MY TRUCK!

Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous, sunny and warm day, so I went on a bike ride in Birds Hill Park with a friend. We were to meet at the park so around noon, I went out to load my mountain bike into the back of my Chevy Blazer.

Lo and behold, much to my dismay, it appears someone had the audacity to attempt to steal my truck during the night. The driver's door handle was sticking out slightly and the paint underneath has been chipped off and cracked, with a dent in the metal and a gouge in the plastic handle. It stayed in place when I pushed it back in and the door works, but the window clunks as it is rolled down (electric) so something inside the door is obviously out of place.





The passenger door handle is worse - it is sticking out and very loose, so I haven't even attempted to open that door. Not sure if I would be able to close it again, so I am not even going to try. The paint under the handle is cracked as well but not chipped off.





Now, I park in the back of the house, on a gravel parking space in the yard right next to a large light on the hyrdo pole. So the area is well lit at night. Plus I have a bright red Club on the steering wheel. And just last week, I had the mandatory immobilizer installed that good old MPI (our provincial auto insurance monopoly) has required for me to re-insure/register my vehicle. It seems the Blazer is in the top ten list of stolen vehicles. ((sigh)) There are stickers on the windows of both doors stating it has an immobilizer installed.

Obviously, the would-be car thieves can't read and didn't look in the window before making their futile attempt. It doesn't look like they even got the door all the way open. Nothing damaged on the inside. Guess someone finally noticed the Club or the immobilizer stickers.... DUH! Why waste the effort of all that on a vehicle they wouldn't be able to move anyway. Idiots..... f*ckin' idiots!

I am so pissed off... Now I have to go through the police to report it, which I have already started. And the claim report through MPI, which I started over the phone and have to go to the Claims Centre tomorrow after work. And worst of all, I will have to pay my $200 deductible because this claim will probably be seen as vandalism and not attempted theft (more than likely, because they didn't wreck anything on the inside - like the steering column from trying to pop the key thingie with a screwdriver). Several people at work have told me I should ding it up myself with a screwdriver to make it look like attempted theft so I won't have to pay the deductible, but that just doesn't sit right with me. So I will leave it as it is and see what they say tomorrow.

Both doors will more than likely have to be repainted. Both door handles will have to be replaced. The driver's window will need to be repaired, but hopefully when they fix the door handle, that will be taken care of.

I will have to take the truck into a repair facility. My insurance doesn't cover me for a replacement vehicle. Good thing I am within walking distance of work, so that is not an issue, since that is what I usually do anyway. Except when I work evenings, as I am not crazy about walking home around midnight. I've done it a time or two but feel a bit on edge walking around alone that late at night - you just never know what kind of crazies are out at that hour. And I have no idea how long it will take for the repairs and the painting.... which sucks because then I will be without a vehicle, other than my bike. ((sigh again....))

The little f*ckers that do these car thefts ought to be strung up by the balls. There just isn't any reason for them to quit. The consequences are so minor, it is laughable! A slap on the wrist and off you go, until you have been caught 40 or 50 times and then they might, just might, slap one of those trackable ankle bracelets on you. But some of those car thieves have already proven they can cut those off and keep thieving, so what's the use in that?

I propose some Texas Chain Gang methods for these guys. Not jail - make them work at hard, physical labour at minimum wage until they have paid for all the damage they have caused. Something like breaking boulders with a little ballpean hammer to make gravel. Something that is back-breaking, mind-numbing, sweat-producing, blister-inducing hard work that will make them think twice about what they've been doing. And if they have to do that every time they get caught, maybe they will think twice about stealing cars.

And if that doesn't work, I will be in line with a gazillion other angry people to nail their balls to the wall with an airgun nailer and just leave them outside for the crows - damn little bastards.

Can you tell I am really pissed off?????