Punks trespass, property damage, cops want help getting abandoned jeep, need advice

ultrarunner · Jan 20, 2015

We found a stolen car stashed on our property... it was deep in the woods, brand new Mustang GT stolen off the Dealer lot with zero damage... called the police and insisted it be moved... found it when I went to do Dozer work and the car was in my way.

Eventually the Dealer showed up and boy was he mad... more like livid at having to come 40 miles on a Sunday with a helper to pick up the car...

The owner Dealer had at first refused and responded they had reported it stolen and it was no longer their problem...

Point of the story is Dad was having no part of it... he called a friend of his at Ford corporate at home and that lit a fire under the Dealer... Dad wanted it gone and wanted it gone that day... and it was.

polo1665 · Jan 20, 2015

smstonypoint said:
I'm not trying to be argumentative either -- I just quoted an item that may or may not apply to the OP's situation.

Steve

Didn't say you were Steve, just wondering what I was missing.

RobertN · Jan 20, 2015

IF, if you move the vehicle like the LEO asked, I would make sure LEO is present. And that it is photographed or video(or both).

groundcover · Jan 20, 2015

May want to give a nursery a call and see what it would cost to replace the trees he ran down. I bet if you ran off the road and bumped into one of his trees you would be replacing it in kind !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7UNFEiQPys&list=PL6A78814D8A7E220A

Ted Summey · Jan 20, 2015

ruffdog said:
Update: We are not going to follow some of the suggestions as they are legally improper but they gave me a laugh...thanks. It seems the driver has access to plenty of money very near him so paying for the damage won't be a problem unless the well went dry. We are working on some realistic estimates of fence repair, getting all the downed trees removed, stumps cut, and ruts filled. We are thinking of coming up with a price of pulling the vehicle out of there too. Yes, the prices might be slightly high, but some of the extra will be for the hassle and stress of something we didn't ask for. If it was my son that did this, I would pay the amount in a heart beat, get the vehicle home, and make him work it off. No...I'd have the son pulling those trees by HAND the long distance to the burn pile.

You are taking the correct approach. Filing with the Jeep owner's insurance for repair of damages is only proper. If there is restitution, it should be between the driver and his insurance company. When/if that is unsuccessful, a civil suit for the damages and inconvenience is your recourse. Name the driver, the lien holder and insurance company as defendants.

If it were me I would wait for the insurance company to say, "Yes pull the vehicle out with your tractor." Otherwise the Jeep owner's insurance should arrange for removal. That should only be done at the time you specify and under the conditions you specify. Any damages caused by removal should be added to your claim against the insurance of the driver.

Rock knocker · Jan 20, 2015

Ted Summey said:
Name the driver, the lien holder and insurance company as defendants.

Most places you can only name the driver and/or the owner in a suit.

Ted Summey · Jan 20, 2015

Rock knocker said:
Most places you can only name the driver and/or the owner in a suit.

Insurance companies get sued successfully from time to time.

Rock knocker · Jan 20, 2015

Ted Summey said:
Insurance companies get sued successfully from time to time.

I said most places.

Bird · Jan 20, 2015

ultrarunner said:
We found a stolen car stashed on our property... it was deep in the woods, brand new Mustang GT stolen off the Dealer lot with zero damage... called the police and insisted it be moved... found it when I went to do Dozer work and the car was in my way.

Eventually the Dealer showed up and boy was he mad... more like livid at having to come 40 miles on a Sunday with a helper to pick up the car...

The owner Dealer had at first refused and responded they had reported it stolen and it was no longer their problem...

Point of the story is Dad was having no part of it... he called a friend of his at Ford corporate at home and that lit a fire under the Dealer... Dad wanted it gone and wanted it gone that day... and it was.

I'm not surprised at all that the dealer did not want to go get the car. During part of my career in law enforcement, the auto pound was part of my responsibilities. Dealers reported things stolen and their insurance company paid, and neither would come get a vehicle. They waited until we sold the vehicle at public auction, then filed a claim with the city and would get whatever the vehicle sold for minus any towing fees and storage fees. Of course it was usually the insurance company rather then a dealer and they didn't care how much they got. After all, they can just raise premiums if they're not making a profit. I remember selling a new Kubota riding mower that was stolen off a freight dock and the buyer (high bidder) paid way less than half what that Kubota would have cost him at a dealer.

I'm sure things have changed some now, but I was selling an average of 130 vehicles a week. We had the auction every Monday morning unless it was an official holiday, in which case we had the auction Tuesday morning.