I really really hate themFinished my shift on Monday drove the work vehicle into the parking lot and there was emptyness where my 2003 F350 4x4 should have been. it is my daily driver and back up TC haulerIt had been stolen... My boss said it was not there when he arived at 10:30 am, I had parked it at 7:15am. Called the local PD and they came to take a report. I figured it was on its way to Mexico or in a chop shop. He asked if I had a photo I could give him. had one on my cell phone. He put together a very detailed description and the photo into an electronic stolen vehicle report that he send from his laptop out to all the local jurisdicions. Did I mention how pissed off I was? Called USAA and filed a claim then took the work van home.I figured I was out a truck and no way I was going to take my 2011 dually and park it in the same **** lot.Did I mention that I was really pissed off?about 8:30pm my phone rang. it was the CHP. They recovered my truck about 15 miles from where it was stolen and it wasn't stripped and it was still running....Holy heck Batman can you say I was freaking grinning from ear to ear. USAA had it transported back to town and to a repair shop. I went down there expecting the worst..LOL the damage on the body work had been there for years. The thieves pulled off my tow mirror extensions, removed the license plates (left them inside the truck) to make the truck less conspicuous. The only new damage to the truck itself was the ignition and drivers door locks were punched. In retrospect I got lucky, they were not just out for a joy ride. Something spooked them and they ditched it before the could make it disappear.So I am out the intial tow and impound fee of $480.00 USAA is covering the restMy hats of to the boys in blue. less than two hours from filing the report to vehicle recoveryneed to install an ignition lock out...

Glad you got it back in the condition you found it. You're right about going south. I had a 75kw diesel generator stolen a couple months ago. They used a ball hitch on a pintel tongue and lashed it down and took off. It was recovered just north of the border by a LEO who glanced at the hitch set up. Surge brakes were shot. Really hope you can catch them. I haaaate thieves and really get annoyed knowing I've been marked. Managing time should not include ways of deterrent but its become part of my routine.

Crimes of passion I can somewhat understand. Stealing someone else's stuff is evil. Premeditated evil. Glad to hear you got it back. Especially rare that not much was damaged or lost. Are our earlier trucks more prone to theft?

You were lucky to get it back so quickly. Sounds like they stole it to get a ride across town. Happens a lot. May I recommend getting The CLUB to prevent future occurrences. Never took a stolen vehicle report that had one of those.

I am pleased you had a relatively happy ending.Wayne

Congratulations on getting your beloved truck back. It's a sickening feeling, but it could have been much worse.My truck was stolen from in front of my house when I lived in Vegas. It was found 3 days later in the barrio sitting on the frame, stripped enough to be declared totaled. I bought it back as a salvage and fixed it back up, but I always felt a pit in my stomach knowing dirt bags took what I worked so hard to pay for.

I really hate thieves | Good Sam Community

jimh406
Explorer III
Dec 23, 2016
Reddog1 wrote:
I am confused. Your signature says "2011 F350 6.7L Diesel 4x4 CrewCab longbed Dually". The photo is not a 2011 F350 6.7L Diesel 4x4 CrewCab longbed Dually. What am I missing?

He has two trucks. :)
Reddog1
Explorer II
Dec 23, 2016
Buzzcut1 wrote:

I am confused. Your signature says "2011 F350 6.7L Diesel 4x4 CrewCab longbed Dually". The photo is not a 2011 F350 6.7L Diesel 4x4 CrewCab longbed Dually. What am I missing?

Wayne
mlts22
Explorer
Dec 22, 2016
I have a few anti-theft systems on my vehicles. I don't like car alarms. They are absolutely worthless except the type that dumps fog into the interior and flashes strobes. Here is what I do:

1: I like having a switch inline to the fuel pump. Be careful, as newer vehicles can have a CANBus, and cutting that can be a disaster. Funny thing, most thieves don't think about fuel pump switches. I've wound up recovering a vehicle in the middle of an intersection when a joyrider got in, fired up the vehicle, got it going... only to have it stall out in traffic. Having someone bail out of a car gets people to take pictures of the offender really fast.

2: I use a Club Basic. The lock mechanism is dead simple, but who cares. Yes, I've picked it with two paper clips almost as fast as inserting the key. However, having this in place (which I don't even bother locking) tells a would-be thief that the vehicle is more secured than the others in the area.

3: Got a Ford? Use a Jimmi Jammer on all doors. I also use the Lock Cap as well. This helps a lot at keeping them out in the first place.

4: Keep good insurance.

5: A gas cap lock doesn't hurt. It might be what causes a thief to ditch a vehicle as opposed to being able to make it to the chop shop or Mexico.
Buzzcut1
Nomad II
Dec 20, 2016
got it back tonight

Good as before it was stolen. I did add an antitheft system, old guy version. It self activates when I turn the key off. I don't have to remember to do anything. I do have remember to do something to get it to restart which will hopefully be enough to slow down or stop a thief
K_Mac
Explorer
Dec 09, 2016
That s****. About 30 yrs. ago, after work walked to my car and it wasn't there, it's a terrible feeling you get it the pit of your stomach.Glad you got it back.
towpro
Explorer
Dec 09, 2016
some times thieves are not the sharpest tacks. They stole a friends car in city, Next day Cops recovered car and found the paper work where the car was used to pickup someone who was checking out of hospital :(.
bighatnohorse
Explorer II
Dec 09, 2016
It's a clean looking truck.
Good thing the Camper wasn't on it.
Vinsil
Explorer
Dec 09, 2016
FYI! I added a keyed ignition disconnect to my off-road toys that are easy to steal by punching a lock or other means that don't have today's tech. They are cheap and easy to add.
Vinsil
Explorer
Dec 09, 2016
Sucks Buzz. I feel your pain, had a similar thing happen with a "rare" vehicle we owned 20 yrs ago. My wife hated the fact someone violated and broke into her car and we got rid it within a month of being repaired (never the same, not a great body shop).

I regret that even to this day but understand. Take measures to secure it and yes, the advise of going through said vehicle is solid, you don't know what was left and you don't want to be holding the bag.

In the end....if they want it they will try and take it. Thieves do suck and I deal with them on a daily basis, it sucks but all you can do is make yourself not much of a target. Can you have more lights or cameras installed at work? You deal with the illegals and going across the boarder more than I BUT every step take is a step to security.
Buzzcut1
Nomad II
Dec 09, 2016
truck is still at the body shop. No way I am taking my 2011 Dually to work and getting it stolen. Luckily I am the only one that drives the paratransit van and my CEO is ok with me taking it home each night until my truck is repaired. what a pain

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