Stolen Blue D90! Please Read!

[flynn23]

Hello 4x4 enthusiasts. I'm writing you due to a really sad and unpleasant experience. Someone has stolen my pride and joy 1997 Land Rover Defender 90 right out of my back yard while I slept! The larceny occurred around 4am early Sunday monring, December 10, 2006 in the Hillsboro Village area of Nashville, TN. She was unlocked and parked in my back yard, but behind a double locked gate. If you see her, please phone me immediately! 615.429.4502. I'm offering $500 for information that leads me to her, and $1000 for information that leads to the arrest of the scum that took her from me! If you forwarded this email/message to someone who gets either of those rewards, I'll give you $100. The VIN is SALDV3243VA122379.

As I'm sure all of you know, these are extremely rare and pricey vehicles, so even if the insurance company gives me everything that I've put into her over the years, I can't exactly go up to the local dealer and buy a new one. So recovering her is the best I can hope for. Here's some pictures attached. These pictures were taken awhile ago, but she essentially looks the same. You enthusiasts know that you've always got at least one or two projects going on at any given time but this is basically the last state she was in.

She's a NAS D90 SW #2342, Arles blue with Alpine top, auto trans, with air conditioning and the 4.0L petrol engine with two of the four jump seats installed. She has about 97K miles on her and is due for an oil change. The front windshield has a large spidered crack on the passenger side that's about a foot wide. Of note are that she has black diamond plating armor on the hood wings, side sills under the doors, and rear wings above the rear wheels. The trail lights are IPF, both on the bull bar and the light rack. Of particular note is that she has a custom installed Pioneer AVIC Z1 GPS/Audio/Video system that sits in the center console where the switches for rear defrost and such used to reside. The cigar lighter is relocated into the top of the console next to the shifter and there are several more located inside the console under the hatch. She also has a duel battery kit, with the switch on the bottom left of the drivers dash. She still has my vanity plate, "OLD PUNK", with expired tags (Sept 05) using the old style plates, NOT the new green Tennessee hills plates. She also has the spare tire off the rear carrier and a lighted skull in the rear hitch socket. She's got an OME suspension kit, but if you're looking underneath her, then something even worse has happened! Again, if you see her, phone immediately! 615.429.4502.

CASH REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO HER RECOVERY AND/OR PROSECUTION!!!!

Thanks!

Cheers,
Scott

[TXRover]

Scott - post this to tnrovers.com

Sorry for your deprivation, hopefully it will only be temporary. I will be on the lookout.

Joseph

[flynn23]

Thanks. I was in the process of posting this to tnrovers.com and lrx.com when I got your message. Any other places you think it would make sense?

[TXRover]

Call LRN and let them know too.


Dang that sucks!!!

Joseph

[evilfij]

www.pirate4x4.com has a stolen section as well.

"and is due for an oil change."

I see you still care about her. Sorry. :-(

[flynn23]

wow. Pirate4x4.com is a great resource! Thanks. Wish I would've seen that one earlier. Yeah, not only was she due for an oil change, but I was going to have Lojac installed on her after the 1st of the year! Talk about rotten timing! =(

[WhiteD90]

That stinks man! I just had my trailer that I tow my 90 with stolen on Sunday, so maybe if anyone sees a blue 90 on a trailer headed west call the cops! What is wrong with people these days?!!!!

Tis

[chrisvonc]

I'll make this a sticky thread for a little bit. Hope you get it back.
Post maybe on Discoweb.org as well

[mountainviewrover]

good luck with the hunt.

[dmarchand]

That is devastating. I'd canvas the area as far as you can and also get yourself on any local trails in case someone was joy riding it. It would be really difficult to drive that truck very far without being noticed.

Makes me want a lojack.

[hartman]

Post over at LRX, Atlantic Biritish and Rovers North Forums.

Man that hurts, hope they catch the bastard.

"Makes me want a lojack"

Not a bad idea, I wonder in the insurace rate would go down?

[flynn23]

Thanks guys. I know you feel my pain. You put so much blood, sweat, and tears into these things, they're like you're children. And thanks Chris for bumping the thread. I appreciate it! =)

[chrisvonc]

No problem Scott. Make sure you let us know how it turns out.

[1000kva]

I found a way to do a global search on every Craigslist. Did not find it - bummer.

[TND90]

I called up all my buddies in Nashville and fowarded the pics. They will be on the lookout as most of them have spent quality time in my 90.

Can't they issue an Amber Alert!! I mean, it's just like loosing a child.

Besides, what the hell do you do with a stolen 90?

Good luck with your search, I hope she is returned to you soon.

[tkavan01]

I called up all my buddies in Nashville and fowarded the pics. They will be on the lookout as most of them have spent quality time in my 90.

Can't they issue an Amber Alert!! I mean, it's just like loosing a child.

Besides, what the hell do you do with a stolen 90?

Good luck with your search, I hope she is returned to you soon.
not to be the bearer of bad news but about the only thing that i could come up with is ship it out of the country, with the d's there just isn't an easy way to wash the title bc so few are around, it might get registered as series maybe??

[flynn23]

Yeah everyone I've talked to about this says that it's either going to get parted or it's over the border already. Thanks for the help in spreading the word guys. I haven't given up hope yet.

[shawnpalmer]

Now that is some serious BS. They can't get too far without it getting noticed.

[woldd90]

Any news? Leads? Anything?

[flynn23]

Nothing. It's been one week. I talked to the cops on Friday and they are basically useless. I've checked all the usual places and haven't seen parts. I don't expect to see the whole car sold since it's too noticeable and pretty much every Land Rover enthusiast, parts supplier, and dealer knows that it's stolen. =(

[needsaD110]

I have been looking for it when I drive around green hills and hillsboro village, But so far I've seen nothing. Maybe it was some Edge hill kids who didn't know how rare it was and needed a quick ride? Do happen to live of belmont because that's were i have seen it in the past, and edge hill isn't far away, I go to hillsboro so i'll keep an ear out for people trying to sell the car/parts

On a 2nd note I wasn't going to install lojack, but after hearing about this in nashville I've changed my mind.

Hope you find your baby, and I'll keep my eyes out for you

[Wookie110]

Sorry to hear about your loss. For EVERYONE'S information, Viper offers an 2-way alarm that will page you if your rig is jacked with as long as you are in range. I keep the alarm remote, flashlight, and my 45 next to my bed.

Christian Beck had his 110 stolen. I suggested that he start rollin down all the local logging roads and days later that is exactly where the cops found it. Defenders are a rare beast which makes them hard to chop and turn. Most D's will have the basics stripped and the rest of the rig abandoned. The more rare the rig, the more likely a perp. will be caught with parts. Keep checking Craig's List, Ebay, and other spots. But if I were you, I'd be doing some driving down logging roads with a 12 guage. I actually had a friend who did exactly that and came across the perp's mid strip. Walked up to them and clocked one of them with the butt of the shotty, then held them at gunpoint till the cops rolled up.

Good luck man

brent

[needsaD110]

Sorry to hear about your loss. For EVERYONE'S information, Viper offers an 2-way alarm that will page you if your rig is jacked with as long as you are in range. I keep the alarm remote, flashlight, and my 45 next to my bed.
I have the python version (same thing, different snake name)they made it so it disables the ignition when alarm is triggered

[thewap]

Damn, thats horrible.

[flynn23]

Friends, my baby is back! Metro Nashville PD called me on January 8th (exactly 30 days) to say that she was in an impound yard. I rushed right over there to see her. She was listed as an abandoned vehicle and towed out of an apartment complex. Apparently someone at the complex called Metro between the 8th and the 18th. The officer who responded simply put an abandoned vehicle sticker on the windshield and called it a day. Didn't run the tags so they didn't know that it was stolen. :angry So then she sat there until Jan 7th when the wrecker picked her up for being abandoned! ARGH!!!!

Overall, she's in really good shape. I can't beleive the theives were dumb enough to just steal my AV system and two of my IPF trail lights! They even left 4 other lights! IDIOTS!!! The interior is a mess as you can see. The only 'mechanical' damage that I could determine was that there was a vacuum leak in the intake manifold (have had the same problem before, probably a hose with a hole in it) and the brakes felt really soft like there was some air in the hoses. She's at the local dealer getting the interior patched up and then back to the electronics store to replace the AV system installation.

Thanks again for everyone who sent me emails and encouragement. I really appreciate everyone trying to help out. Hopefully you'll be seeing me in her on the trail sometime soon!

[Monkeyboy]

YaHoo !!

That's great news ... a little disappointing in the police dept front, but at least she's coming home.

[lrnasd90]

That is excellent news, I have been watching the shit out of mine every since I read that yours was stolen. I have even called my insurance company to find out how much I would get if mine disappeared. I found out that I would lose in a bad way. Still havn't figure out what to do about that, but that is another thread.

[woldd90]

Scott,

Could you enlighten us on how things were handled with your insurance company? Did they send you a check for what the truck was worth? Did they try and stick it to you?

And how have they handled things now that the truck has been found and returned to you?

Congratulations on getting it back... Wouldn't it be nice if they still hung people for stealing horses or trucks? :-)

Hope to see you on a trail or two,

Scott

[cellulararrest]

That's great news! Man did you luck out.

[flynn23]

Scott,

Could you enlighten us on how things were handled with your insurance company? Did they send you a check for what the truck was worth? Did they try and stick it to you?

And how have they handled things now that the truck has been found and returned to you?

Congratulations on getting it back... Wouldn't it be nice if they still hung people for stealing horses or trucks? :-)

Hope to see you on a trail or two,
I have Progressive and in the beginning of this odessey I would've told you that they've handled it great. Literally, the day that I got the call from the cops that they found her, I had already left a message with my claims adjuster asking him for a total for the replacement value. I estimated that they would go with a high NADA value, and I have receipts for almost all of my extras. I expected to get pretty much what I needed to try and find another Arles Blue SW and re-equip it with the same stuff. Conversations that we'd had previously left me feeling like that wasn't impossible.

SINCE they've found it, I've grown very wery of Progressive. I had to make the arrangements to have her towed to the shop to beging repairs because all of the local claims people were out of the office that day. I had to arrange for the estimates with the shop and make sure that they knew exactly what was expected. I also had to recheck with the shop to make sure that parts had been ordered and repairs were underway. My claims adjuster has not been very communicative since this process has shifted from replacement to repair. I'm hoping that this changes quickly, as I will not hesitate to drop this policy after the repairs are complete. I have several vehicles and have been a customer for nearly 10 years.

No matter what, I intend to install a Lojac system on her ASAP and I will be getting a rider to make sure that everything gets sorted if this were to ever happen again. The stress of all this was unbearable!

I actually HOPE that whoever stole her the first time tries to come back around. They will find a very different situation. ;)

[ELCIDd90]

Scott,


As far insurance in TN goes. Get Farm Bureau, it's worth it.

Congrats on getting your D90 back.

[lynchee]

Congratulations:). That's great

[rover4x4]

Man glad you were able to find your truck.

[smenzel]

Congrats on getting your D90 back.

[Emerson00]

Good news, at least mostly. Sorry about the damage and the stress... at least you got it back in repairable condition.

My brother's crappy little VW was carjacked - with him in the car - gun-to-head. Eventually they let him go, but the car was found, 3 weeks to the day later. The gun man was in the car, dead, gray matter on the opposite door - someone carjacked him and he said no, I guess.

Irrelevent story, sorry, except to say, hey - your D is back and it could have been oh-so-much worse.

[hartman]

Good news at last, Glad your rover is back.

[chrisvonc]

Just saw you got it back. Awesome!!

[Frankie Carbone]

As a Defender owner I find that it is best to ask your insurance company to inusre your vehicle for a "said" amount. Yes your rates are higher....but you can atleast replace what you have in the vehicle. My insurance company was more then willing to insure the vehicle for 40K. Just a thought

[DJ Menasco]

Congrats on getting the D90 back!

[johare]

I have safeco and they are insuring mine at a "declared" value of $31k for only about $30 more per year. I had to initiate this and negotiate a bit but I think its worth it.

[MattGuyver_007]

So are you going to get LoJack?

[CDN22]

I am relieved to see this potenially horrible situation had a happy ending.

[jaguiler]

Congrats ! I have been following the posts on this situation and I am glad you got it back now !!

When I ever get a D90 - I will make sure I get lo-jack installed.....

[rovertrader]

After reading and following this post, I have checked with my Nationwide agent, and for little add'l premium, a rider can be carried to 'adjust' the value BEFORE an incident like this happens. Thanks for sharing the saga, and glad you were lucky. On our way to the Nat'l Rally two years ago, 2 D-90s on the trailer, and the tow vehicle was broken into- also in Nashville- and minimal damage to the Ford. Nothing to the 90's. Just lucky, but next time...............