Car Thief!

[LAtii]

I lurk on here a lot and I am always sad when I see posts alerts about cars that have been stolen. It is always a constant reminder that some day I am going come upon an empty parking space that used to be my car, never see her ever again. On Monday, that day finally came... almost. I live in Los Angeles and I drive a 73tii. I had parked and locked my car on Wilshire around 1pm and been gone for about an hour. When I was walking back to my car, I approached it from behind and I saw that someone was moving around inside my car, my first thought was a homeless guy stealing change. I quickly ran up to my passenger side door, threw it open and screamed in my most menacing voice "What the fuck do you think your doing in my car?!"  Inside I found a middle aged guy about 200lbs seated in the drivers seat with his legs on the passenger side, he looked up at me in surprise like someone with their hand caught in the cookie jar. Then I saw it in his hands, not a cookie but a blue, rusty dent puller. He was in the process of threading up my ignition to tear it out. Oh no you didn't...It was on! The thief made a move in my direction, Instantly I kicked the guy in the face/neck and then jumped into my car and proceeded to beat on this guy mercilessly. I am not a fighter so my blows didn't do much damage. Like the mighty chihuahua what I lack in power there is persistence. I was punching as fast as I could, meanwhile maneuvering all my body weight on top of him. Using my left arm on his neck to push him down into the driver seat pinning him there.

Meanwhile this whole time in between cussing and obscenities at him, I am trying to yell to clueless pedestrians walking by to call the police. One finally did after I breathless explained the situation. As the thief started realizing I had him trapped, he started to fight again, harder. He got out of my hold for a second pushing me into the dash. We wrestled around and he started trying to hit me with the dent-puller. He landed a few glancing blows that did nothing but then he caught me on top of the head with the tip. Despite my adrenaline I felt it and knew it would probably draw blood. I shifted my body weight left pining his right arm against the passenger seat with my body. I already had his left hand held down behind his head  with my right  hand and my forearm on his neck. With all my weight pushing on him I pinned him again. With my face hovering over his I started to bleed on him drop by drop. I called over one of the pedestrians and they manged to pry the dent puller from his reluctant hand.

It was over, he knew he was done he acted resigned to his fate. He asked me to ease off him a bit. No chance in hell I said to him chuckling. And there we sat for about ten to fifteen minutes. We talked a bit, I asked him what he planned on doing with the car if he hadn't met me? He said "take it on a joy ride". "Bullshit" I said to him, I told him I knew he would have chopped it. He asked my name and I him and I asked him his. To be honest I kind of liked the guy in a strange way, I wanted to hate him but I really didn't. I told him I'm sorry we had to meet this way he said he was too. The firetruck was the first to arrive.  The blood had stopped flowing at this point but my face was streaked like a candle with blood. The firemen took a look at the situation and waited for the police.  Eventually the cops showed up and cuffed him and arrested him. The paramedics helped clean me up. The police took my statement and pictures, and that was it. I drove myself to the hospital (the lock wasn't too messed up) and had my head checked out. The doctor put a little glue to keep the cut closed. 

After everything was over I surveyed the damage on my car. He got in by ripping the passenger vent window open breaking the glass and frame. my ignition is a little messed up. It looks like his first attempt to pull the lock had pulled out and he was in the process of trying a second time when I showed up. I have a gnarly hole in the center of my keyway. He also broke my turn signal indicator. Despite all that, I consider it a win, my wife is still mad at me, but I'll take her for a drive this weekend!

So there is now one less car thief on the streets. Thought you all would like to hear the story of one that wasn't stolen.

 

If anyone knows where I can get a good deal on any of these things I would be much obliged:

 

Description:REPAIR KIT ONE-KEY LOCKING SYSTEM (I don't need the door handles I just want the ignition lock)
Part number:32321113726

 

Description:Switch,direct.indicators/windscreen.wipers
Part number:61311355286

 

Description:Vent window mechanism, right
Part number:51326454321

 

Description:VENT WINDOW CLEAR RIGHT
Part number: 51321804920
 

Description:Rubber seal
Part number:51326454324

 

Edited October 13, 2017 by nicholasjreid

[hynrgee]

Bold, dude. Bold. Can't argue with the results, but I'm pretty sure your wife is walking through your options with you.

[Brandon]

Wow...all I can say!  

 

[2002Scoob]

Bravo good sir. bravo. This is why I disable he ignition in my 123 now when I leave it parked for long, and even then have confidence a hurried thief who doesn't know Brunhilde's Italian nuances will flood the motor desperately trying to get her to start. Haha


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[bob02]

What Scoob said, Bravo! Glad you didn't get hurt, and have your 02!!!

 

  Bob

[esty]

a very good reason to have a kill switch hidden in/on the car someplace...you could have saved the fight knowing that he wasn't going anywhere, not knowing how to get the car started

[Lisa.02P]

Holy moly! So glad you’re ok!
Glad you caught the guy and your car is ok! What a story!

[percy]

1 hour ago, LAtii said:

I lurk on here a lot and I am always sad when I see posts alerts about cars that have been stolen. It is always a constant reminder that some day I am going come upon an empty parking space that used to be my car, never see her ever again. On Monday, that day finally came... almost. I live in Los Angeles and I drive a 73tii. I had parked and locked my car on Wilshire around 1pm and been gone for about an hour. When I was walking back to my car, I approached it from behind and I saw that someone was moving around inside my car, my first thought was a homeless guy stealing change. I quickly ran up to my passenger side door, threw it open and screamed in my most menacing voice "What the fuck do you think your doing in my car?!"  Inside I found a middle aged guy about 200lbs seated in the drivers seat with his legs on the passenger side, he looked up at me in surprise like someone with their hand caught in the cookie jar. Then I saw it in his hands, not a cookie but a blue, rusty dent puller. He was in the process of threading up my ignition to tear it out. Oh no you didn't...It was on! The thief made a move in my direction, Instantly I kicked the guy in the face/neck and then jumped into my car and proceeded to beat on this guy mercilessly. I am not a fighter so my blows didn't do much damage. Like the mighty chihuahua what I lack in power there is persistence. I was punching as fast as I could, meanwhile maneuvering all my body weight on top of him. Using my left arm on his neck to push him down into the driver seat pinning him there.

Meanwhile this whole time in between cussing and obscenities at him, I am trying to yell to clueless pedestrians walking by to call the police. One finally did after I breathless explained the situation. As the thief started realizing I had him trapped, he started to fight again, harder. He got out of my hold for a second pushing me into the dash. We wrestled around and he started trying to hit me with the dent-puller. He landed a few glancing blows that did nothing but then he caught me on top of the head with the tip. Despite my adrenaline I felt it and knew it would probably draw blood. I shifted my body weight left pining his right arm against the passenger seat with my body. I already had his left hand held down behind his head  with my right  hand and my forearm on his neck. With all my weight pushing on him I pinned him again. With my face hovering over his I started to bleed on him drop by drop. I called over one of the pedestrians and they manged to pry the dent puller from his reluctant hand.

It was over, he knew he was done he acted resigned to his fate. He asked me to ease off him a bit. No chance in hell I said to him chuckling. And there we sat for about ten to fifteen minutes. We talked a bit, I asked him what he planned on doing with the car if he hadn't met me? He said "take it on a joy ride". "Bullshit" I said to him, I told him I knew he would have chopped it. He asked my name and I him and I asked him his. To be honest I kind of liked the guy in a strange way, I wanted to hate him but I really didn't. I told him I'm sorry we had to meet this way he said he was too. The firetruck was the first to arrive.  The blood had stopped flowing at this point but my face was streaked like a candle with blood. The firemen took a look at the situation and waited for the police.  Eventually the cops showed up and cuffed him and arrested him. The paramedics helped clean me up. The police took my statement and pictures, and that was it. I drove myself to the hospital (the lock wasn't too messed up) and had my head checked out. The doctor put a little glue to keep the cut closed. 

After everything was over I surveyed the damage on my car. He got in by ripping the passenger vent window open breaking the glass and frame. my ignition is a little messed up. It looks like his first attempt to pull the lock had pulled out and he was in the process of trying a second time when I showed up. I have a gnarly hole in the center of my keyway. He also broke my turn signal indicator. Despite all that, I consider it a win, my wife is still mad at me, but I'll take her for a drive this weekend!

So there is now one less car thief on the streets. Thought you all would like to hear the story of one that wasn't stolen.

 

If anyone knows where I can get a good deal on any of these things I would be much obliged:

 

Description:REPAIR KIT ONE-KEY LOCKING SYSTEM (I don't need the door handles I just want the ignition lock)
Part number:32321113726

 

Description:Switch,direct.indicators/windscreen.wipers
Part number:61311355286

 

Description:Vent window mechanism, right
Part number:51326454321

 

Description:VENT WINDOW CLEAR RIGHT
Part number: 51321804920
 

Description:Rubber seal
Part number:51326454324

 

 

Finally, a decent ending to an ugly story.  Bravo and kudos to you.  Glad you are ok.

 

I recall hearing from a friend about a similar situation where he confronted someone in his neighbor's car.   Different car and place, but friend was armed with a hammer and the would be perpetrator probably now walks with a limp.

 

Obviously, everyone should be vigilant.  https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/topic/176447-malaga-2002-stolen-in-mirical-mile-area/    https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/topic/188483-stolen-1972-2002tii-black-please-keep-an-eye-out/ 

[DenverTii]

Wow!! My heart was racing reading your story above!!

Probably have everything that you need for your car.

 

Price is a whopping FREE!

 

Call at your convenience -- 303 - 999 - 1190

 

Like Lisa said  . . . .  Glad you are safe!

[GregF]

Oh my goodness, this is nuts! I probably would have done, or attempted to do, the same thing as you. But we all need to remember that they're just cars. We can replace cars, but not people. Adrenaline can make us do crazy things. Glad you're ok and the damage wasn't too bad. 

For help with parts you can call Patrick O'neil at Midnight Motorsports up here in Seattle, he may be able to help. 

[tomphot]

I just renewed my GA Carry license this week, no need for a fight.

['76mintgrün'02]

[jrhone]

Glad it had a good ending...Could have been way worse.

[Bibm5]

Im glad to hear that you put pounding on that a-hole and that you and the car are ok. I conceal carry a 1911 and I have thought about this very situation a lot. I think if I walked up on a thief in the act i would hang back and call the cops. The way I see it, if I have to engage someone there's a good chance I would be forced to protect myself and i just can't justify a life for a car.




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[z168]

Wish I had parts to share but I just started my journey last week. Glad youre ok