URGENT: Our 1957 T-Bird "STOLEN" in Hollywood CA, HELP NEEDED

We need a "network of Boon-Dock-Saints".

 

Agreed this sucks, I hope everything works out for you Chris.

Stude, an Idea I had. My cell service is through Sprint. For $10 per month I can get another phone added to my plan. For another $5 I can sign up for "Family Locator" service which allows me to locate the phone. It does have major limitations though, normally in the city it can locate the phone to a fairly close proximity. When I needed the service the most though, it could not get me any closer than 1 mile.

 

Dude
this is bull shit..
I really hope you can nail these ass holes and get your property back

Sounds to me like you have been cased, and they were ready to take it no matter how or where it was parked.

shame we cant just shoot em all and let God sort em out

Maybe im a bit paranoid, But I have 2 other Nice cars, and when they are not in use, I render them un driveable and un roll able..even my project car is always in some state of not moving..but that because i need to pull the anchor out of my ass

the police and prosecutors need to understand more how these cars become part of our life..they are NOT just rubber and sheetmetal..not just property..
I have been working on my project over 3 years taking time away from family ,and other things (yes by choice thats not the point) they are a labor of love and commitment..there should be some protection for us car guys when one of our own comes up missing

I cant wait for the first guy to fill one of these dirt bags full of lead and be vindicated by our legal system..it better happen soon!

 

"Obviously to late for this one for now, but speaking of, anybody have any recommendations for a good small, relatively cheap GPS system?"

there are several I have used that work well that are under $500 installed and have a minimal charge to "ping" from your home computer. I locate and pick up a car a week (those who forgot to make thier payments) using this service- not a bad option to have one installed.

Bummed to hear this Chris- glad no one was hurt though

 

Sorry to hear about the bird Chris. I'll keep my eyes open; I'm online all the time looking for parts for our 56 bird.

 

Terrible

 

Waaaaaaa that sucks!!!! WTF>> sorry to hear that hope the get the fucker..

 

What the fuck, that's just so insanely fucked up!
I buy and sell lotsa cars to customer overseas, and if i hear or see anything, i'll let you know right away. I realize this is gotta be a nightmare for you guys.
We should have a "Hamb's Most Wanted" TV show or something. Bet you it could help alot of people out there in our community

 

Ill keep my eye out for sure. Your not very far.

 

Wow, I bet Gloria is upset. I am very sorry to hear about this. Hoping for the best.

 

man im at a loss for words buddy, i really hope you get this one back!

 

. Thank God you guys didn't have a run in with them, cars are our hobby but lives are irreplaceable. I'll keep an eye out.

 

i have a dvr camera setup and it has a schedule to beep at night if anything sets the motion off hell i even run servers so i can see it from anywhere
if ya enable all of your active x controls on internet explorer you can see 4 of the cameras the other cameras are private and some are hidden pinhole cams so i can get any detail of car or person around my house
http://68.194.154.144:574/Webcam.htm
this is the address once there you download a small section of my dvr program then you can view the cameras user name is remote password is test
costco has a good deal on an 8 cam setup but internet access is needed to share over the net if you have a hard time seting it up let me know i do this for a living
i've done the united nations, turkish counsulate to name a few

 

sorry chris, any thieves need to get a beat down. ill keep my eyes open out here..

 

Sorry to hear about your T-bird. It's a shame that people have the nerve to steal something like that. Makes me sad for you, and sad for the state of society. I wouldn't shoot the bastard, I'd cut a chunk out of him. I'd go ballistic.

To answer your guy's questions about GPS, yes there are many options, but they are as fallible as lojack, because they rely on getting cell tower signals, as in a shipping container will likely render it useless. Other problems are metal dashes which leaves mounting areas visible. About as useful as the tacky OnStar antenna that you can break and render useless. I have been in the auto security industry for over three years and there are a lot of options, and some brands/systems will draw a map and a timeline of where your car was/is upon request. Those are the best bar none. Best way is to get a pro to install it. (You won't likely find it under the dash if I do it, not a single wire, in a modernized electrical system). A good installation is one that you can't even tell it's in the car. That way the thief won't know either.

Autowatch (which I spent 2 years installing) makes a number of different types and grades of security systems for vehicles. From a basic contact style keyfob 3 point immobilizer, to an immobilizer with alarm,to a system that ties into your cellphone, to lock/unlock, arm/disarm, start/kill the engine, and a number of other programmable things. (I don't know if they still make it, they advertised as their top model. Should still be around).
This is Autowatch's main website; PFK ELECTRONICS
There's a company in Canada that imports them, I don't know about the US.

 

Here's a couple GPS tracking devices. Cheap insurance to track a car quickly.
http://www.gps-planet.com/zoadgpscarfa.html
http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/covert-small-gps-tracking-device.html
There are ways to use hide a cell phone with GPS tracking in a vehicle to use as a tracker. May b e the only way to go for peace of mind.

 

I got sensors around the house that turns on 500w lamps all around when somebody moves within 20 ft from the house. Talked to some guys that sets up alarms and they say it´s one of the best ways to keep people out. Worked so far......
Hope you get the scumbags!

 

Any news yet? I'm going to a big show near Tucson, will keep all eyes open.

 

This is really troubling to me. If "restoration shops" are in on this shit-it's a COMPOUNDED FELONY! It bust the "car guy" brotherhood we all like to think we have. To think that a restorer or rodder is knowingly and willingly bolting hot parts from someones pride and and joy onto "their" project makes me ill! Those MF's should hang high same as scammers in the hobby that take your $ for parts and never come through.

Sliding that car right out from under your nose while you were asleep spells pro's with steel balls and they may have been armed. I'd hate to think how bad things could have been had you confronted them w/o being armed yourself.

 

heres the group i started on face book for stolen collectible cars if everyone shares it once a car is posted it will hit all the members
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=123865474321598#!/group.php?gid=123865474321598

 

Hopefully, a PD or someone else can come through and help you find it before it's too late. In the meantime, @Chris Casny, we'll be reaching out to you directly with an offer that will hopefully prevent something like this from happening to you again.

There were a couple of statements made on the thread that don't accurately represent LoJack. For one, LoJack has a major presence with the police in Southern California (as well as in 28 other states). By way of example, nearly two dozen LAPD helicopters are equipped with LoJack Police Tracking Computers. That doesn't include the hundreds of ground units in patrol cars who have helped us recover 90% of stolen cars/trucks. And, our presence is growing. We just expanded into two new states (Utah and Oklahoma) and just last week we announced a new Stolen Vehicle Recovery System designed specifically for classic cars - LoJack for Classics. Feel free to e-mail us with any questions.

 

only problem i see with Lojack..is co-operation..lately the police dont see this as a revinue generator, its more of a drain to go after stolen cars..so they dont jump thru their badges to "get r done"

and im not convinced that sometimes the cops might not go looking, because they could be part of the problem..sorry I just dont trust em that much, I have my own reasons and they are founded, it has been shown in some cases , they were helping in many theft rings

you almost need to take matters into your own hands GPS..track your stuff down and make the choice at that point weather you want them involved..Or not

plenty of ways to hide a small gps locator, no yearly fees..maybe is you used a cell phone to do this it might cost you a few bucks a month or maybe a yearly rate that isnt rediculous..and you become more involved instantly with the theft of your property, and where its going..not waiting for the coffee and douhnuts to get cold..

 

Sorry to hear this Chris. I think its time to make an example out of these thieves. These stories are getting all too common. Sucks when youve worked honestly for what you have only to have some fucker take it away in the middle of the night. Damn it really pisses me off! I'm hoping for the best for ya man.

 

yeah it true remember this from 2009
just disgusting how some people are
http://www.the-signal.com/archives/15073/
Authorities arrested four men Wednesday in connection with an auto-theft ring run out of a Canyon Country hot-rod repair shop, including the business’s owner and a retired Los Angeles Police Department auto-theft detective, officials said.

A multi-agency task force arrested Nellson Vels, the 50-year-old owner of Billet Works Performance and president of a local muscle-car group along with co-worker Daryl Perkins, 50, at Vels’ shop Wednesday morning.

Retired LAPD Detective James Ruffner, 66, of Canyon Country, was also arrested on suspicion of receiving a stolen aluminum vehicle trailer worth $10,000 and swapping the vehicle identification number to hide the crime. James Landon, 36, was also arrested in the case. The two frequented Vels’ shop.

Wednesday’s arrests resulted from a three-year investigation that found Vels and his associates have stolen at least one rare and pricey car and three high-end trailers they had built or repaired from their customers, said LAPD Detective George Molina.

Molina, a member of the Task Force for Regional Auto-theft Prevention, said he believes others may have had their hot-rod cars stolen after having them built or serviced at Billet Works.

The case intensified in February, when a customer’s red 1956 Chevy Bel Air convertible worth $108,000 was stolen out of the parking lot of a Valencia restaurant — while Vels was there dining with the victim.

Detectives said they later found pieces of it in Vels’ workshop and a stolen trailer in his possession parked on Sierra Highway.

But the auto-shop owner has been on the team’s radar for years, detectives said.

Last year, his associate Jerry Thompson, of Los Angeles, was convicted of stealing seven high-end classic cars in the San Fernando Valley. One of those cars had been built at Billet Works Performance, where Thompson used to hang out. Thompson is serving an eight-year prison sentence.

The shop has served as a social hub for hot-rod enthusiasts, including several law-enforcement officers, said LAPD Detective Jess Corral.

Vels himself is president of the local United Muscle Car Association. Former LAPD Detective Ruffner, who lives nearby, also used to frequent the shop and was a member of Vels’ muscle-car club.

About 9 a.m. on Wednesday, detectives clad in bullet-proof vests strode into the Vels’ workshop — a small, fluorescent-lit garage crammed with muscle cars in various stages of completion.

They had Vels and Perkins in handcuffs seconds later.

The caravan of police cars and cadre of detectives that raided Billet Works drew neighboring business owners out of their shops. They stared, surprised, as police placed Vels and Perkins in the back of a patrol car.

“It’s a real shocker,” said Albert Artiles, owner of neighboring business Artiles Foreign Car Restoration. “I thought they were coming in for parking tickets or something.”

Others, who asked not to be named, said they never noticed anything suspicious about Billet Works Performance and that Vels seemed to have close friendships with nearly all of his customers.

“He does a lot of nice work,” said Kevin Torres, owner of KTM Auto Repair. “(They’re) honest people. He’d never do anything.”

 

spam at its finest!!!! Who tipped off lo-jack hahahah

 

I"ll keep an eye out up here Chris,

Fresno County seems to go thru phases where "chop shops" are being busted out here in the country,
but lately they've been busting guys in "well to do" neighborhoods, ones with 3 & 4 car garages.

As a matter of fact, one bust several weeks ago was due to the neighbors seeing garage lights on all night, and the sound of an air compressor running thru-out the nite (apparently they originally thought it was a pot growing operation - that's why they called).

Alot of the cars, (according to some friends that work for the Fresno PD, and the CHP), have been from out of state, and from other parts of California...not necessarily local stuff, and not always the A-typical Honda's & Chevy trucks, they have encountered early stuff.

 

I have motion detectors on my outside garage lights and on my back yard lights on the house next to the garage. On windy nights, the trees will set off my garage lights, but that's ok. If I see it happen at 2 AM, I'll get up and look out the window.

I'm a big believer in an alarm system and my house and garage are both totally wired. They would have to lop the power off at the pole outside my property to KO it.

Bob

 

This definately sucks, sorry to hear about it. I do know a couple people who have the Zoombak GPS in their cars, I can't say for certain how well they work though.

 

I am keeping an eye out in South Bay
Wil

I will be leading a tour up the whole coast, then RT 66, Vegas, etc etc.
so you will have a roving patrol on bikes with their eyes open the next 2 weeks!

good luck

Let's vote people in legislators/supreme ct judges that make auto theft 20 years hard labor in desert, no parole, surrounds by barbed wire, some old tarps for people to huddle together under at night. That's first offense.

 

Sorry to hear about your loss Chris, best of luck with the search. My guess is this one went straight to the ports and prob overseas. I know a lot of old American iron ends up in Japan so it may be a good idea to get ahold of Mooneyes crew in Japan and have put their feelers out. You never know...

As far a lo-jack, there are only sporadic patrol (PD) units that actually have a transponder in them and in 6+ years I have had one go off only once while I was driving around. I located the car really fast and of course it was actually only a "borrowed" car once the RP realized it was an ex driving the ride. It's always the birds that catch the lo-jack. I hear ours calling out a signal at least 3 times a shift. Usually coming from freeways but they catch a lot of them so it is a viable option. What seems to work the best hands down is On-Star. I don't know if there is a way they can hook that up to anything outside of a factory built car but it works better and faster than anything else as far as tracking down a stolen.