26 replies to this topic

[Slinger]

Hi all,
Just wanted to let you know that my 2000 Cooper Sport was stolen from the car park of Dartford Grammar School on Monday, in broad daylight, immobiliser overriden and everything. Fortunately some of the pupils saw this and were able to give some kind of description and time to the police and it turns out yesterday that the police found it in the Orpington area when executing a search warrant along with other stolen cars. I'm hearing that the car seems to be in good condition with even the ignition lock/mechanism in one piece because there was a key in it! (no, not mine). It's in for forensics at the moment so don't know when I'm likely to get it back but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is undamaged. Will keep you posted but please take extra care if you live around that area.

[Kam]

Sorry to hear about that mate, good news though you know the location and police are onto it so hopefully should be back with you soon

I stopped parking my mini at my mates old place in orpington which was near star lane........attracted the wrong kind of attention (pikoes!)

Chin up

[E.L.M.O]

Pretty professional job then...?!
glad your going to get it back ok.

[minimanclive]

I work over the road from there. I'll have to think twice about taking my Mini to work when my daily drive is being serviced.

[Slinger]

The mini is now in darkest Tunbridge Wells waiting on some forensics but I found out that the car was found by the Police from Westwood Cottage, Rock Hill, Shoreham, Orpington. Interestingly enough, a Google search shows this as a car body repair shop! So I guess the mini wouldn't have had long for this world as I knew it.

[E.L.M.O]

Yeah sounds like a chop shop. Hopefully they throw the book at them

Edited by E.L.M.O, 29 January 2011 - 01:33 PM.

[luiji89]

I live pretty close, thanks for the heads up

[J960mayfair]

Glad you got/getting it back in one piece!

[Slinger]

Still waiting to hear when the Police have finished with it so haven't quite got it back yet.

[MiniJosh92]

Someone I know had his mini broken into the other night in Sainsburys car park, Folkestone. Luckily it's a later mini with an immobiliser so they couldn't get it started. He got got away lucky with just his wallet & phone gone, a broken window, colunm cowling & a mullered ignition barrel

[minili]

I've hidden a few posts here. Please be mindful of what you say when it comes to accusing specific people of wrong-doings!

[Carlos W]

Still waiting to hear when the Police have finished with it so haven't quite got it back yet.

Ring the police or the recovery company to see if it's able to be released yet!

[Slinger]

You wer right Carlos. I phoned the police today and half an hour later I got a call to say that they had finished with it. Now here's the rub: As of today, there are £310 of recovery charges to pay. By me. I have £250 of excess on my insurance policy but I know I will be paying more than that in increased premiums for the next 5 years at least if I follow through with the claim. The insurance company also tells me that despite me having no claims bonus protection they will still increase my premium at renewal because of the claim. Something isn't right with this.

[cradley-heathen]

that is total rubbish mate, its good to be getting it back, but then being billed for recovery and insurance being of no use to you its pretty depressing, but rest assured in a few months you will be driving around in your pride an joy in the summer and all this will be a bad memory that you can repeat to others as a warning!

on a different note, at a place i used to work, my mate had to get a company out to sort his rover alarm out, the key fob was broke and couldnt get the alarm and immob off. this guy turned up, got a hand held gadget out his car, pressed a few buttons and after literally 1 minute the car was open and engine running with the key. amazing bit of kit, no messing about, cost £95 mind but a quick fix to get my mate on the road, HOWEVER, it does make you think, that code reading device thing in the worng hands would be lethal! no rover with standard security gear would be safe!

i have also heard stories of garagesindividuals at a garages that take your car in for mot, service, repair etc and get a spare key cut in your absence, and at the same time could have a duplicate key fob made up, then a few months later they take it from your house (after all you did fill in a very posh looking job sheet/invoice with all your details on for thier records) makes you wonder eh!

[Carlos W]

Did the police tell you they would notify you when they were finished with it?