I just got back from the police department picking up my TV. Of course it's broken and will have to be replaced. They caught the four thieves and they confessed to the crime. One of my neighbors was riding by, heard the alarm, and saw one of the thieves carrying the TV. He followed them to a nearby subdivision where he lost them. He called the police who canvassed the neighborhood and caught them within a few minutes. According to the detective, "They weren't rocket scientists". The TV was too big to fit in the trunk of the car so it was just sticking out of the back. I have an appointment this morning with a contractor to get a price for the replacing the door/frame. If I had come home from hunting Sunday, like I originally planned, I probably would have been sitting in the living room cleaning my shotgun when they kicked in the door. Then the police would probably be investigating me. Well I got 8 months service from the TV anyway, now to start pricing new ones.
Oh, as an aside, if you don't have the serial numbers on all your valuables be sure and write them down. If not you may not be able to "prove" they are yours.
Andy
lucky for them and you that you were not home OR cleaning a shotgun... you would have had to go side arm on them if the scatter gun was broken down.
Sleeping is not the same after you pull the trigger on someone... weather they needed it or not.
I can only imagine how great of a sight that would of been seeing their faces after kicking down the door and you holding a shotgun! I feel your pain. Been robbed and it just rubs me the wrong way!
Not true, it is the innocent killed as collateral damage that haunt you. Those shooting at you don't not bother you at all.
jud
Why wouldn't the thieves be liable for the damages? Other than they probably don't have any assets.
Does your homeowner/renter insurance cover the losses?
Only after the deductible. Mine paid $340+/- of $1,340+/- damage and other losses.
And they will get back the $340 in increased premiums.
Oh, they probably can't raise the nominal premium on you but they can drop the "good risk" discount.
How do you prove the TV was in perfect condition prior to the theft?
I can't except for the fact that it was only 8 months old. The detective saif they just "threw" it into the trunk of the car and that the trunk lid would not close. I probably won't claim it on my homeowner's insurance, I'll just have to eat the cost.
Andy
I suggest that you take all four each to small claims court and get a judgment.
It will follow them everywhere!
With the judgment, you can attach their bank accounts, property, etc.and generally make their life heii until you get paid back!
In a civil lawsuit, "proof" is only to the level of more likely than not. It is only tipping the scales and not "beyond a shadow of a doubt". I would think it would almost be presumed to be working if it was set up in your living room, and only 8 mos. old. Also if someone stole it with the risk of being caught as a thief, they have already evaluated it as being valuable and something worth stealing. If they claimed it wasn't working, then why did they take it?
I don't think you would have any problem with "proof". Most new tv's I think come with something like a year warranty. If that's the case, again, you would assume it was working since it could have been repaired under warrantee if it wasn't.
edit: Congratulations on getting these guys caught. kudos to the neighbor. Sue them for breaking your door, too.
edit edit: And another thing. The thieves are liable. Sue them. You could sue them for the total cost and keep the insurance out of it, or you could sue them for the deductable and the insurance company might sue them for what they covered. Insurance is insurance liability is the guys that did it. It's there fault, not the insurance companies.
