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Original poster

Car stolen, what happens next?

16 replies

CorBlimeyGovnr · 16/05/2023 13:30

My car was stolen over the weekend. Keyless entry, had keys in a faraday box and they still got it. Managed to disconnect our Ring doorbell somehow so no footage of them taking it.

The police have found it thankfully and said doesn’t seem to be damaged but said they’re running forensics on it. Officers who came to see us said it would take a few days, we called again today and the man in QS (i guess like customer services?) said it could take 4-5 weeks to complete forensics on it.

We can make do for this week but really need the car for school runs and then doing a long drive for a holiday in 2 weeks.

Has this happened to anyone who knows how long this should take? Frustratingly it got stolen in our county but recovered in next county along so both police forces are asking us to check with the other without being able to provide an update.

Insurance has been informed but not sure if we want to claim for it yet if there is no damage.

OP posts:
Margarita45 · 16/05/2023 13:42

I’d probably call the insurance and ask about a replacement car whilst yours is with the police. There’s sometimes a fee to get your car back from the police (I think about £100) which your insurance should cover.

Also worth asking if they will cover the cost of an assessment for unseen damage to engine for example too.

Also worth remembering that whomever stole it could have been caught on a speed camera or bus lane for example. You’d want your insurance legal cover to help you with that stuff should it come down the line.

Original poster
CorBlimeyGovnr · 16/05/2023 13:43

Sorry, should add that I have informed insurance but they said we aren’t eligible for an interim car as the police have the car so we will get it back, they’d only give us one if it had gone for good

More wondering how long forensics takes and when we might actually get it back

OP posts:
HelloChompy · 16/05/2023 15:13

A friend recently had theirs stolen. Like yours it was recovered fairly quickly with no damage. I think it took just under 3 weeks to get it back.

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GingerPigz · 16/05/2023 15:55

It can vary so much. Ours was stolen from out driveway 4 (loooong) weeks ago and recovered (in the next county) the following day. Would say forensics took about a week to 10 days but the b*stard holding company kept our car for a further 12 days at a cost of £26 per day (we couldn't just go and collect it as the tyres were flat). They basically just didn't answer the phone to the insurance company that was trying to get hold of them to arrange collection. We will only get a courtesy car once the car is in for repair (standard policy procedure by all accounts). We are waiting a quote for the repair costs and will the decide if we will pay (to save 12 years no claim) or go through insurance. We live rurally but do have another car. It's far from ideal and very frustrating (we both work in different locations and have teens who go the school/college). We've had to cancel loads of plans but remind ourselves that it's only a material possession... I feel your pain and wish you luck!

Original poster
CorBlimeyGovnr · 16/05/2023 17:50

These timescales are so long! I was really hoping it would be back sooner

@GingerPigz i can’t work out if you have yours back yet, if so, was it dirty from forensics? Did you get personal possessions back?

OP posts:
GingerPigz · 16/05/2023 18:41

@CorBlimeyGovnr no, our has just today been collected from the (b*stard) recovery centre by the insurance approved repair shop. Stolen 16/4, located 17/4, recovered about 19/4 and released from forensics at some point between 28/4 and 4/5 (communication from both the police and the recovery centre has been very poor). Now waiting for the repair shop to give us a quote at their "earliest convenience" which I reckon will be at least another week. No idea how long the repairs will take.

Damage to the car that we know about is the smashed pillar where they broke in (we also had our keys in faraday pouches) and flat tyres. Car is filthy from the police chase. Have only seen it from afar.

Original poster
CorBlimeyGovnr · 16/05/2023 19:01

GingerPigz · 16/05/2023 18:41

@CorBlimeyGovnr no, our has just today been collected from the (b*stard) recovery centre by the insurance approved repair shop. Stolen 16/4, located 17/4, recovered about 19/4 and released from forensics at some point between 28/4 and 4/5 (communication from both the police and the recovery centre has been very poor). Now waiting for the repair shop to give us a quote at their "earliest convenience" which I reckon will be at least another week. No idea how long the repairs will take.

Damage to the car that we know about is the smashed pillar where they broke in (we also had our keys in faraday pouches) and flat tyres. Car is filthy from the police chase. Have only seen it from afar.

I’m so sorry, that sounds such a long time and damage too. How did you get to see it? We don’t even know where ours is located as yet

Amazed that the police caught them via a chase, I don’t know how they found ours or circumstances of it being taken

OP posts:
NotAnotherBathBomb · 16/05/2023 19:02

I know this isn't the point of the thread but why aren't car manufacturers doing more to address the issues around keyless entry cars? I thought keeping keys in the special box was guaranteed safety!

Original poster
CorBlimeyGovnr · 16/05/2023 20:35

NotAnotherBathBomb · 16/05/2023 19:02

I know this isn't the point of the thread but why aren't car manufacturers doing more to address the issues around keyless entry cars? I thought keeping keys in the special box was guaranteed safety!

Unbelievable isn’t it. They’re meant to be almost unstealable but if people can nick them even in faraday pouches then I’m sure the manufacturers should be using better security and giving you the option of opting out of keyless entry etc

OP posts:
GingerPigz · 16/05/2023 20:54

@CorBlimeyGovnr We woke up to the alarm going off and watched it being driven away. Called the police immediately and were lucky that they were in the area I guess.

Police told us where the car was being held (they outsource to a recovery centre as they don't have the space) and we first saw it from the road (afar). DH was allowed to see inside when it was released and could have taken it if it hadn't been for the four flat tyres (and no plates).

Have just bought a steering wheel lock for my little car (and will get one for DH's car when we get it back) as they are a good visual deterrent. Also getting a flood light that is linked up to our ring bell fitted. Very dark round our way so doorbell didn't detect anything when it was stolen.

You never think it's going to happen to you but...

NotAnotherBathBomb · 16/05/2023 23:14

GingerPigz · 16/05/2023 20:54

@CorBlimeyGovnr We woke up to the alarm going off and watched it being driven away. Called the police immediately and were lucky that they were in the area I guess.

Police told us where the car was being held (they outsource to a recovery centre as they don't have the space) and we first saw it from the road (afar). DH was allowed to see inside when it was released and could have taken it if it hadn't been for the four flat tyres (and no plates).

Have just bought a steering wheel lock for my little car (and will get one for DH's car when we get it back) as they are a good visual deterrent. Also getting a flood light that is linked up to our ring bell fitted. Very dark round our way so doorbell didn't detect anything when it was stolen.

You never think it's going to happen to you but...

A steering wheel lock is excellent, but makes the point of keyless entry useless and it’s meant to be for convenience and quickness. Where I am originally from, you’re most vulnerable to robbery as you’re just getting in or out of your car, so for me just being able to jump in the car and go without fiddling around (especially when you’re on a dark road alone at night) seemed appealing to me. But after reading about the spate of thefts I won’t bother.

Original poster
CorBlimeyGovnr · 17/05/2023 06:29

ridiculous isn’t it

OP posts:
unlikelychump · 17/05/2023 06:39

If you can, I would suck it up and hire a car. Police take a while. I'm sorry the customer service is so poor

The more I know about car theft the more I have gone old school- less interesting car and wheel lock. There are now plenty more attractive cars than mine on our street.

It was likely found as part of another case. Probably a bunch of cars found when the police arrived on a job. They probably won't tell you any more.

DazzleMaRazzle · 17/05/2023 06:40

My son had his stolen last year during the night.
He had actually taken the steering wheel off as he was doing some work to the car, and they still stole it.
How is still a mystery as the steering wheel was in the house.
Unfortunately it was found badly smashed up as it had been used in a ram raid, so it took weeks for forensics to finish with it.
My other son however, his car was stolen around three months ago, despite the keys being in an apparent thief proof wallet. It was found undamaged in another county, thanks to the tracker and the forensics were done with it in a fortnight.
I fucking despise car thieves with a vengeance.

Original poster
CorBlimeyGovnr · 17/05/2023 07:21

unlikelychump · 17/05/2023 06:39

If you can, I would suck it up and hire a car. Police take a while. I'm sorry the customer service is so poor

The more I know about car theft the more I have gone old school- less interesting car and wheel lock. There are now plenty more attractive cars than mine on our street.

It was likely found as part of another case. Probably a bunch of cars found when the police arrived on a job. They probably won't tell you any more.

A hire car is £1000-1500 for the next four weeks, plus we need car seats for the two children too. An expense we can’t really afford right now :(

OP posts:
HelloChompy · 17/05/2023 08:53

It really is shocking how inconvenienced and how out of pocket you are left as the victim 😡It was lucky for my friend that their car was a work car so they had access to a pool car. I didn't realise the insurance wouldn't cover car rental while the police have your car.

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