Theifs!!! Broke into my Explorer.

[Stand4d]

Well, this is how it went down. I work at a golf course washing golf carts. I was washing a cart and just happened to glance at my Explorer in the parking lot. As soon as I looked over, I noticed my back door open and someone in there. I ran over their while yelling, "Hey Mother F*#@!%*". They just jumped in their car and took off when I was about 2 feet from their car. So I jumped in my Explorer and took off after them. I wrote down their license plate. Then I thought to myself, since I just built my bumper I'm going to ram them. So I sped up and just when I was about a couple of inches away from their car they swerved onto the opposite side of the road passing up 3 cars. So I returned to the course and called the police, and it turns out that they had a license plate that wasn't even theirs. It turns out they stole my cd player, and 10" sub, and they drilled out my keyhole. when i reported it, I said that they also stole my golf clubs and video camera to make up for my deductable. But my insurance says that they don't cover personal items and I have a $500 deductable, so I'm f#@*!*. Does anybody have any advice for me so I can break out even instead of paying 500 bucks , thanks.

 

[Ford_Racing_Guy]

sometimes you just have to bend over and take the loss,

my dad' had to on his truck when it got messed when someone tried breaking into it,

i would have tried to ram them as well if i had a nice steel bumper or bar on the front

 

[double_take]

Well I guess my first question is do they concider your cd changer and sub as "personal items"?

If you are lucky they will cover these items. Then have the insurance company cut you a check for the amount. They will deduct your $500 deductable from the amount. You can then use the check to fix the lock. As for your sub and cd-changer all i can say is check ebay to see if you can get similar ones cheap.

 

[EBInterceptor]

You can't just ram anyone even if they did break into your vehicle, you could get into trouble yourself.

Check e-bay to find YOUR cd player and subs.

 

[TheJMan]

I feel your pain. About 6 months ago, after school was done for the day, I walked out to my car to find my subs, amp, and CD player gone and my driver's side door lock had been destroyed by someone hammering a screwdriver into it. Luckily, I only have a $50 deductible, and got the door repaired and my subs and CD player replaced.

If you can, give the serial numbers of any of your stolen items to the police. They can put it in their system that your items have been stolen and if someone say, takes them to a pawn shop, the numbers can be looked up. None of mine have been found, but at least try to find the serial numbers.

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

That is what insurance is for, when you need it. Now don't try to pull the wool over there eyes, we all pay for it. Maybe there is a lesson to be learned here for you, try lowering your deductibles. It will cost you more each month, but when you need it, it will be there for you. I have also been the target of thieves in the past, many times over, some petty, some not so. I take it you didn't have an alarm system installed. With an alarm system, and a piece of paper showing that you have taken some defensive driving course, it will lower your insurance premiums and that way you could afford the lower deductables. If I remember correctly, if it is not bolted down, it is not covered, because I would imagine allot of people of claimed that they had the "Mona Lisa" in there also, just like you tried. Good luck, and get an alarm. It may just keep the honest people honest, but it sometimes deters them dang theives to look at another vehicle instead of yours.

 

[lonestar]

Originally posted by Stand4d
turns out that they had a license plate that wasn't even theirs.

who is THEY? just wondering how they figured that out.

 

[mhn3773]

to get ur subs covered all u had to say was it was screwed down..u have to claim other things under ur home owners insurance...if u live with ur rents or whatever they can claim it

my friend just had his stereo stolen and all the crap in his car...when u start to add things to the car or like stereos onto the car u need to take pictures and make sure it is all bolted down

also when u get a car alwarm get a car alarm that will beep u..its a little key fob that will beep or vibrate when ur alarm goes off...if u dont get one like that it is totaly useless because will just that mother f$$ker and his damn alarm

and just remember the insurance company would go out of buisnes if they paid for everything =)

sorry that happened to u man

 

[bluevolume]

I'm not sure what part of your story is more insane -- what the people did, or your reaction to it.

Whenever you buy anything, be it a car, a set of speakers, or a pair of pants, there's always a chance of it getting lost, stolen, or destroyed. That's just a part of life, and accepting that is part of being an adult. I can imagine that you were furious when you saw your truck being looted, but you have to keep in mind that this isn't the old west and you need to follow the process of the law. When you were chasing them you said you wanted to ram them, imagine if you did and their car spun out and crashed. You could be sitting in a 10x10 jail cell right now holding a manslaughter charge. Thats a lot worse than having to replace some stereo equipment.

As for the insurance company thing, you need wise up on that too. When you bought your auto insurance and agreed on the $500 deductible, that wasn't just for accidents that were your fault. If you need 100% coverage with no deductible you're going to have to pay for it -- committing insurance fraud is not the answer.

I feel for you on having your ride broken into but you have to be smart about it. Getting yourself in a bunch more trouble isn't going to make the situation any better.

Blue

 

[have2goski]

Falsifying a police report and/or insurance fraud is a big no no

I would be more careful about your actions in the future. It is easy to get caught up in the moment but just because you are a victim doesn't mean you just picked up a license to kill, so to speak.

Definitely check on a home owner’s insurance policy to cover your items.

if you wanted everything to be covered then you should have gotten a more comprehensive policy with no deductible to start with instead of going for bottom dollar payments.

i feel for you though, i just lost $1200 in tools i had in my explorer 2 months ago. not covered by insurance either. It sucks, but you have to use the proper avenues when this stuff happens. i also feel that insurance all together is a bit of a scam, but its part of the price of having the privilage to drive

 

[jgilbs]

yea, if youre gonna commit insurance fraud, dont write about it on the internet im curious about the "personal items" statement - isnt your car technically a 'personal item'? well its always best to bolt down sub boxes anyway. you dont wanna have to swerve to avoid some a%% hole cutting u off, go off the road, and have no body damage except your golf club smashed through the cone of the sub. that would suck. also, if u have it bolted down, i believe u save money on insurance

 

[mjjohnston]

Well, I see there is a lot of great arm chair quarterbacking going on here as to how he should have handled the situation... However, I don't know how each of you may have handled it if happened to you, until it happens to you. Give the kid a break. I'm sure he learned some valuable lessons.

 

[Ford_Racing_Guy]

in a heated situation like this, you obviously aren't thinking clearly

 

[X~FACTOR]

Originally posted by Stand4d
when i reported it, I said that they also stole my golf clubs and video camera to make up for my deductable.

Isn't that insurance fraud? Serious offense my man.

edit: just read the rest of the thread... nevermind, sorry.

 

[Positive Vibes]

I agree with mjjohnston, take it easy on him.

Stand4d, you have renters or home owners insurance or if you live with the parents, do they? That was how I was able to cover my stolen glasses, cds, phone etc. But I had renters insurance. Not sure if it is worth filing a claim with home owners insurance.

PS Thank god you didn't have a gun!!!

 

[have2goski]

According to this site insurance fraud is an $80 billion problem.

Who do you think is paying for it? cause these companies are still turning a profit at the end of the year.

Another site stated fraud cost $31 billion in 2002


I just typed some key words into yahoo! and got the stats. Don’t know how accurate they are. Just thought I would let you know that the rest of us really do pay when people get away with fraud

I think people are just trying to say that when something like this happens, you are much better off staying level headed. And if you decide to become a vigilante, you may end up much worse off yourself, than simply being the victim of a theft. Hopefully those who do end up in a similar situation in the future may remember this thread and think twice before they act



ps:I don't think people are necessarily attacking Stand4d, we have gotten into more of a situational discusion. this definately has gotten away from a topic which belongs in 'general explorations!!'

 

[dreamr]

Don't listen to these level headed people. You should have run them off the road. Then stopped and grabbed that trusty tire iron. After beating all occupants of the vehicle to a state of unconciousness steal there friggin' stereo, wallets, and anything else ya happen to desire. Damn Thieves anyway.

J/K

 

[EBInterceptor]

When you intentionally ram someone with your vehicle it's either vehicular assault, or I believe assault with a deadly weapon (as you vehicle is considered a weapon). I have seen COPS before when a man had the **** basically beaten out of him because he was a real trouble person who either was breaking into places or whatever. But they called it "street justice" and didn't charge anyone....that was a good episode.

 

[Stand4d]

Thanks for the response. I guess I did kind of get caught up in the moment and maybe I shouldn't have done what I did. Sometimes I don't think before I take action. But I was really heated. I well keep your advice in mind the next time it happens to me (hopefully there won't be a next time). Now that I think about it, I could have caused a lot more problems for myself that what had already happened. Oh well, I guess its just a loss and I'm just going to have to deal with it. God, I love this message board because everyone is so honest and it really make me think about it. I appreciate all of the help.