My suzuki was stolen and apparently sunk on Fri. morning. Got off the field at 3 am to find my mini and another farm pickup missing from the yard. RCMP told me it was found on the Moosomin Res. friday. They haven't puled it out yet but they think it's undriveable. I hope SGI gives me a fair deal on the insurance settlement. I only wish they had found a couple of dead bodies inside.
Had my Ranger swiped five years back and they found it on the rez with a kid passed out inside. RCMP told me they couldn't charge him because he was underage. Then they impounded it and told me he'd admitted watching tv with my kids in my house and snuck into my bedroom and stole the keys. I was the 'responsible owner of the vehicle' it was my house and therefore 'allowed the vehicle to be taken'. I had to walk to work for a month and cough up $1100 in impound fees. Appeals to the RCMP, MVB and the Minister in Victoria got nowhere. I wish he'd sunk it in the lake. I would have got money instead of been punished for having my truck stolen.
If they give you a decent pay-out see if you can buy it back. If its still drivable as an offroad vehicle you don't have to safety it. Talk to some of the dealers here as they might help you out with finding a new ride. Sorry to here the bad news. Hope they do find the people responsible.......:sly:
If I get a REALLY nice settlement, i might be looking at that red Suzuki that Jeremy has on the minibrutes site. what are the chances?
That sucks that someone would be low enough to steal from somebody. Hope you get a decent settlement from the insurance. If you don't mind, keep us up with how they treat you, I'm curious being new this type of vehicle, it must be easier than on my 40 year old Datsuns ... Here's one out in the lower mainland that seems to be a pretty decent rig for the price. http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/cto/1445672956.html
SaskCarry how did they get it started, were the keys in it or did they hot wire it? It just doesn't seem like there enough of these vehicles around for the average thief to know how to hot wire it. If you get another one you should think think about a hidden starter cut-off switch.
Sorry to hear about your trucks. The one good things about these MiniTrucks is that they're not targeted by pros. If your insurance does pay out, the premiums on your next one are going to be pretty high.
glad to hear SGI didnt *cough* you! would like to hear some more details incase this ever happens to me/father/etc
Let me know if you need a hand fighting with SGI. Yes, find out about buy-back. If the buy back is reasonable, we will part it out and give you trade value higher than the buy back amount. We had one stolen once. More of a prank. They picked it up and pushed it into the alley around back. Bastids.
Oldmachinist, keys were in it in the farm yard. I usually take them out but was in a hurry when i got to the farm and the grain truck was in and out of the yard all day and night. Minibrutes, I'll refer the adjustor to you guys about cost of parts, etc. if that's ok. i'm thinking they don't have much experience with the costs involved in fixing these trucks. the front end is bashed a little, there's a broken steering arm (is that what that thing is? i'm shitty with parts names) some front suspension damage, the roof was jumped on and the left front fender is pushed back and binds the door. the plastic plate that clips in covering the rad fill is gone. that's just the really obvious stuff. I'm thinking they drove the living **** out of it too. I'll definitely be talking to you later.
I too live in a rural area and do the same thing all the time with leaving the keys in stuff. In fact right now I have 3 trucks, a skid steer and 3 tractors that have the keys in them right now. You are lucky if the insurance is paying out I've heard stories from other farm owners that have had vehicles and equipment stolen that had the keys in them and they wouldn't pay. On a side note I'm known as a crazy SOB that will shoot anybody I find trespassing here. The reputation came from my neighbor marching a couple of trespassers(teenagers) off his property at gun point and the story spread at the high school it was me, it kinda just expanded from there. I really don't mind the rep I was out hunting one day and a couple of kids where coming out of the woods(trespassing on the neighbors again and didn't know I was there) and I heard one say "we can't go that way he'll shoot us". Gotta love the rumor mill.
Any mini tuck can be hot wired in less than 5 min. In the past when my containers would come in I lost 3 or 4 keys to different trucks.( most of the time the trucks would have only one key) All I did was remove the ignition switch and start it with a flat blade screw driver. Very simple. For those of you that havnt ever had a 2nd key made and lose your key remove the switch and take it to your local lock smith and he can free hand a key in about 30 min.
SGI called and told me it is a Total Loss. I'll see the adjustor next wednesday to play "Deal or No Deal" and figure out the settlement. I'm probably going to buy it back.
Looks like SGI is going to give me a fair value for my Suzuki. They haven't gotten back to me on the buyback yet but I'm expecting that call today. I'll have everything settled on Monday anyway. Then all I have to do is replace it.
