Stolen Car at gunpoint 4-5-07 UPDATE 4-08, Bmw M3 Options

[KaptKaos]

Leamon,

Glad you are ok. You did the right thing. I am glad you are safe.

As car guys, we wrap our hearts up in these machines sometimes. But they are just machines.

If your key ring had a house key on it, make sure you change your locks.

[TROJANMAN]

Glad you're ok Leamon.

Change your locks ASAP. Like Ferg said, they have your info now. There was a news story here locally, that the hot new trend is to steal info out of glove boxes.

I'm certain they were just after the car, but change your locks JIC

[scottb]

leamon,

you did the right thing. you made it out and are here telling us about the shitty experience. that is a win.

i have been in the same situation staring down the barrel of a sawed off shotgun as the little prick was jabbing the barrel hard in my temple telling me he was going to kill me. it was at a restaurant i worked at in college. it took a couple of months to put my head back on right (which is still open for debate) but you will get over it. i promise.

cheers,

scott

[Gint]

I cleaned this thread of all of the non-topic drivel. I hate doing that.

[Sam Charters]

deleted

[burton73]

You are one very lucky Dude!
This day and age, you don't go anywhere without backup, that being at least a Browning 9MM with 14 HP's in the clip, one in the chamber, in a belt holster, and a Walther PPKS .380 in an Uncle Mike's ankle holster.
Oh, you live in a state where it's tough to get a carry permit? Guess what, you have VICTIM tattooed on your forehead! Move to a better state, 'cause the fuzzballs don't seem to have any trouble getting something to carry...

If you're selling and someone wants to meet you, you go with a buddy (who CAN and WILL shoot). He (or she; don't want to sound sexist here!) rotates off to the side, gun out, safety off, under a newspaper, jacket; you pick. You show the car, making sure that you keep the "buyers" between your gunny and your car. Your gunny DOES NOT engage in conversation, look at anything but the potential perp(s), and stays alert for anything unusual. If it looks "odd", cut it off and get out. So the buyer is offended; big f...ing deal. There will be someone along later to buy the car...
If I am showing a vehicle, I disable it by pulling the coil wire. When the buyer shows up, I get out of their way and let them pick the car apart to their hearts content. NO test drives unless I get a very warm and fuzzy feeling about the buyer. And I drive first, then they drive back. If I don't get the feeling, I pack it up and tell them "Thanks for looking". Let them leave first... just stand and wait them out. Then take the "long" way home... and keep an eye on your rear view mirror. Paranoid? Sure... if you don't like it, move to Antarctica... penguins prolly won't pull a gun on you there!

You can never draw on a drawn gun. You did the right thing. So sorry this happened to you but you are OK. Rod Stewarts 930 Porsche got jacked by a gunman in 1982. It is just a car. I had a 73-911S that got stolen right after I had rebuilt the engine. I just turned 500 miles on the rebuild and parked it and it was gone, boom. The feeling was so bad. I know that feeling. I was 26 and it felt like my whole life had ended and I looked all over for it thinking I may find it. It did feel better when I got paid off but could never replace it. If you are not a gun guy do not get one to carry till you read this book.

All you gun toeing people need to read this book to get real when you can and cannot use a gun. I used to pack a gun every day and came close to getting myself shot as I came out of my factory one night very late with my 45 ACP at my side by my brief case as the LAPD pulled up at the very moment I closed the door. They shined the light at me and asked me what I was doing and I told them I was leaving for home and they went. If they saw my gun they may have shot me.

In the Gravest Extreme. The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection by Massad F. Ayoob

After reading this book I stopped caring heat.

Bob Burton

[mikeyb33]

very sorry to hear the news, glad you're OK.

As to safety:
(1) As someone mentioned above, yes change your house locks immediately, and reprogram your garage door opener for the remote (unplug it NOW until you figure out exactly how to do that).
(2) Also as mentioned above - if not directly related to your situation - sales transactions with individuals (car or otherwise) should be done in a public place, during daytime business hours. And with one or more friends nearby but not immediately present - i.e. able to watch the transaction from a distance & call for help if trouble arises. My next sale will be in front of the main entrance to the local shopping mall, or else in front of my local Starbux.

As to personally identifiable info: Unless I'm loaning someone my car, I keep my car Reg. and Insurance card with me & not in the car.

Also regarding keys, this may not work for everyone, but: Once upon a time I started carrying two separate keychains (when I bought my 3rd car - too many keys for one keychain; one's for the cars, the other for house/etc). Well, I put a "decoy" on the car-keys keychain - an old housekey from where I used to live, which doesn't work in any of my house door locks. In case some future car thieves/jackers were to get my car& car keys and find my address. Would at least slow them down, hopefully enough until the local cops could be notified. Maybe a little paranoid of me but there it is.

My $0.02.
Good luck, and I hope the pain and trauma of your experience diminishes sooner rather than later (that and I hope they get your car & the perps get their due) -

mike

[SirAndy]

i've been shot at twice, but i only had a gun in my face once.
some stupid nazi skinhead kid in germany. turned out the guy was a wuss. i ended up beating the living $hit out of him ...

i realize that might not work for everybody thought. i got lucky.
when the cops arrived they told me i was nuts for going after the guy.
they didn't say a word about him being all beaten up, so that was good.

life just plain sucks sometimes ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif) Andy

[73Phoenix20]

I see the tendency to turn this thread into a debate over the virtures and faults of the NRA, of which I am NOT a member...
Mr. Burton is entitled to his views... as am I.
The point I was making is that you do not allow yourself to be on the receiving end of a drawn gun...but if you are, bow out as gracefully as possible, wait for your opprotunity, and unload your entire clip into the SOB's!!! Yes, you may have to put a few bullet holes in your own ride, but your are most probably never going to see it again anyway. The more "enlightened States" now recognize the citizen's right to defend themselves, and their property, with use of deadly force. Again, if your State takes a dim view of such, then shame on them! Change your laws, or change your lawmakers if they won't! Bottom line... if we make it easy, they will take it from us... if we make it hard, they will go where the pickin's are easier... criminals are lazy, or they would be doing real work! I see far too much of the "Oh, well, let the Insurance Company pay for the loss... it's only a car, boat, money..." We ALL paid for the loss of this BMW, and don't think for a minute the Insurance Company is going to replace it and not raise the premiums!
As far as the Police shooting you for having a gun... that's a real Ha, Ha! They won't even shoot the perps that are shooting at them first! Too much Red Tape for them to plow thru!

[914-8]

I was approached by two Spanish guys one pulled a gun choked it and said give me your keys.

Glad to hear you are ok.

Those darn Spaniards! Definately the most unruly of the Southern Europeans.

[euro911]

Glad to hear you weren't an ultimate casualty.


When selling a vehicle:

1. Create a new e-mail address specifically for handling this sale.
..... It adds isolation and personal security as well as a path back to any propective buyers.

2. In your ad, ask prospective buyers to e-mail you and include a phone # to contact them at.
..... Call prospective buyers back from a phone booth so they won't have your personal home or cell phone #

3. Obtain as much information about the prospective buyers as possible during your phone calls (take good notes).
..... Know who you're dealing with prior to scheduling any appointments.

4. Meet the prospective buyer at a local police department or at a mall/shopping center that has video camera survelience.
..... Try to schedule day-time appointments.

5. Remove all important documentation and other personal belongings from the vehicle.
..... Keep your car key separate from any other keys.

6. Always have a 'friend' (or two) with you (real persons or a 'metalic' friend and an ankle holster if so inclined) ...
..... If a real persons, have a pre-arranged duress signal that will alert your friend(s) to call 911 if needed.
..... Leave your wallet other keys and cell phone with your friend(s) during the prospective transaction.


7. This should be a standard item, whether you're selling a vehicle or not:

..... Have a 'kill' relay installed to cut power to the ignition system within 5 minutes after starting the car.

..... Any reputable auto alarm installation company can do this.

..... Also, you can carry a spare remote so you can manually activate a kill relay as the thieves are driving away.


NEVER let your guard down guys ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Tobra]

While I'm not an advocate of what Sam was proposing, I do hope that one day those guys try to jack someone with a concealed carry permit. And chances are pretty good if they're in SoCal. Clay always says... An armed society is a polite society.

I'm so sorry to hear that this happened to you. I've often imagined what it'd be like to stare down the barrel of a gun. I'd be terrified and probably frozen. I'm glad you came out of it alright.

Jen

When I first moved to Texas, there was lady who got her BMW jacked with her baby in the back seat. Old guy sees woman knocked to the ground by large black guy, he goes and gets his pistol from his car. Criminal calmly is driving away. Lady is screaming about her baby. Old man susses out the situation, Black man driving, white woman crying about baby, baby in back seat. Shoots car thief in the head as he is driving off with car and child. Old man hailed as hero, but when interviewed he was asked about hitting child. "The baby was in the back seat, I was not shooting at him" They held his weapon, released him, returned weapon post investigation.

In California he would have been charged with manslaughter at best, murder if the DA was a tool. Just last week a man confronted some thugs breaking into his car at 0300 here. Two ran, one turned and put his hand in his coat, which earned him a hole in his chest. All three criminals escape, man calls cops and is charged with assault with a deadly weapon. "Victim" turns up at a hospital, is okay and "may be charged with a crime". Fucking California laws.

You did the right thing, that car is gone, will never be seen again

[73Phoenix20]

As I said, some States "Get It", and some don't. Since CA doesn't "Get It", you will, right in the ol' wallet! Check out what you all out there pay for Auto Insurance on a "decent" ride... Incredible! And a big part of that is caused by theft losses...

You can get on your Lawmakers now, and have them change things, or you can sit back and watch them p... all over your piece of Paradise...

[So.Cal.914]

In California he would have been charged with manslaughter at best, murder if the DA was a tool. Just last week a man confronted some thugs breaking into his car at 0300 here. Two ran, one turned and put his hand in his coat, which earned him a hole in his chest. All three criminals escape, man calls cops and is charged with assault with a deadly weapon. "Victim" turns up at a hospital, is okay and "may be charged with a crime". Fucking California laws.

Sounds like he was on his own property, in a case like that I have two words for

'Rock Salt'.

Those two scum bags had the drop on him, not much he could do. They do

(Cali bleading heart liberal law makers) do have our gun hands tied to our

ba!!s. But if we feel that our lives are in danger we have the right, No the

duty to ourselves and our familys to dispatch the one we feel threatened by.

But pulling a 'Dirty Harry' in a public area is not going to indear you with the

police or the courts. If they are all ready driving away your life is no longer

in danger.

[MBowman325]

I'm glad to hear you yourself came out physically OK. Like's been said, cars can generally be replaced, people cannot be replaced. It sucks, and I can only start to imagine how you feel. Don't recall if you have any sort of surveillance in your garage, But I'd grab a couple of cameras from Harbor freight and put them up around your place. A basic alarm is easy to wire up as well.

In addition to changing locks at home, you need to put in a call to the bank and put an alert in on your credit information. Been a while since I've been out of the bank, but you can notify, and they should keep a closer eye on new accounts opening up and such. One of the positive upswings of the Patriot Act is the requirements for open new accounts in cases like this.

Glad to see you're unharmed. I used to think people wouldn't risk the death penalty for stuff like this, but some of the stuff I've heard over the past few years, that's not something I'd place faith in anymore. I won't jump in on the virtues of CHLs or arguments either way, just happy you've got the chance to pick up another M3 someday and the ability to continue visiting the boards.

Karma seems to catch up to people, though that's little comfort, and it seems that it takes longer than anyone would want..

[jim_hoyland]

Thank God you are not injured, maimed, or worse ..dead! I really feel for you, and thanks for sharing your experience. I know I learned something.

Jim

[xsurfer]

I'm looking! Driving all day in L.A. will keep an eye out.

[7TPorsh]

Too close too home! Glad you're ok..

[orange914]

really feel for you. i experianced a stolen car (2x's). makes you feel violated to say the least and thats without gunpoint. i live in modesto, ca. area where 1 in 6 cars WILL be stolen. up until last year we where car theft capital for 3 years running. hoping for the best outcome for you, keep pursuing it and dont give up. your in one peice and painful as it might be cars can be replaced. glad your o.k.

[914]

L,
I owned a Glass company in the 80,s.IWas going to relplace a store frt. window at a liquor store in Sylmar Ca.I asked a guy in a truck can I pull into his spot guess what he pulled a shot gun on me,I just stood there saying to him why are you pulling gun on us,I only asked you nicley if I can pull into your spot. He said get the f... out of here.We left then it sank in, man we could have been shot. Returned to the liquor store told the owner,He pulled out his 357 mag and said dont worry,It happens alot around here,I still remember it 25 years later.Its something that you will never forget !! This thred in not about gun rights but how to save your life.I am a avid shooter/hobbyist.Packing is not for me.I will only get you in trouble some day.
914