Dirtbag stole my rental car - Dallas TX

[Yerman]

So, I'm staying at the The Westin Dallas Park Central near the 635 / 75 interchange last week in Dallas.

Last night in town (Tuesday), wife and I get back from running around all day and park in the Westin parking structure (where we are staying) that is gated and patrolled by two security guards full time.

We have a 6:00am flight (Wednesday morning) so we scramble to get down to the parking structure around 3:30am and after 30 mins of triple checking every level in the structure, we determine that the rental was stollen.

I call Dallas PD, "sorry, it will be a few hours before we can get there." I call National Car Rental to find out what they want me to do, no answer. No time left...we Uber to the airport and head out of town barely missing our flight.

We started the process with the rental car company and our insurance (AAA), and first thing everyone asks for is a police report. I finally got through to Dallas PD and they won't do it over the phone. Looks like I might be flying back to Dallas just to do a police report....what a mess.

Any Dallas PD members here on the forum that can help me out? I really don't want to fly back there to fill out a police report.

 

[Bender]

I wish AJ wasn’t 86ed. Sorry for the headache man. @QuickNDirty ? Where you be at?

 

[John_in_WYO]

I hope you bought the complete insurance package.
Sounds like it would have been worth it in this case....

 

[acudaowner]

yep that insurance is a great thing to have when driving a rental car or truck like a 1/2 drunk crazed duke boy jumping covered bridges .

 

[Snipe260]

Did that hotel hire the Epstein guards?

 

[QuickNDirty]

I wish AJ wasn’t 86ed. Sorry for the headache man. @QuickNDirty ? Where you be at?

About 5 hours South of Dallas.

 

[W54/XM-388]

635/75 is a great place for a bit of crime.
Quick access to being long gone before anyone calls the police.
A Communist run city with a police force that is not all it could be anymore.

 

[BytorJr]

Marriott Bonvoyage I guess. Many years ago a buddy of mine had his car stolen at what was then the Loews Anatole. Granted that’s an open lot. Found in two or three days completely stripped.

Wonder if AMEX covers that?

 

[QuickNDirty]

I'm checking around to see if I know anyone that knows anyone in the PD up there.

 

[Yerman]

I'm checking around to see if I know anyone that knows anyone in the PD up there.

Thanks!

 

[davsco]

did/could the rental car company see where the car was/is, should have some sort of tracking device?

 

[deersniper]

Guards are incompetent or in on it.

 

[supercorndogs]

Were the keys in it?

 

[Threadcutter308]

Probably only good for future rentals; Get an AMEX and put everything on it. You're covered.

 

[BytorJr]

Probably only good for future rentals; Get an AMEX and put everything on it. You're covered.

That's been my theory . God forbid I'd have a rental car stolen. YIKES. If they'd steal my VW and it never be found, I'd be ok with that .

 

[Threadcutter308]

That's been my theory . God forbid I'd have a rental car stolen. YIKES. If they'd steal my VW and it never be found, I'd be ok with that .

Had our 2000 Suburban with 275K on it stolen in September. Insurance gave us ~ $3,800.00 for it. I didn't expect any more than $1,500.00.

We've had really good luck/experiences with Amica. From past experience, seems like any Insurance company with "Farm" in their name just sucks balls.

 

[BytorJr]

@Threadcutter308, that was certainly my experience with one of those "Farm" companies. Now that I went with independent broker get much better coverage and companies. 275K on a Chevy....VERY impressive sir, very!!

 

[QuickNDirty]

Not looking good from my end. Have you tried calling the hotel and see if you can get in touch with a security guard? Maybe they could make the police report?

 

[RTH1800]

I remember a guy who had a worse day in Dallas.

 

[rjacobs]

My uncle is a Dallas Marshall, but probably couldnt help you in this situation.

635 and 75 isnt really a bad area.

Now the guy who had his car stolen from the Anatole, yea I would believe that.

 

[BytorJr]

As I recall the cop said something like "Son, you won't get your car back in one piece, the chop shops are just down the road." Now, this was a long time ago like 1990 - it was bad then. But near the High Five isn't an awful area or wasn't not too long ago. But probably a group that looks for rental cars in a hotel lot.

 

[TACC]

Good luck with this.
I'm not trying to make your day any worse but would like to hear the end result for future knowledge.

 

[Keel Haul]

Had this happen two years ago at wedding in Richmond Virgina. Was found about three months later in Georgia being driven by a felon in possession of a handgun.

 

[Snuby642]

Inside job, probably knew your flight and all

 

[slodsm]

Reason number 3,286 I don’t go east if I35W if I don’t have to.

Sorry about you crap luck man, Dallas has really gone downhill (and it wasn’t that great to start with). I seriously will drive south to Alvarado and take 67 to get around the city instead of just rolling through on 20 it 30. I hate that place.

 

[Yerman]

So this is about to get slightly more interesting. Long story short, I just got off the phone with the rental car company. They hired a PI to track down the truck (it's been popping up on tolls for the past few days so dirtbag has been driving it around.) While I'm on the phone with him, he gets a text from the PI that they found the truck, he has the keys in his possession (I shipped them back), and the police are being called to ask if they should attempt to drive it away or standby and try to catch the guy.

 

[Yerman]

Ok, so it was "in a bad part of Plano" and the PI didn't want to stick around for too long. Cops said "if you have the keys, try to get the vehicle started and get out of there."

It's on it's way back to the airport where I rented if from. They will sort through the vehicle, figure out how they got it started, etc.

So, it looks like the bad guy got away this time. Got a free ride for a week then lost his wheels. Unfortunately, it looks like he will be back on the market again and someone else will have to go through all this after he finds his next victim.

 

[nn8734]

Glad they found it in one piece and drivable. Unfortunately the overall outcome (bad guy still out there) is all too par for the course in GTA cases.

 

[Zeroit]

#metoo I had a really bad experience with a insurance company I think snake was in their name not sure long time ago.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Happened to me years ago (2002) in Miami... it was stolen and returned by a couple of hotel Bellman... they TRASHED it!

But I paid the extra insurance... so taxi'd to the airport... handed over the key... and told them to call the Miami Metro Dade Popo... which they did. Not so much as a penny out of pocket.

They had film of the bellmen who took it and brought it back. Gangbangers. Not their first rodeo.

Always buy the extra insurance!

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[Yerman]

Happened to me years ago (2002) in Miami... it was stolen and returned by a couple of hotel Bellman... they TRASHED it!

But I paid the extra insurance... so taxi'd to the airport... handed over the key... and told them to call the Miami Metro Dade Popo... which they did. Not so much as a penny out of pocket.

They had film of the bellmen who took it and brought it back. Gangbangers. Not their first rodeo.

Always buy the extra insurance!

Cheers,

Sirhr

Did they look like this?

 

[Sean the Nailer]

The "Ultimate" car alarm. Upon activation, DETONATION.

Problems solved.

 

[timesublime]

Upon activation, DETONATION.