Van theft

[pargyle]

Some nice gentlemen stole a couple of vans in my area last Sunday, one of them my trusty transit.
It had all my tools in so I have a little time on my hands as cannot work without.
The police were not interested other than to give me a crime number,not interested in the CCTV of them driving it away at ten past one in the morning or the CCTV of them at 1.40 unloading my paperwork etc in a church car park.
They knew how to steal it, opened it silently and somehow bypassing the immobilizer.
In the half hour between cameras they had driven across town and removed the roof rack, ladders etc and stuck different plates on it.
I've been told that they are put in a container and shipped out but surely a ten year old transit wouldn't be worth the trouble.
The lovely insurance company that I have used for the last seven years seem to be as unhelpful as possible, the courtesy van insurance that I paid extra for now tell me I can have a vehicle for 7 days only but it will be weeks before I get a payout for the van.
I explained that without tools I can't work so I would like the 7 days to commence when I source some tools.
Apparently this is not possible and the seven days starts at the claim date.
Ok, whatever I said and got a call from a lovely lady to say they have a Toyota Aygo for me.
You couldn't make it up!
I've nearly worn my eyes out scanning Facebook etc for any of my stuff and if I'm lucky enough to find any I bet the police will turn up because someone is going to be unwell
Anyway rant over!
Lock up your stuff cos there's a world full of arseholes just waiting to take it

Not necessarily shipped out - if it's 10 years old its more likely been nicked to be used in crime - cloned plates are hard to pick up on ANPR and it's probably at the other end of the country by now and the likelihood is the tools were just the icomg on the cake. Unless they were complete idiots the tools will be sold miles away from you. Van thieves tend to target plain vehicles - for your next one a distinctive paint job or a stripe or two or signwriting will discourage potential thieves. Vehicle theft is becoming harder as newer vehicles really are quite difficult to steal so your 10 year old one will be an easier option for someone who wants to use it.

I work for the police so I'm sad to hear your experience did not meet your expectation - there's a new Chief Constable in Hampshire and he's been very vocal about improving victim experience. Make your comments known, it's not going to bring your tools or your van back but you are entitled to be treated as a victim with some seriousness.

I feel your pain, having been burgled a few years ago .. it's the sense of being violated that's the worst part.

 

[steveselvage]

I was on my way to buy a new van yesterday and got a call from a policeman saying they chased my van Monday night but we're unable to stop it and it had been found abandoned.
It's been crashed but not too bad and was being recovered to the recovery firms yard that's just up the road.
They need it for forensics and it may take a week or so, I asked if I could just look at it to see the damage and make a decision wether to buy a new one.
He said that's fine but don't touch so I went to the yard, it hadn't arrived.
The nice fat slug behind the counter with his beetroot complexion couldn't have been more unhelpful.
Wouldn't even let me stand by the gate to see it come in, I had to wait on the pavement outside to get a glimpse of the damage.
I reckon the damage will cost around £1500 so the insurance will cover it.
No tools, no roof rack, no ladders, no rear door ladder and all my paperwork, lock up key's etc gone, all uninsured.
Another nice surprise is that I'm finally getting a courtesy van via the insurance only nine days after the event!
I now know it's been local as it was abandoned in the same area it was spotted on CCTV at the church.
I have a few people making discreet enquiries and have a yard close by to do a drive by today.
Apparently owned by a local rubbish collection/cheap driveway company.
Worth a look

 

[Blunt Spike]

I was on my way to buy a new van yesterday and got a call from a policeman saying they chased my van Monday night but we're unable to stop it and it had been found abandoned.
It's been crashed but not too bad and was being recovered to the recovery firms yard that's just up the road.
They need it for forensics and it may take a week or so, I asked if I could just look at it to see the damage and make a decision wether to buy a new one.
He said that's fine but don't touch so I went to the yard, it hadn't arrived.
The nice fat slug behind the counter with his beetroot complexion couldn't have been more unhelpful.
Wouldn't even let me stand by the gate to see it come in, I had to wait on the pavement outside to get a glimpse of the damage.
I reckon the damage will cost around £1500 so the insurance will cover it.
No tools, no roof rack, no ladders, no rear door ladder and all my paperwork, lock up key's etc gone, all uninsured.
Another nice surprise is that I'm finally getting a courtesy van via the insurance only nine days after the event!
I now know it's been local as it was abandoned in the same area it was spotted on CCTV at the church.
I have a few people making discreet enquiries and have a yard close by to do a drive by today.
Apparently owned by a local rubbish collection/cheap driveway company.
Worth a look

If you spot your property dont try to get it back yourself. Phone 999 and talk them in. You leave yourself wide open to spurious complaints at best, and serious assault at other end. Not worth the hassle. Plus handling stolen goods is more serious that the theft, and it is better for the Po po to seize them rather than you... if for no other reason they should recover for FSI - Soco in old money. You could accidentally remove fingerprints and /or dna left by the shysters.

 

[Pembroke]

If you spot your property dont try to get it back yourself. Phone 999 and talk them in. You leave yourself wide open to spurious complaints at best, and serious assault at other end. Not worth the hassle. Plus handling stolen goods is more serious that the theft, and it is better for the Po po to seize them rather than you... if for no other reason they should recover for FSI - Soco in old money. You could accidentally remove fingerprints and /or dna left by the shysters.

Plus the old bill might find proceeds from other robberies which could help their clear up rate.