lockwood77

*This is the same post as on the MLR*

I have just returned from 3 hours in the police station making a statement having been robbed of my Evo VI at gunpoint.

The car was parked on Alfreton Road opposite Yes Car Credit in Nottingham (for those that know it), and I'd just left the rehearsal room where I'd been playing with my band.

As I stood up having been loading the back seats, three young guys all with scarves up to their eyes and hats pulled down ran across the road, and one stood in front of me pointing a gun. He asked for the keys, which not surprisingly I gave him. He then told me to take my stuff back out of the car (not sure why, one of them got in the back easily enough) as he passed the keys to the other who looked around to start the car.

So I took my stuff out and ran down the side road as told by the gunman, and as I looked back having crossed the main road they pulled off. Our drummer had seen some of this and was already on the phone to the police in the rehearsal room foyer. I told them all they wanted to know, including the fact it had anti-hijack and they were therefore unlikely to get far.

Pretty swiftly a couple of cops turned up and took us both to the station, and within 10-15 mins the car had been reported found, alarm blaring and apparently undamaged. I haven't seen it as they need to do forensics on it. I would love to have seen the thieves' faces when the engine cut out one minute down the road.

Suffice to say after one month of Evo ownership my dream has ended and I will be selling the car. No piece of metal, however fast, is worth my life or anyone else's. As I'm sure most of you are aware, the police say it is common to steal Evos/Scoobies to do Securicor van jobs etc., hence the gun-related nature of the theft. Not exactly spotty Kev the opportunist joyrider.

I'm sorry to be adding to the negative statistics. Those of you that know the area may say I was stupid to park it on Alfreton Road at night, but I can't afford to run two cars and rehearsal rooms aren't usually in the nicest places. At least it's a well-lit main road with CCTV - I worry the car will be gone when I come out, but I didn't expect this. I guess you never think it will be you.

Question now is, get something quick but not so obvious (I parked my old Integra Type-R there every week for over a year with no trouble), or just give up and get the bog-standard faceless motor I always said I wouldn't have? Got to say it's the latter at the moment with the bonus of cash savings.

A very sad, rather shaken and somewhat tired Ian.

XT

1)i'm glad you are unhurt mate

2)glad you found the car

3)angry for what happened to you [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

4)sorry that you have to take the decision to sell it

just get something quick but low profile

Hope that you'll recover from this as quick as possible mate

XT

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Sounds like the bussies were on their toes for a change. Would have been worse if you did not have anti-hijack. Let's hope they catch the scum and they get a hiding for starters or resist arrest and get shot by the bussies, if only.
I think we should bring in crucifiction for this sort of crime, in public but only for a couple of hours for the first offence and say 12 hours for second offence.
Do you think it would reduce this sort of crime or would it violate the civil rights of these scum?

Simon Lau

yes it was scary going by your story. I'm happy to learn that these low lives didn't hurt you in anyway as it could have turned very serious had you not handed your keys over...and yes no car is worth a life.

it's just shame it's happened.

wishing you all the best mate

edited to add: although crime like this is seldom where i am located, it will make me look around before jumping into my car nest time

[Edited by Simon Lau - 1/27/2004 4:49:34 AM]

prana

sorry to hear, and I sure am glad you are alright. Here is someting I always wanted to do cause I dont like being "out there" Have you ever thought of installing a FMIC, replacing the hood for an RS (or RX) and debadging every badge of the car ?

When I get me WRX, I would do the same !

salsa-king

Oh My God... you've only had the car three weeks!!!!


Mind you... i wouldn't want to be round Alferton Road at that time of night!!!!
even tho a police station is round the corner... its bad enough there in the day.

sooby

lockwood77,

Perhaps having a car like that puts you at higher risk. But, there have been a number of people that have been killed (by trying to stop the thieves or otherwise) for cars you wouldn't have expected to attract this attention.

Wasn't this for a VW diesel?http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/3423523.stm

This was for an old Golf:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/3431865.stm

Volvo estate?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/3384107.stm
or was that this one?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/3386693.stm

The list is almost endless. So what car will you get that'll make you feel safe?

PS Sorry for you having to CNTRL/C & paste the links!

matt5cott

ugh, this is disgusting, sometimes I feel ashamed to live in Nottingham, gutted to hear this story lockwood77, and I hope you recover from this horrific ordeal swiftly.

Subarstar

Sorry to hear your news lockwood77.
Thought about an Evo myself, before I got the Scoob.
Even though I've heard your story, I still think I would get one.(Eventually, if/when I can afford a decent one!)
Don't rush into selling it m8, you might regret it.
People have been robbed of some really crap motors as well!

Jen

Just glad you're ok

PPPMAT

Thats terrible. Rough area alright. Safest place to park near there if you have to go (which I also do on occasion) is in the local surgery carpark on Highurst st.

Don't let others ruin your dream, although I understand its a nasty experience

Dave!

It gets worse round here every week doesn't it? We can't be far behind Manchester nowdays for these sort of crimes.
Don't let the *******s win mate - keep the car and do as i do - get lifts and taxis to the dodgy areas.

I seem to spend most of my time driving around here looking upwards for speed cameras, to the sides for the scum in hoodies and baseball caps, and in the rear view for plod or more scum on my tail.......can't be a safe way to drive can it? How are we supposed to concentrate on the roads?

I've not been confronted by a gun yet, but had a well documented fight with some of the f******s last year, i reckon i'd do exactly the same as you though - it's only a car.
But it's not the car that's the issue for me - it's the fact that at that very second you realise that they might be getting away with it which decides your (my) reaction (and it's a terrible feeling).
I still have big regrets even now that i didn't hospitalise those i caught - i'm serious here, i feel i didn't go far enough.

I hope you get over this quickly and you can get your life back to normal with or without the car.

Dave.

Gav

sorry to hear this mate, your not injured which is the main thing

gav..

homer lawtey

That's sickening, I would't blame anyone for wanting to move away from the EVOs now.

The world just seems to be sinking to new lows everyday. Tomorrow they'll probably introduce a tax for anyone who gets car-jacked.

Steve

meganecoupe

sickening to hear mate... and only 1 day after the guy got his 3dr cossie taken.. whats the world coming to

cheeseboy

Answer to this:

move to germany - I have no alarm - no need. and can drive around with the doors unlocked - no probs. I can leave it in the cul-de-sac unlocked - and come back hours later to find it still there, and the mobile and wallet still on the seat where I left them. I can also leave the doors open while I transport stuff to or from the car without hassles.

I also have no need to lock it in the garage - the door stays unlocked all year and the door up.

Same goes with going out on the town - I can park it anywhere and no thug will scratch the paint, or pinch it - there are much better cars out there to steal... bmw, mercs, porsche, audi etc. And there are plenty of them too.

I guess it just comes down to the trustworthyness of the people in your country, and particularly your town.

I am sorry to see you have decided to sell your evo - a truely beautiful car indeed. But I am even more sorry that england has really become such an untrustworthy place to live.

I have often considered driving over to one of the many big meets, but things like this seem all to common in the UK and so it has been for a while, and I will continue to miss out on the meets. Although, a gunman probably wouldn´t know what to do if faced with a car with the steering-wheel on the other side

Neal

markbluemica

jesus christ i hope they get the thieving barstewerds i hate driving through there in the daytime my mother still lives in st anns and im glad i moved out 10 years ago. dont sell her mate the tossers are winning that way

sooby

Perhaps I shouldn't say this but it boils down to the Law. The safest place I've been is Singapore - they know how to treat these thugs. Yes, there are people who say "what if you are innocent and get caught up in the law there", but I suspect many would gladly risk that for having a very safe place to live.

Bobby Peru

If you want something understated but fast and brilliant to drive, how about an e46 B3 Alpina





This was my old one which I wish I never sold

burnz

iTrader: (1)

Sorry to hear about this awefull story mate,glad you had the courage to just give em the keys and walk away.Not alot you can say really as most of us have never been faced with that kind of situation.It's good to hear your ok,sorry to hear your decision to sell the motor.It's all to easy for us to say don't let them win but the nature of the beast is what it is and it aint gonna change.All the best mate.

Adam

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

This is one thing that really puts me off of owning a scoob to be honest I wouldn't want my Fiancee to go through this if we were out together or someone broke into the house and came upstairs for a car

I would just drive something nice and fast but discreet if it was me in that situation.

All the best

Paul

lockwood77

(As per MLR posting...)

Just called the police garage and apparently the keys aren't in it. Lovely. Now I have to get the locks changed and the alarm re-programmed.

I'll give details of the alarm once it's been sold, not too keen to let everyone know until then in case somebody else wants to have a go!

I take the points about getting a crappy motor for "normal" driving, but it is still more expensive and every time you're in it you wish you were in the decent car. And when would you drive the decent one? Only at weekends to nice places? Well, unless it's purely country driving (which I don't do a lot of) I'd still have to go through some rough bits of the city (or another city if I'm visiting friends), and when you look at stories like Karl Norris', I'm frankly not keen. I simply wouldn't feel safe in an Evo now - if people are prepared to do this kind of thing it's likely to happen again. Also, even if I stayed with Evos, I'd have to sell this one as I don't think the thieves will have taken too kindly to it cutting out on them and will probably either nick it again, beat me up or trash it if they see it. I have to drive through the part of town it was found in every day.

Thanks for all your words of support, I'll keep you informed as things develop.

Yakker

We had problems owning an M3 evo.

The car was a lovely thing to own and drive, and it cost us a lot of money - which we had earned through long hours at work.

Someone took the wheels off it on our driveway, luckily the dogs scared them off. Then another Saturday I was woken by a ripping noise, two lads were ripping the side trims, badges and mirrors off it.

Got the police, who caught them and they went to court.

The fine was about 75 quid each. We got a total of 75 quid in compensation.

We upgraded the alarm to cover the mirrors as well, total cost to get the car back in order was around 450 quid. We were well out of pocket, and the fine was a joke.

We moved house, but then got to a point when we would not take the Beemer anywhere - just in case.

It is a sad state when you cannot keep and appreciate something you have earned, without worrying about who is going to have a go next.


We now live near the Police HQ - so anyone following me home gets to go there on the way.....

We bought a Mk2 16v Golf - and it was the most fun I have had driving a car for ages - and it was cheap enough that no-one will nick it - and if they do I dont care as much.

Cheap scooby next time though ....

met

glad to hear your ok mate, i would say sell it, it will never be the same again, you wont get the same enjoyment knowing that you went through all that, it is only a car, my biggest fear is that happening with my son in the back of the car, i am running 2 cars at the moment so the poxy subaru can sit in the garage & not go here & not go there just in case, & always being paranoid, hence me selling mine. sorry state of affairs all in all

Gridlock Mikey

SCUM [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Mikey

astraboy

Gutted you have to sell the car but I can understand why you are thinking like that.
Glad you are okay though and perhaps the toerags will think twice about stealing a nice car which may or may not cut out on them!
As for something fast and subtle, buy a 200SX!
astraboy.

Phil Harrison

Lockwood,

What about a bogstandard WRX 5-door. Room for the kit, with any luck, and fairly sheep-ish clthing??

Phil

ozzyinnit

Gutted for you mate
Wa###rs, Just scum, pure scum,
I have to work up there both day and night, and its sh##y,
Seen old blokes getting money nicked out of there hands after drawing it from cash point(they must wait around corner the ba###rds[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]),
Luckely i drive a wagon so hopefully a bit more descreet looking but i only drive the van up there!!!!
Feeling for you mate

MGJohn

>>People have been robbed of some really crap motors as well! <<

Very true although the term crap is a relative one ..... Even in a quiet backwater like Gloucestershire, this sort of thing has been happening for years. Work colleague driving to work (7am for crissakes!) is threatened and keys demanded. His car? An old Escort worth all of a hundred quid. Used for several crimes later.

Neighbours son, very tidy but old MG 1600 Maestro kidnapped, forced to withdraw cash from cash machine, car used later for another serious crime........

Luck will play a part in this sort of thing, if you're unlucky, you're unlucky period - irrespective of the car you drive.

In your case, the Police response was a bit sharpish .... I wonder what the timing rsponse would be if a knife and not a gun had been used........

cossie@ste

Sorry to here this pal!!! thats 2 3door cosworths and an Evo nicked in 2 days!

If you want the ultimate sleeper get a saph cosworth de-bage it keep the std tail pipe and get a vent less bonnet most people will think its a £300 replica and leave you alone well you still have a quick motor