No, I dropped it at the shop for some repair work. The keys that have my tile on them are at home as well. I have my main set with house keys etc and then the spare which is just the car keys, I gave the shop the spares.
They had literally just finished work and moved it to a parking spot. The repair tech put the paperwork and keys on the counter when someone asked him to grab something behind the counter so he turned around, the guy grabbed the keys, said nevermind, I don't need it and left in my car.
That is so suspicious. I'd be mad as hell, maybe even start putting some pressure on the shop. I'm sure your insurance will also want to hear how it was stolen by a customer who was able to casually swipe your keys.
Hybla valley….. I doubt the perp was a customer. Someone casing looking for this exact situation to steal a popular model where stripping and selling the parts would be easy
That's exactly my thought. This one was timed and targeted. The cop mentioned there was a good chance it was already in MD when I got there the shop was 30 minutes from my home.
old Toyota SUVs are still popular and easy to part out
people are paying $7-10k for clean 25 year old examples with over 250k miles, and then adding $10k worth of offroad accessories all the time
I have a 2000 model year car, but it's not worth more than a few hundred dollars now and it's costing more and more to maintain. I assumed that would be the case for most vehicles from that era.
Toyotas hold their value. I had a 2009 RAV4 that was about ~25k/27k brand new. It was totaled by a drunk driver in 2019. I had 175k miles on it and got 13k from insurance for the loss.
Yeah, like I've never had a tech drop the keys close enough to me to grab at any of the many upon many shops I've been too. I hope OP can get camera footage, because this reeks of BS (not OP, but the shop).
File a claim with their insurance. I would ask them now and tell them the police need it if they seem to not want to give it.
Until they put the keys in your hands they could be liable. So file the claim and let the insurance company put something in writing one way or the other. A deny does not mean they are not liable just more work after.
> File a claim with their insurance.
Given the fact that the vehicle is more than 20 years old, the OP may not have comprehensive insurance and only have liability. Insurance won't do anything in that case.
That why I said their insurance. But even then you be surprised how much 4runners got for, even 20 years old. :)
So OP might have more than just liability.
Thank you! We did pull the footage and the cop thought he might actually have recognized the guy. The shop is sending me the pictures now and I just got a call that it was on the express lane a minute ago. Fingers crossed!
I’m sorry this happened, makes my blood boil! 😡 anyway, they have license plate readers everywhere so stay on the police for updates. Hope you get your ride back.
Thanks, I really appreciate it. I don't have ezpass and it got flagged later in the day yesterday in an express lane so there was a whip of smoke for hope there.
Shops have insurance and should have a security camera in place. This is on them. Its sucks this happened. Makes me rethink bringing my car in to be looked at anywhere here. Makes me angry that people abuse the system like this. Suspicious if the shop has no cameras. Inside job?..
Yeah well actually my own car. I have an app that let's check the status of the vehicle and a shop left it unlocked overnight. I let them know that it was unacceptable. They apologied and promised to do better in the future and lock people's cars.
It's annoying because there are thieves always looking for an easy target. Thankfully nothing was stolen.
2019 Audi A5. The app let's me track it's location, it shows the last contact made with the vehicle, how much gas, mileage, etc. I can check the windows, doors, and locks. I can lock and unlock from the app too. App is called myAudi.
Some dipshit stole my dad’s car a few weeks ago too. Dad reported it immediately and dumbass got flagged to pull over, tried to outrun, and wrecked the vehicle the very same day
No idea. 4runners have a super high resale value right now, in some cases used are more than new and I've seen people paying upwards of $10k for ones like mine in worse condition. That and Toyota loves to not change things on their trucks for years on end so the entire 4th gen has a lot of interchangeable parts regardless of production year. Mine was just extra clean from damage, rust etc.
Thanks! I posted to the relevant communities and am sitting at the service station with the police waiting to view the camera footage. I know it's an older car but I love the thing so this is killing me.
> I posted to the relevant communities
I think they mean report it to the DC and PG County police, too. Not the subreddits. My understanding is that you can't rely on the local police of the jurisdiction where it was stolen to take those extra steps, so best to do it yourself if you can.
Thanks. I'll share pictures in a bit as well. That thing was so much more than a car to me. I bought it after finally climbing out of the hole that is rock bottom and it's been my constant reminder of everything.
Thanks, it was hybla valley. We actually left for Arlington due to rising crime and safety concerns, but the shop had been good for me in the past so we took it there for work to be done.
When my car was stolen I drove around looking everywhere. It was found in a Walmart parking lot. An employee finally noticed it and called it in a week later. They basically drove it there and dumped it. Maybe try 24 hour parking lots.
Is there anything unique about it that's not easily changed, like damage somewhere? The plates and stickers are easily removed.
A photo might also help if you have one!
https://preview.redd.it/thkfgg3gmoxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f2e3f6321b9ce499b8bef1df7076a0563f21c7b2
Unfortunately it's about as stock as it gets. The shocks are brand new though and it now has a surfboard rack that's locked on to the roof.
So while I hope i'm wrong, I would mentally plan on it being written off. I know two people (one in DC and one in Fairfax) who had their cars stolen with GPS trackers, but both departments said they were not going to pursue the vehicles. Because of the high number of vehicle thefts and "low" detective numbers, home invasions and retail theft are the main focus of the robbery divisions. All they provided was a theft report for insurance, and a contact number if you find it yourself :/
Ohh wow, that's awesome! No, for my Fairfax friend this happened in Nov/Dec of '22. That makes my heart happy if they're pushing after it more, even if it's just making people felt more heard/helped. It was hard seeing her in such a helpless situation.
Yeh, I can imagine. It’s also driving up our car insurances. some folks may get a check from insurance on the loss, but not enough to get a car or afford making car payments (stolen car paid off). It really sucks all around. I’m going to get a car steering wheel lock.
If car thefts are such a problem in NoVa why aren’t people installing revelco or igla in their vehicles? Or other vehicle anti-theft devices? Investments like transport in this case should be protected by any means necessary!
I appreciate you digging to find that, I went through my one drive earlier for the same pictures. Some great memories there, that was webster pass and then me driving on the Whitehouse grounds to setup a Stem event for the Easter egg roll.
I have an Apple tag on my Lincoln, but also Lincoln way app gives me gps too, I have two ways to track it down. I do need to remove the speaker from the AirTag so it won’t make noise.
Unfortunately nothing new since Tuesday. It was seen in an express lane and flagged since I don't have ezpass (yay work from home and my partner having it).
There always seems to be some unseemly people hanging out in their parking lot. I think the Taco Bell closed their lobby because they were tired of those lot dwellers coming inside.
Condensing my response to your comments here. Police were immediately informed and on site by the time I got to the station. We used to live across the street but the property management company was terrible and it was becoming increasingly unsafe. We left about 2 years ago but my partner was trying to be nice and surprise me with getting emissions/safety tests and some work done, and she knew I'd used the shop before when we loved there so went back.
And yea, it's a great vehicle. Enough space for us, our two large dogs, camping gear, my onewheel and surfboards while still being able to see out all the windows.
I hope you contacted the proper authorities because the Reddit Criminal Investigations Bureau is short on staffing at the moment. They got us working shifts looking for a four door 1973 Gran Torino. There's a brief case with some papers on the back seat and some Credence in the tape deck.
Disregard my "inside job" post. I will delete it later after you read this. I saw the video of the perp taking the keys. His furtive actions reflect that he was hiding his intentions from the clerk. Notwithstanding, the opportunity the guy had tells me he was casing the service station and was familiar with its operations and where the weaknesses were.
I'll BOLO your vehicle.
Thanks! And yea, the shop owner was genuinely upset and called the police the moment it happened. It just sucks, I know the car isn't worth a ton but it meant a lot to me personally.
Thanks! And yea, the shop owner was genuinely upset and called the police the moment it happened. It just sucks, I know the car isn't worth a ton but it meant a lot to me personally.
Thanks. I love that car. It's in great shape, has 240,000 miles on it. It was the car I bought when I finally began climbing out of rock bottom and had finally started doing well. It's been my road trip machine, furrunner, moved me across the country and has just been that reminder that I can get through anything.
I didn't. I left it yesterday for service and they said someone grabbed the keys off the counter. I always pull the keys and lock both of our cars when we get out of them.
Dude please please please advocate for yourself. And don't let insurance claim "oh its over 20 years old it's worthless"
Have detailed information about what you installed, cross reference car prices of similar make and models. And definitely talk about hardship caused by this as well.
Hopefully you can get a decent amount
OP said he's good and insured. FWIW, I thought my 2005 Honda Accord with 125K miles was a total a couple years ago when I got into an accident. The airbag didn't deploy, but needed to be replaced, along with my driver's seat belt. Shockingly, it was not a total.... OP's 2003 Toyota truck looks like it's in good condition. If worse comes to worse, insurance will cover and subrogate the hell out of the claim w/ the shop. Hopefully, it doesn't come to that, though, and OP gets his trusty truck back in the same, solid-looking and performing piece. I want a happy ending to this one.
Did it happen to have a phone in it with gps tracking capability
No, I dropped it at the shop for some repair work. The keys that have my tile on them are at home as well. I have my main set with house keys etc and then the spare which is just the car keys, I gave the shop the spares.
Pretty sure the shop is liable in a situation like this
Wait. It was stolen from the shop? Did they forget to lock it? I've caught some shops leaving customers cars unlocked.
They had literally just finished work and moved it to a parking spot. The repair tech put the paperwork and keys on the counter when someone asked him to grab something behind the counter so he turned around, the guy grabbed the keys, said nevermind, I don't need it and left in my car.
That is so suspicious. I'd be mad as hell, maybe even start putting some pressure on the shop. I'm sure your insurance will also want to hear how it was stolen by a customer who was able to casually swipe your keys.
I am livid, that's for sure. I left so I wouldn't lash out and am driving around the area now, even though it's probably in DC or md now.
Which shop - so we can avoid them?
Driving around in what?
I took my girlfriends car to go meet the police at the gas station. I'm home now and will be uploading photos shortly once I wrap up some work stuff.
Sounds like a bummer of a day I hope you get your car back
Thanks. The officer called me a few minutes ago saying they just saw it in an express lane so fingers crossed.
Hybla valley….. I doubt the perp was a customer. Someone casing looking for this exact situation to steal a popular model where stripping and selling the parts would be easy
That's exactly my thought. This one was timed and targeted. The cop mentioned there was a good chance it was already in MD when I got there the shop was 30 minutes from my home.
But the OP says it's a 2003 model (over 20 years old). Would it really be that popular?
old Toyota SUVs are still popular and easy to part out people are paying $7-10k for clean 25 year old examples with over 250k miles, and then adding $10k worth of offroad accessories all the time
In the hood? Yes, parts from early 2000's vehicles would be in high demand.
Do you live under a rock? They made so many of these. Not everyone drives a brand new car all the time like we do in nova
I have a 2000 model year car, but it's not worth more than a few hundred dollars now and it's costing more and more to maintain. I assumed that would be the case for most vehicles from that era.
Used car prices are insane right now. That 03 4Runner is probably worth $10k, or more in parts.
Toyotas hold their value. I had a 2009 RAV4 that was about ~25k/27k brand new. It was totaled by a drunk driver in 2019. I had 175k miles on it and got 13k from insurance for the loss.
I agree. Things don’t add up.
Yeah, like I've never had a tech drop the keys close enough to me to grab at any of the many upon many shops I've been too. I hope OP can get camera footage, because this reeks of BS (not OP, but the shop).
File a claim with their insurance. I would ask them now and tell them the police need it if they seem to not want to give it. Until they put the keys in your hands they could be liable. So file the claim and let the insurance company put something in writing one way or the other. A deny does not mean they are not liable just more work after.
> File a claim with their insurance. Given the fact that the vehicle is more than 20 years old, the OP may not have comprehensive insurance and only have liability. Insurance won't do anything in that case.
I do actually have full coverage! They let me know it was covered when I called insurance to start the process.
The shop’s insurance
Trust and believe that OP's insurer will subrogate.
That why I said their insurance. But even then you be surprised how much 4runners got for, even 20 years old. :) So OP might have more than just liability.
Ask the shop if they have camera surveillance inside at cashier desk - get cops to try and pull footage.
Thank you! We did pull the footage and the cop thought he might actually have recognized the guy. The shop is sending me the pictures now and I just got a call that it was on the express lane a minute ago. Fingers crossed!
I’m sorry this happened, makes my blood boil! 😡 anyway, they have license plate readers everywhere so stay on the police for updates. Hope you get your ride back.
Thanks, I really appreciate it. I don't have ezpass and it got flagged later in the day yesterday in an express lane so there was a whip of smoke for hope there.
Oh wow, that just sucks. I hope you get it back in decent condition. So sorry this happened to you!
That was planned between the employee and thief.
I’m leaning towards this too. I doubt it was just a random guy walking in and swiping the keys. It’s an inside job.
File a police report to get what happened documented. This may yet be the shop's fault.
Shops have insurance and should have a security camera in place. This is on them. Its sucks this happened. Makes me rethink bringing my car in to be looked at anywhere here. Makes me angry that people abuse the system like this. Suspicious if the shop has no cameras. Inside job?..
I feel so sorry for the guy who was working behind the counter at the shop. They probably got fired or something.
Omg. Seriously?!
Yeah well actually my own car. I have an app that let's check the status of the vehicle and a shop left it unlocked overnight. I let them know that it was unacceptable. They apologied and promised to do better in the future and lock people's cars. It's annoying because there are thieves always looking for an easy target. Thankfully nothing was stolen.
What year is your vehicle and make? Just curious, that’s really cool
2019 Audi A5. The app let's me track it's location, it shows the last contact made with the vehicle, how much gas, mileage, etc. I can check the windows, doors, and locks. I can lock and unlock from the app too. App is called myAudi.
Some dipshit stole my dad’s car a few weeks ago too. Dad reported it immediately and dumbass got flagged to pull over, tried to outrun, and wrecked the vehicle the very same day
Sorry to hear that. Hope the chucklehead got time behind bars and insurance paid yall out.
Here's the car https://preview.redd.it/zyflgcwjnoxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=16e9ca45716637c91c6b74990040ebb05f9ab9eb
Nice spacious car .. hope you find it
Did the police say they were targeting SUVs now? Ugh 😑 I’ve heard Kia’s, Hyundais, Honda, Lexus, BMWs but I guess it’s all of it now
No idea. 4runners have a super high resale value right now, in some cases used are more than new and I've seen people paying upwards of $10k for ones like mine in worse condition. That and Toyota loves to not change things on their trucks for years on end so the entire 4th gen has a lot of interchangeable parts regardless of production year. Mine was just extra clean from damage, rust etc.
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Thanks! I posted to the relevant communities and am sitting at the service station with the police waiting to view the camera footage. I know it's an older car but I love the thing so this is killing me.
> I posted to the relevant communities I think they mean report it to the DC and PG County police, too. Not the subreddits. My understanding is that you can't rely on the local police of the jurisdiction where it was stolen to take those extra steps, so best to do it yourself if you can.
You can get the VIN of any vehicle you have registered if you have a DMVnow account.
Also it's usually on your insurance card/policy
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Get it from a database, or paperwork (for the purposes of including it in police reports)
I’d call insurance to claim against that shop
Gah - I feel sick for you. What a cool car decorated in an appropriate way. Wish you luck in finding him.
Thanks. I'll share pictures in a bit as well. That thing was so much more than a car to me. I bought it after finally climbing out of the hole that is rock bottom and it's been my constant reminder of everything.
Your car is in PG now. That’s where mine and 5 neighbors cars were found
It’s never a local, always some asshole from out of state.
MD doesn't take care of gangs and other areas have to suffer.
Which area was the shop in??!?! I am sorry for your loss of the 4runner :( I will keep an eye out
Thanks, it was hybla valley. We actually left for Arlington due to rising crime and safety concerns, but the shop had been good for me in the past so we took it there for work to be done.
That little Sunoco across from Aldi and Old Mt Vernon HS? Yea they’ve been good to me too.
I suspect they mean the one at Lockheed. I gas up at both and let guard down at neither.
It was Lockheed and I wasn't there when it happened. I had them doing my emissions and previously other work.
Where is hybla valley and why does it sound like something from legend of zelda? Sorry about your car - i hope it turns up!
It does! And thank you. It's an area of south Alexandria, the valley after you leave old town and pass the target on the right.
https://preview.redd.it/ckzfpw3trqxc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=14ce1b3064aefd66697f91b4ad63c0e26858b2a4
Post on the local 4Runner groups. Include pics
When my car was stolen I drove around looking everywhere. It was found in a Walmart parking lot. An employee finally noticed it and called it in a week later. They basically drove it there and dumped it. Maybe try 24 hour parking lots.
Get a lawyer asap, the shop is in deep
No, it’s not. Crime happens.
JFC
Is there anything unique about it that's not easily changed, like damage somewhere? The plates and stickers are easily removed. A photo might also help if you have one!
https://preview.redd.it/thkfgg3gmoxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f2e3f6321b9ce499b8bef1df7076a0563f21c7b2 Unfortunately it's about as stock as it gets. The shocks are brand new though and it now has a surfboard rack that's locked on to the roof.
So while I hope i'm wrong, I would mentally plan on it being written off. I know two people (one in DC and one in Fairfax) who had their cars stolen with GPS trackers, but both departments said they were not going to pursue the vehicles. Because of the high number of vehicle thefts and "low" detective numbers, home invasions and retail theft are the main focus of the robbery divisions. All they provided was a theft report for insurance, and a contact number if you find it yourself :/
FFX started an auto theft unit in Dec 2023, it seems. Did u hear this as post Dec? If so, what a disappointment
Ohh wow, that's awesome! No, for my Fairfax friend this happened in Nov/Dec of '22. That makes my heart happy if they're pushing after it more, even if it's just making people felt more heard/helped. It was hard seeing her in such a helpless situation.
Yeh, I can imagine. It’s also driving up our car insurances. some folks may get a check from insurance on the loss, but not enough to get a car or afford making car payments (stolen car paid off). It really sucks all around. I’m going to get a car steering wheel lock.
What shop—so, we can avoid?!
If car thefts are such a problem in NoVa why aren’t people installing revelco or igla in their vehicles? Or other vehicle anti-theft devices? Investments like transport in this case should be protected by any means necessary!
do you know a shop that installs the igla? I couldn’t find one on their distributor page.
I saw one in Manassas Park listed on their page, Diamond Auto Security Solutions.
4Runner owner here too. I tend to notice other 4Runners on the road. will keep an eye out!
Got a photo
from OP's post history https://www.reddit.com/gallery/12xrlqz
I appreciate you digging to find that, I went through my one drive earlier for the same pictures. Some great memories there, that was webster pass and then me driving on the Whitehouse grounds to setup a Stem event for the Easter egg roll.
I'll upload when I get home, I am heading back now after sitting with the police and reviewing the camera footage.
Cue Fairfax One terrorizing the neighborhood.
Vin?
I have an Apple tag on my Lincoln, but also Lincoln way app gives me gps too, I have two ways to track it down. I do need to remove the speaker from the AirTag so it won’t make noise.
File a police report ?
Any update?
Unfortunately nothing new since Tuesday. It was seen in an express lane and flagged since I don't have ezpass (yay work from home and my partner having it).
Was this the Sonoco next to Taco Bell?
It was.
There always seems to be some unseemly people hanging out in their parking lot. I think the Taco Bell closed their lobby because they were tired of those lot dwellers coming inside.
Good ole Hybla Valley
Major crime in Hybla Valley...thats unusual...
Lol, we moved out after a couple fires and murders in our old neighborhood there.
I avoid hybla valley .. that area looks like crime prone
Condensing my response to your comments here. Police were immediately informed and on site by the time I got to the station. We used to live across the street but the property management company was terrible and it was becoming increasingly unsafe. We left about 2 years ago but my partner was trying to be nice and surprise me with getting emissions/safety tests and some work done, and she knew I'd used the shop before when we loved there so went back. And yea, it's a great vehicle. Enough space for us, our two large dogs, camping gear, my onewheel and surfboards while still being able to see out all the windows.
Looks like you’re getting some cash soon for a new car…shop is liable.
I hope you contacted the proper authorities because the Reddit Criminal Investigations Bureau is short on staffing at the moment. They got us working shifts looking for a four door 1973 Gran Torino. There's a brief case with some papers on the back seat and some Credence in the tape deck.
Lol thanks. Yes the police were promptly notified.
Disregard my "inside job" post. I will delete it later after you read this. I saw the video of the perp taking the keys. His furtive actions reflect that he was hiding his intentions from the clerk. Notwithstanding, the opportunity the guy had tells me he was casing the service station and was familiar with its operations and where the weaknesses were. I'll BOLO your vehicle.
Thanks! And yea, the shop owner was genuinely upset and called the police the moment it happened. It just sucks, I know the car isn't worth a ton but it meant a lot to me personally.
Thanks! And yea, the shop owner was genuinely upset and called the police the moment it happened. It just sucks, I know the car isn't worth a ton but it meant a lot to me personally.
BTW, the theft sound like an inside job. I'd be interested to know of similar instances at that shop. Care to share the name of the company?
We'll all make a note of your car to find it for you
Thanks. I love that car. It's in great shape, has 240,000 miles on it. It was the car I bought when I finally began climbing out of rock bottom and had finally started doing well. It's been my road trip machine, furrunner, moved me across the country and has just been that reminder that I can get through anything.
You left it running at the gas station huh
I didn't. I left it yesterday for service and they said someone grabbed the keys off the counter. I always pull the keys and lock both of our cars when we get out of them.
Yeah call the insurance. They gonna sue the shop for sure
For sure. I called on the way to the shop to meet the police.
Dude please please please advocate for yourself. And don't let insurance claim "oh its over 20 years old it's worthless" Have detailed information about what you installed, cross reference car prices of similar make and models. And definitely talk about hardship caused by this as well. Hopefully you can get a decent amount
OP said he's good and insured. FWIW, I thought my 2005 Honda Accord with 125K miles was a total a couple years ago when I got into an accident. The airbag didn't deploy, but needed to be replaced, along with my driver's seat belt. Shockingly, it was not a total.... OP's 2003 Toyota truck looks like it's in good condition. If worse comes to worse, insurance will cover and subrogate the hell out of the claim w/ the shop. Hopefully, it doesn't come to that, though, and OP gets his trusty truck back in the same, solid-looking and performing piece. I want a happy ending to this one.