WARNING! don't leave your car running! (Portland, Augusta: car rental, credit, house)

[oceanfit185]

I am thinking that this car is gone for good. Its a newer honda civic. I was told honda, Toyota, Acura and Lexus are easy to chope and sell the parts. In addition the credit cards were used at gas stations off I-95 headed south. Each one a littel further south. So I am thinking the guy is headed to Mass.

Its not a bad scam. Get up early, and drive to Maine. Find a car running and just jump in and take off! It will take at least an hour to get into the local system, let a lone a national database of stolen cars. In that time you switch the plates and head home scott free....



Thanks for the support guys! And be carefull!

[Maine Writer]

Shame on the CC companies for charging you. It takes two minutes to cancel one number and create another. I know this because we had to do it in September. Fraud Alert called to ask if we were really paying for internet service in a southern state and making purchases in Canada on the same day.

Watch your cell phones too. My daughter and her friend ran into a convenience store in Brewer and were back in the car five minutes later. Both phones were gone from the seats. They were turned off immediately. The cop told them the phones will likely turn up on eBay.

Good luck with the car and insurance. I hope it works out quickly for you.

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by LynnKK

Begs the question, why she didn't lock the running car

I'd venture to say that most Mainers have done this exact same thing at least once in our lives, if not everyday. I know I did it on just about every winter morning and would never lock my car in my own dooryard. It's common procedure in most of Maine. Sure as heck wouldn't do it down here though!

[Petertherock]

You were in Portland not some up north place in Maine. Portland is nothing more than a suburb of Boston. There are drugs, gangs, rapists,

I don't care where you live...Maine or Orlando, FL... I am sorry this has happened to you but it's not surprising. Portland is not a safe little town.

Edit: I didn't read all your post obviously because you did mention the insurance company may not pay at all. I hope for your sake the insurance does pay for the car but I hope a lesson was learned. The trouble is when something like this happens if insurance does pay for it everyone suffers with higher insurance rates.

I work in Portland in an area where we have security cameras. I won't even leave my car running without locking the door. I keep a spare key in my wallet and lock my car while it's warming up. But again, who hasn't left there car warming up outside their house? Hopefully whoever took your car gets what's coming to him...a bullet in the back of the head.

[bignhfamily]

On a little lighter note -

One early fall morning, I drove down to the local gas station to meet a buddy. I was to ride out with him to our favorite hunting spot. It was quite cold and I waited for him in the minivan with the engine running and the heat on. When he arrived, I loaded my rifle and gear into his truck and went in the store for a coffee. Excited to get out to the stand we came out of the store and jumped in the truck and headed out to the woods. After a long opening day and long hike back to the truck we finally made it out of the woods and back to the van. Almost 12 hours later were it sat still running!
Also my wallet with cash, credit cards and license was sitting on the dash board.
Guess I was lucky.

[Petertherock]

Originally Posted by bignhfamily

On a little lighter note -

One early fall morning, I drove down to the local gas station to meet a buddy. I was to ride out with him to our favorite hunting spot. It was quite cold and I waited for him in the minivan with the engine running and the heat on. When he arrived, I loaded my rifle and gear into his truck and went in the store for a coffee. Excited to get out to the stand we came out of the store and jumped in the truck and headed out to the woods. After a long opening day and long hike back to the truck we finally made it out of the woods and back to the van. Almost 12 hours later were it sat still running!
Also my wallet with cash, credit cards and license was sitting on the dash board.
Guess I was lucky.

I am surprised you still had gas in it!!

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by bignhfamily

On a little lighter note -

One early fall morning, I drove down to the local gas station to meet a buddy. I was to ride out with him to our favorite hunting spot. It was quite cold and I waited for him in the minivan with the engine running and the heat on. When he arrived, I loaded my rifle and gear into his truck and went in the store for a coffee. Excited to get out to the stand we came out of the store and jumped in the truck and headed out to the woods. After a long opening day and long hike back to the truck we finally made it out of the woods and back to the van. Almost 12 hours later were it sat still running!
Also my wallet with cash, credit cards and license was sitting on the dash board.
Guess I was lucky.

Thank you for the lighter note! Great story!

[BacktoNE]

Ocean, I'm sorry that happened to you! I think we have all done that very thing, but were luckier in that nothing happened as a result. You shouldn't have to lock your car in your own driveway, but unfortunately Maine is not immune to the problems of the rest of the world anymore.

What really stinks, IMO, is that you would be charged by the credit card companies for replacement cards. That isn't right. I lost a card a few years ago and when I called the company, they simply canceled the old card and issued a new one within 24 hours, at no charge. And that was MY fault for losing the card!

Sure hope your insurance company steps up and pays. Good luck to you.

[399083453]

Ummmmm.......just the city of Portland had 193 car thefts in the year 2006 alone. It would have been worse if a 10 year old kid grabbed it and got hurt, in my opinion its kinda like leaving a loaded gun on your front steps. Moderator cut: not necessary

I too warm up my car, but with car starter. If someone broke the window and hopped in the car and put it into drive the engine would turn off. Much safer.

[cdodge04]

That really stinks that you are in that situation. It is sad to know that the crime we hear about so often in other states is moving up this way. Hearing that this happened in Portland really doesn't surprise me too much now. I know a gentlemen that moved here from California, he was a member of a gang out there, but moved here to get out. He said that he thought he would be free, but the gang that he was active in, is just as busy here in Maine--specifically in the southern part of the state.

I hope all works out well for you and that your car is returned. Shame on the credit card companies for charging you a fee under such circumstances.