My Car Got Stolen

[Hans Sprungfeld]

After a no big deal experience of Henri, I woke up at 4:40am, and noted that my car was not on the street outside my window. One of 12 Priuses reported gone from New Haven homes in the past day, as of my 5:50am call.

I've already completed the CT Stolen Vehicle report at the Police Dept; contacted UI to find out if nearby security cameras are operative & can be reviewed; spoken to my mechanic for used car leads; notified supportive family & friends; and girded myself for a decent hit from the experience. What else should I being doing?

My next call is to the insurance company, and learn what Actual Cash Value minus deductible will yield through my Comprehensive coverage.

Seeking advice on best sources for a reimbursed rental car while I shop for a replacement vehicle, and anything else that would be helpful in navigating this cluftersuck.

#adifferentkindofstormymonday

 

[Husky Alien]

After a no big deal experience of Henri, I woke up at 4:40am, and noted that my car was not on the street outside my window. One of 12 Priuses reported gone from New Haven homes in the past day, as of my 5:50am call.

I've already completed the CT Stolen Vehicle report at the Police Dept; contacted UI to find out if nearby security cameras are operative & can be reviewed; spoken to my mechanic for used car leads; notified supportive family & friends; and girded myself for a decent hit from the experience. What else should I being doing?

My next call is to the insurance company, and learn what Actual Cash Value minus deductible will yield through my Comprehensive coverage.

Seeking advice on best sources for a reimbursed rental car while I shop for a replacement vehicle, and anything else that would be helpful in navigating this cluftersuck.

#adifferentkindofstormymonday

First off very sorry to see that your car was stolen.

Do you have a GPS device in that car? If so notify authorities it can help them in your search.

You can use your vehicle’s identification number (VIN) to look up your car on the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) VINCheck, which functions as a stolen car database. The database can help you locate your stolen vehicle.
If any partner of the NICB—including insurance companies and law enforcement agencies finds your missing vehicle, it will be reported on VINCheck.
Notify insurance company ASAP.

 

[Dove]

The Hybrid Bandit strikes again!

 

[Chin Diesel]

I suppose it''s too late at this point to tell insurance it got swept away from Henri's flooding?

What do you mean about best source for a reimbursed rental car? Wouldn't any Avis/Budget/National/Enterprise, etc. suffice?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Condolences, that's terrible. Live look-in at the New Haven PD.

 

[JMick]

You dont want it back. You want the insurance money. Cars that are stolen are usually in terrible shape afterwards and will have a theft on the Carfax and be worth nada when you eventually go to sell it.

Be thankful you have comp and cross your fingers that they don't find it.

 

[CL82]

What else should I being doing?

Dedicate yourself to life as a vigilante so that you can hunt down the thieves?

 

[mussels]

Sorry to hear about this.

You might want it back though. If they find it, it will probably be missing it’s battery and catalytic converter. Wouldn’t insurance have to cover replacement minus your deductible?

If you don’t get it back you’re only going to get book value of your car which won’t be enough for a new set of wheels. Hope things work out as well as they can on this.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

First off very sorry to see that your car was stolen.

Do you have a GPS device in that car? If so notify authorities it can help them in your search.

You can use your vehicle’s identification number (VIN) to look up your car on the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) VINCheck, which functions as a stolen car database. The database can help you locate your stolen vehicle.
If any partner of the NICB—including insurance companies and law enforcement agencies finds your missing vehicle, it will be reported on VINCheck.
Notify insurance company ASAP.

Thanks.

My old, long unplugged GPS was in the car, in a bag of planned giveaway items. I've use Maps or Waze on phone for years.

But thanks for reminding me (somehow) that I have to call E-Z Pass and disable the account.

Insurance company was called, and I await the assigned adjuster, who, @Chin Diesel, arranges for the car rental after 48 hrs of vehicle gone.

@BigErnMcCracken - the young woman who came in to file a report (the 6th Prius, she said) was asked by the Officer stationed behind thick glass if she'd be willing to go to court & testify. She asked some totally naive question, and he said the thieves would probably use the car to commit shootings & robberies, and run people over, and the woman reconsidered things and said she'd go to court. She was apologetic about not knowing that's what the thieves would do. The officer was being like the guy in your picture.

Catalytic converters are the suspected motivator. My mechanic said that cars are getting put on flatbed, being hauled away, and getting dumped after the catalytic converter is taken.

 

[elmcityboy]

this sucks. i wish i had something helpful to offer.

as a fellow new haven prius owner, i have been on high alert since the rash of catalytic converter thefts earlier this year. thankfully, i have a driveway where my car is reasonably well-hidden. hopefully they catch these guys...

 

[Stinger92860]

Sorry to hear about this, but I have a serious question. Are the Catalytic Converters in a Prius more valuable than the Catalytic Converter in a BMW or Mercedes? If yes, why?

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Dedicate yourself to life as a vigilante so that you can hunt down the thieves?

You should give Liam a look in dark mode. It'll make you feel bad for sassing Tom.

And you're not going to get me to laugh harder than I did this morning when they told me I needed to fill out the form in person at the downtown Police HQ, and I instantly thought about my bicycle being in the stolen car, and my folding bike being in my sister's garage 15 miles away.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Sorry to hear about this, but I have a serious question. Are the Catalytic Converters in a Prius more valuable than the Catalytic Converter in a BMW or Mercedes? If yes, why?

There seems to be an identified market.

 

[elmcityboy]

Sorry to hear about this, but I have a serious question. Are the Catalytic Converters in a Prius more valuable than the Catalytic Converter in a BMW or Mercedes? If yes, why?

my understanding is that some of the older prius models have a catalytic converter that is particularly easy/quick to remove on the street. it's a feature that was fixed in newer models. that wouldn't explain why you would have to steal the entire car, though.

 

[BeldenDog71]

After a no big deal experience of Henri, I woke up at 4:40am, and noted that my car was not on the street outside my window. One of 12 Priuses reported gone from New Haven homes in the past day, as of my 5:50am call.

I've already completed the CT Stolen Vehicle report at the Police Dept; contacted UI to find out if nearby security cameras are operative & can be reviewed; spoken to my mechanic for used car leads; notified supportive family & friends; and girded myself for a decent hit from the experience. What else should I being doing?

My next call is to the insurance company, and learn what Actual Cash Value minus deductible will yield through my Comprehensive coverage.

Seeking advice on best sources for a reimbursed rental car while I shop for a replacement vehicle, and anything else that would be helpful in navigating this cluftersuck.

#adifferentkindofstormymonday

If your car had a Navigation system, A GPS navigation device also offers another advantage besides giving accurate directions. In the event that the unthinkable happens and your car gets stolen, you can use the device installed on your car to quickly track down where it is. And in the case of a stolen vehicle, anyone knows that any minute counts.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Sorry to hear about this, but I have a serious question. Are the Catalytic Converters in a Prius more valuable than the Catalytic Converter in a BMW or Mercedes? If yes, why?

Ask and you shall receive. The cats are stolen for the precious metals used to remove pollutants from the engine. Hybrids like a Prius don't run the engine all the time so the theory goes the metals in their cats should be in better shape for salvaging.

What Cars Are Targeted for Catalytic Converter Theft the Most Often? - In The Garage with CarParts.com

 

[Chin Diesel]

my understanding is that some of the older prius models have a catalytic converter that is particularly easy/quick to remove on the street. it's a feature that was fixed in newer models. that wouldn't explain why you would have to steal the entire car, though.

They steal the entire car so they can take more time away from the owners parking spot to remove the catalytic converter. Rushing the job on the spot can lead to mistakes and damage.

 

[storrsroars]

Sorry to hear your misfortune.

As I have no practical advice to offer, I dedicate this song to you.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Sorry to hear your misfortune.

As I have no practical advice to offer, I dedicate this song to you.

Two Kinks songs in two threads in two days. I Like.

 

[Apollo]

After a no big deal experience of Henri, I woke up at 4:40am, and noted that my car was not on the street outside my window. One of 12 Priuses reported gone from New Haven homes in the past day, as of my 5:50am call.

I've already completed the CT Stolen Vehicle report at the Police Dept; contacted UI to find out if nearby security cameras are operative & can be reviewed; spoken to my mechanic for used car leads; notified supportive family & friends; and girded myself for a decent hit from the experience. What else should I being doing?

My next call is to the insurance company, and learn what Actual Cash Value minus deductible will yield through my Comprehensive coverage.

Seeking advice on best sources for a reimbursed rental car while I shop for a replacement vehicle, and anything else that would be helpful in navigating this cluftersuck.

#adifferentkindofstormymonday

Sorry to hear about your car,
I did a long term rental (1-month) a few years ago through Sixt (www.sixt.com). They’re rates were the best by far..

 

[Get a Job]

A brand new catalytic converter costs between $100 and $200. It struck me that there's no way it could be worth it to steal a car to harvest a component that is worth less than $100 to the thief. Then I googled Prius batteries, as @mussels suggested. A refurbished Prius battery goes for $1500 to $2000. Now you're talking!

 

[McLovin]

Thanks.

My old, long unplugged GPS was in the car, in a bag of planned giveaway items. I've use Maps or Waze on phone for years.

But thanks for reminding me (somehow) that I have to call E-Z Pass and disable the account.

Insurance company was called, and I await the assigned adjuster, who, @Chin Diesel, arranges for the car rental after 48 hrs of vehicle gone.

@BigErnMcCracken - the young woman who came in to file a report (the 6th Prius, she said) was asked by the Officer stationed behind thick glass if she'd be willing to go to court & testify. She asked some totally naive question, and he said the thieves would probably use the car to commit shootings & robberies, and run people over, and the woman reconsidered things and said she'd go to court. She was apologetic about not knowing that's what the thieves would do. The officer was being like the guy in your picture.

Catalytic converters are the suspected motivator. My mechanic said that cars are getting put on flatbed, being hauled away, and getting dumped after the catalytic converter is taken.

Or don't disable e-z pass and use it to track the mother ducker across state lines, which would make it a federal crime.

 

[Stinger92860]

ThIeves performing a proper ROI and Risk analysis. Amazing. Thanks for the responses. The lesson here is to buy a gas guzzler with no environmental positives.

 

[CL82]

ThIeves performing a proper ROI and Risk analysis. Amazing. Thanks for the responses. The lesson here is to buy a gas guzzler with no environmental positives.

My former boss tells a story about being robbed walking to the parking lot late from work one night when he was just started out. He was stopped at (gun point? knife point? Something with a point, I don't remember) and he tells the guy no problem I will give you whatever I have. After he empties his pockets he's holding his keys and he asks the guy if he wants his car too. It was some econo-POS sub-compact. The guy looks at him and and says "Nah, you can keep that and walks away." My boss was like, "I'm not sure if I was madder that he took my wallet or that he left my car."

 

[Get a Job]

ThIeves performing a proper ROI and Risk analysis. Amazing. Thanks for the responses. The lesson here is to buy a gas guzzler with no environmental positives.

It doesn't matter how smart or dumb, upstanding or unscrupulous, everyone operates according to the laws of economics.