UPDATE: FOUND...stolen in los angeles - vin 11304412007568 - red on tan

[Artkez]

sorry if in the wrong forum. not sure why i am even posting, maybe someone might spot it or some of its parts out there (numbers matched on the hood and soft top compartment cover), or can give me advice on how to proceed. obviously I have made a police report with LAPD

recently redone engine - engine number 13098012016620

beautiful car was stolen from closed garage early in the morning in los angeles, with no trace left behind.
im am absolutely in shock. i wonder what they do with these things, my guess is part it out or ship it overseas. if anyone comes across any info that leads to the discovery or recovery that would be rewarded.

[stickandrudderman]

Such a shame. It'll probably end up as what we call in the UK as a "ringer".
That's where its identity is swapped for some rusted out hulk and called a restoration.

[BobH]

Truly shocking and upsetting, i'm so sorry.  Absolutely correct to post it on here, the more people who know about it the better, and can keep their eyes and ears open

Use the search for "Stolen", you may get some further tips about what other owners have done or experienced when they lost their cars

[mdsalemi]

How to proceed?

Well, you filed the police report… And let’s just hope you have good insurance for the proper value of the vehicle. So contacting your insurance agent or companies claims department is the next step which I am sure you’ve already done.

Take the money and buy another!

[TJMart]

Sorry to see this happen!

Hopefully with any luck they can find it.

[kampala]

So sorry.  And after all the work you just had done. 

[John Betsch - "SADIE"]

I am sure this has prompted everyone to recheck the insurance value they have on their polices, and hopefully it is an agreed value.

jb

[Artkez]

So sorry.  And after all the work you just had done.

it was finally in perfect driving shape, after 8 months of work. i was getting ready to post a video and a big update on here about how well it was driving and how perfect it is. at least i got to enjoy a couple of really nice drives

[mdsalemi]

I am sure this has prompted everyone to recheck the insurance value they have on their polices, and hopefully it is an agreed value.

...and consider a tracking device as well.

[Jonny B]

Oh man, what a bummer! Very sorry to hear about the theft. And from a closed garage.

[Artkez]

Hello All,
I would like to personally thank everyone on this forum who helped us and motivated us into making this Little Red pagoda  into a beautiful running automobile during the past few months . My son (Steve) and I truly had a great time making this dream come true. 

The Car was running beautifully,  engine had great power and running quietly ( thanks to the 280SE donor car) transmission was shifting as nicely as my Lexus, and the paint continued to shine,  Haha and the Clock was  sent off to be authentically repaired.

This violation, of someone burglarizing your home and sealing your prized possession  ,  has been such a shock to every one who  knew the car.

Please make sure that  you do everything you can to protect your Pagoda, it can be gone instantly.

A picture of my Grand daughter who loved the car and we would always comment that she would in the future  take her Drivers license exam test  in this car and definitely pass with flying colors

All the best

Arthur and Steve


   

[AdelaidePagoda]

Absolutely devastating to hear this. A part of the family has been kidnapped and hopefully the police or this wonderful team will help you locate it

Hard to believe that this car will be sold as a whole given the bright red color and the engine number and VIN are easy enough to trace.

It was suggested by another on this post that a GPS tracker could have been helpful. I would agree, and a simple $20 Apple Air Tag would have enabled you to track its exact location and have it returned by now.

Please all other owners reading this, you can never be sure yours won’t be stolen, even in a locked garage, so add an Air Tag or GPS tracker to you car. This will ensure it is located immediately and help to keep insurance premiums for all Pagoda owners down. Such an easy thing to do and considering how much we fuss over every little detail, just go out and do it.

Good luck in getting it back 🙏🏻🙏🏻, I will be keeping an eye out websites for it.

[AndrewB]

So sorry to read this, having enjoyed all of your posts on getting your Pagoda back into the shape you wanted it to be in.

I hope the low life was not someone who learned about your car on this site ! I am not wanting to stir up a hornet’s nest, and truly appreciate being a member here, but presume someone could sign up as an associate and get a lot of access ?

I had a car stolen 18 months ago in the UK. It was a real violation. Fortunately I had a hidden tracker in the car and with the assistance of the tracking company and the police, had my car back before it could be chopped up or shipped out of the country. The thieves had parked it in a quiet location about 20 miles from where it was stolen to see if anyone came for it. I had no confidence the police would have been any help, but the tracker made all the difference

I hope you get your car back

Andrew

[zoegrlh]

How did they get into your garage, I will assume your garage is connected to your house.  Do you think they were only after you SL?  So sorry to hear this. It seems some years ago a follow member drove his car to his office in downtown LA, on a Sunday, to do a little work at office on a Sunday. When he finished his work, came back down to the car, and car was gone, never heard of again. And of course this happened on the street in broad daylight. Another story, John Trivolta’s Pagoda was stolen in LA, he did find it however, in pieces. I do hope you find your Pagoda and in one piece. Very sad.

[AdelaidePagoda]

Robert, that thought ran through my head as well. Was this an ‘inside’ job?

Unlikely it was someone on this site that through posts, tracked down the cars owner, its approximate value, condition etc, but it is a possibility. Perhaps the Administrators of this site can provide us with some assurance that lurkers are screened out?

The other possibility is any of the many mechanics that you may have dealt with. They have had access to your keys, know your address (from invoices) and could join the dots. A horrible thought but obviously this is someone who knew exactly what they were doing with a rare, easily recognisable and valuable car.

[zak]

Really shocking. Sorry to hear. Hope it comes back to you.
Were you home when this occurred ?
The thieves had to make some noises like garage door opening etc.
Any leads on how it was stolen -  tow truck or just 4 guys pushing it down the street to a flatbed around the corner ?
Certainly they didn't start it up and drive away.
A planned job for sure.

Deep breath.

jz

[Artkez]

Hello

Thanks so much for all the support and sympathy  from everyone, we really appreciate it.  We are still in shock at looking at an empty garage . 

It amazing that you see the  pagoda in the evening and when you wake up and ready to take a spin  , you come to the unbelievable realization that your
car/baby has disappeared. 

Its been and amazing journey and learning experience  the past year  ,since we purchased the car, and the journey was beautiful and truly treasured between my son and I and i thank all of you for being part of it.

A few details : the car was parked in the garage which was  detached from the house, they did not start the car or run the engine  since this would have been easily heard .  This  violation occurred  probably  during midnight to sunrise.  The car had the top off, and the ignition switch was keeping the steering wheel locked so i assume you would need a key.  The car could have easily been place on roller and dropped down the drive way .  Seems they knew how to do this.

Never did we imagine that this could ever happen . 

All the best to everyone and please learn from our experience

Arthur and Steve

[JamesL]

If they didn't start it, they came prepared and knew it was there - not an opportunistic theft.
(f***ing scum)

(I had a motorbike nicked in March that the  insurance company and police think was stolen to order - certainly very professional: they took it a couple of miles away before hunting down and removing the tracking device, and then taking it onwards)

The one issue with using a luggage tag as a tracker (airtag and similar) is that if you travel with one, it shows up on your phone, even if it's not your tag. A thief is thus alerted to the fact there's a tracker. Finding it may take them time but they'd find it if they are vaguely professional

[Peter van Es]

Unlikely it was someone on this site that through posts, tracked down the cars owner, its approximate value, condition etc, but it is a possibility. Perhaps the Administrators of this site can provide us with some assurance that lurkers are screened out?

Regular Full Members cannot find addresses for other members. Only board members and membership admins can... unless: you are a full member and you are on the Emergency Contact List, but then only other members who have added their address details can access this list. Unlikely for a thief to have added themselves as a full member and then also added themselves to the ECL.

We have been in operation with this system for over 10 years. There have been no break ins, no data leaks, and not a significant or worrying number of thefts. We suffer very little spam... Our database is encrypted and there are only 3 IP addresses in the world that can access it (with a very long and complicated password which is changed regularly). The 3 addresses are: the website server, my home IP address and my office IP address.

However... do not share personal information in your posts, or pictures from which your car's location may be deduced.
Also, I would be more concerned about vendors from which you have bought stuff (repeatedly) figuring out that you are restoring a car... they will have your address also.

Peter

[Pinder]

there have been a few occasions where I've been followed home when driving my 280SL.  In my case they were wanting to make an offer to buy.  Also, there are several people in my town that drive around to see if they can make a low ball offer on classic cars. I used to leave my garage door open when I was home but recent uptick in cars being stollen from homes, I make sure the doors are up and i have several ring cameras coverage most of my front and back yard.

[AdelaidePagoda]

Thanks Peter for all you do. This is an amazing forum and the entire community owe you, and the many other high volume contributors, a large and sincere debt of gratitude! Bravo 👏🏻

[rwmastel]

Please make sure that  you do everything you can to protect your Pagoda, it can be gone instantly.

Including not posting personal information on this forum!!!  Never post your phone number or street address or anything personal.  Our forum is completely open!   Anyone and everyone, including AI bots, can scour the public threads for information.

[rwmastel]

I hope the low life was not someone who learned about your car on this site ! I am not wanting to stir up a hornet’s nest, and truly appreciate being a member here, but presume someone could sign up as an associate and get a lot of access ?

No need to sign up.

[rwmastel]

However... do not share personal information in your posts, or pictures from which your car's location may be deduced.

Exactly.

[mdsalemi]

Including not posting personal information on this forum!!!  Never post your phone number or street address or anything personal.  Our forum is completely open!   Anyone and everyone, including AI bots, can scour the public threads for information.

While THIS is a post, your profile information is not  and is generally NOT available to the public.

Part of your profile information, kept "locked up" here, includes a valid mailing address--a simple task which a number of members don't understand. But it is JonnyB and me that deal with all the returned mail. We just got one back from the PW #34 which was mailed in March/April. Five months to make a round trip.

Some countries now--particularly those in the gulf area, are REQUIRING PHONE NUMBERS on the outside of packages.

I don't understand all the crazy obfuscation but it's here and it's real. I updated dozens upon dozens of international addresses with the last mailing...