall! - hoping someone would steal it. I'd leave it running sometimes when it was parked. It was insured, but I never got that "lucky" and had to keep driving it. Maybe they only steal new cars in the Chicago suburbs.

Hmmm, I was going to go baby shopping next Monday. Maybe I'll just send you a check instead. It won't be huge, but every little bit adds up. I wish I could make everything all better right now, too.

This really sucks! Cliff doesn't deserve this kind of crap! He's such a sweet and wonderful guy. It's really hard to travel on the subway carrying a drum set. I hope someone in one of his bands has room for his stuff and wouldn't mind picking him up.

Love and hugs to both of you - all three of you - oh, heck, all six! (Can't forget the kitties.)

:loveya:

Ma

P.S. Guess I should get a Lotto ticket, too, just in case.

[CanuckAmok]

41. Had a 4Runner stolen last year...

It was recovered two weeks later, intact and full of stolen merchandise.

My Mom had her little Nissan stolen, and recovered two days later. Some minor damage, but worth fixing.

Keep your chin up; there's still hope.