STOLEN RV

[9jackie24]

Jurisdiction

California

I OWN A MOTOR HOME. THAT WAS COMPLETELY REMODELED AND OFF GRID I ADVERTISED IT TO SELL . I HAD AN INTERESTED PARTY WHO SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE IT UPON PASSING AN INSPECTION AND ASKED IF I WOULD BRING IT TO A LOCAL RV SHOP. THE APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED AND PAID FOR BY THE "POTENTIAL BUYER " THE RV WAS DROPPED OFF AT 9:30AM ON MAY 13, 2017 PICK UP TIME WAS SCHEDULED FOR 12 NOON AT 1145AM I CALLED TO SEE IF IT WAS READY ,AT THAT TIME I WAS INFORMED THAT THE SHOP OWNER GAVE THE KEYS TO THE "POTENTIAL BUYER " AND THE RV WAS NO LONGER IN HIS POSSESSION. THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY THEN CHANGED HIS STORY AND SAID IT WAS STOLEN. WHEN QUESTIONED IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED HE SAID NO. THE MOTOR HOME WAS MISSING FOR TWO HOURS BEFORE THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED, ONCE REPORTED THE SHOP OWNER SAID HE LEFT THE KEYS IN THE RV AND WAS STOLEN. IT HAS SINCE BEEN RECOVERED AND IT HAS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE. MY DAUGHTER WAS LIVING IN IT, EVERTHING SHE OWNED IS GONE.( HER CLOTHES, PURSES,SHOES, JEWLRY,ELECTRONICS,FAMILY HEIRLOOMS AND MEMORABILIA. ) IN ADDITION TO EVERTHING SHE HAS LOST , HE ALSO TOOK ALL OF HER PERSONAL AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION ,HER IDENTITY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. THE SHOP OWNER SAID HE DOES NOT CARRY LIABILITY INSURANCE. THE MOTOR HOME WAS LEFT IN THE POSSESSION OF THIS SHOP AND HE WAS RESPONSIBLE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF IT. WE ARE LOOKING FOR LEGAL ADVICE TO SUE FOR RESTITUTION .

 

[army judge]

You may never, rather your daughter may never get any compensation.
If you do, it'll be slow in coming, maybe months, maybe a couple years, if it ever comes.

If you had insurance, you cna report the "theft" to your insurance company, and some assistance might be forthcoming.

I suggest you sit quietly and think about who also might be responsible for what happened, other than the shop owner and the alleged thief.

At this point, the thief might also be someone else, or working with someone else.

Allowing the vehicle to be test driven by a stranger without removing your daughter's junk wasn't very careful, either.

Think, just thinbk how this could have been prevented.

No need to report back after you figure it out, because someone has learned a valuable lesson, I'm sure.

 

[mightymoose]

It seems you are in a jam.
By being "off grid" I assume that means uninsured and not currently registered, meaning it should not have been driven anywhere to begin with.
Your own insurance would have been your easiest solution to this.
Do you have no contact information for the potential buyer? Were police able to get a statement from him?
You might have an option to pursue against the shop, but your description sounds as if this shop does not have much in the way of assets, so you need to decide if it is worth the expense to pursue.

 

[9jackie24]

Hi ,No off Grid means you do not have to go to a camp ground to plug in. It is self sustaining. It was registered and insured but the insurance does not cover close to the amount that was damaged and what was stolen. The RV SHOP is a family owned business but he does have assets just no insurance , at least that is what he is telling us. Thank you please let me know what you advise

 

[9jackie24]

You may never, rather your daughter may never get any compensation.
If you do, it'll be slow in coming, maybe months, maybe a couple years, if it ever comes.

If you had insurance, you cna report the "theft" to your insurance company, and some assistance might be forthcoming.

I suggest you sit quietly and think about who also might be responsible for what happened, other than the shop owner and the alleged thief.

At this point, the thief might also be someone else, or working with someone else.

Allowing the vehicle to be test driven by a stranger without removing your daughter's junk wasn't very careful, either.

Think, just thinbk how this could have been prevented.

No need to report back after you figure it out, because someone has learned a valuable lesson, I'm sure.

 

[9jackie24]

I think there may be some confusion , we did not allow the RV to be rest driven , the keys were given directly to the shop owner and We were to pick it up from him.He was only supposed to do an inspection. THERE WAS NEVER AUTHORIZATION FROM US TO ALLOW ANYONE TO TEST DRIVE OR PICK UP THE RV. We would never allow someone to test drive the Rv without us being present. Thank you I hope this clarified the situation, please let me know

 

[adjusterjack]

It was registered and insured but the insurance does not cover close to the amount that was damaged and what was stolen.

Of course not. The RV insurance just covers the RV.

Your daughter should have had her own insurance to cover her personal property.

we did not allow the RV to be rest driven , the keys were given directly to the shop owner and We were to pick it up from him.He was only supposed to do an inspection. THERE WAS NEVER AUTHORIZATION FROM US TO ALLOW ANYONE TO TEST DRIVE OR PICK UP THE RV. We would never allow someone to test drive the Rv without us being present

So what. You think telling somebody not to do something or not telling them that they can do something prevents them from doing it?

Frankly, I think it was an incredibly stupid move to leave the RV there with the keys and all your daughter's belongings within. Would have made more sense to insist that you be present for the inspection.

Besides, any time you put a vehicle up for sale, you clean it out and have it ready to go so you don't have to scramble when somebody wants to buy it now.

Anyway, whether the shop has insurance or not shouldn't prevent your daughter (it was her stuff) from suing the shop owner for negligence.

As for the damage to the RV, your insurance should cover the repairs and then go after the shop owner for reimbursement.

 

[army judge]

I think there may be some confusion , we did not allow the RV to be rest driven , the keys were given directly to the shop owner and We were to pick it up from him.He was only supposed to do an inspection. THERE WAS NEVER AUTHORIZATION FROM US TO ALLOW ANYONE TO TEST DRIVE OR PICK UP THE RV. We would never allow someone to test drive the Rv without us being present. Thank you I hope this clarified the situation, please let me know

Doesn't change much.

Why?

You have nothing in writing that spells out the type of bailment, or even if you had a bailment with the garage owner.

Frankly, mate, someone created a mess; and I'm not talking about the alleged "window shopper".

Heck, for all you know, the culprit could have been the garage owner, an employee, a customer, a delivery or service person, meter reader, milk man, a mischievous school kid, or a passerby.

Therein lies the crux of your problems, mate, lack of proof; other than the RV was damaged.

So far there are no suspects.

 

[adjusterjack]

So far there are no suspects.

Keyser Soze.

 

[army judge]

Keyser Soze.

LOL LOL You betcha.

 

[9jackie24]

Doesn't change much.

Why?

You have nothing in writing that spells out the type of bailment, or even if you had a bailment with the garage owner.

Frankly, mate, someone created a mess; and I'm not talking about the alleged "window shopper".

Heck, for all you know, the culprit could have been the garage owner, an employee, a customer, a delivery or service person, meter reader, milk man, a mischievous school kid, or a passerby.

Therein lies the crux of your problems, mate, lack of proof; other than the RV was damaged.

So

 

[9jackie24]

Doesn't change much.

Why?

You have nothing in writing that spells out the type of bailment, or even if you had a bailment with the garage owner.

Frankly, mate, someone created a mess; and I'm not talking about the alleged "window shopper".

Heck, for all you know, the culprit could have been the garage owner, an employee, a customer, a delivery or service person, meter reader, milk man, a mischievous school kid, or a passerby.

Therein lies the crux of your problems, mate, lack of proof; other than the RV was damaged.

So