Hot Rods Help!! A fellow hamber and good friend is down and needs our help.HE GOT ROBBED!

Hi Johnny

I was looking around the shop this morning and I have a few thing for you to use until you get back on your feet. Welder, thermo arc 250 fabricator wire feed, and I have a ellis portable band saw. Give me a call I know we will have a delivery to the bay area late next week and we can bring it with us If you would like .

Don
1-209-678-1643

 

I have a buddy in San Jose in a LARGE Jeep club. I'll have him spread the word in that local circle as well looking for the tools and what not. Also, waiting for some money to show up in my paypal account in the next few days. I'll send you a few bux.....unfortunately it won't be a massive amount but it might get you a tool or something.

Like I said, my business got robbed once. Not to the magnatude of yours but I get it........

 

I sure didn't mean to imply that it was in inside job. I was offering tips on reporting the crime. Been there, done that. I was right about the Riv owner wanting his pics up here. And he DID have additional info, right? I was just thinking of the guy with the car. It's not HIS fault that your insurance lapsed. The guy was paying you to work on his car. He should have been covered. It took a post from Mikes51 to see pics and learn about the hole in the console. That car is hot in the Bay Area. It'll probably turn up for sale hundreds of miles away. The HAMB reaches everywhere. Maybe one of us can help...

 

So am I Alex, thank you for starting this thread. So many people willing to help, unbelievable!

 

well i hope he catches the bastards!

 

i had a car stolen from my shop many years ago, and i had full garage keepers insurance. they said , as i wasnt neglignet,they were not going to cover it, they told the owner to collect from his own insurance.
things differ with time, and now many insurance co's wont cover your car while in a shop for repairs. now days i think i'd want to be clear who is covering my car when it is out of my possesion.
most companies though as far as garage keepers dont want to cover customers cars when something beyond the shop owners control takes place, such as a break in. personally, i think garage keepers is kinda a waste , as they charge ya a ton, then deny claims.
at this point though, i dont think its appropiate to blame a shop owner, unless he did something stupid like leave the door unlocked , etc.


skull

 

Hey Johnny-- sitting up in Singapore right now at 2am, bugged by things in the world that aren't right. Boy if this thievery isn't a perfect example.

With all the bad though, this HAMB thread, and the love going through facebook, our friends, etc, shows the there sure are a lot of decent good people out there. That feels fucking good...

Dropping a little help via Paypal right now (EDIT: Johnny-- Will do when i get home this weekend. Paypal wont let me do the transaction from where im at, as im triggering their fraud block from Asia.)

We've got a video studio at Yahoo, with professionals that run it. Anything you need on the technology side--- just let me know and you've got it. I'd say that the uhaul likely wasnt stolen-- as the criminals were damn bold in taking risks.... very likely could have went out and rented it locally. Enhance for license plate, if possible. Zoom to see the things that identify that uhaul (scratches, etc) and let's find it.

Offer still stands on any tools help i can give.

-scott

 

Sorry to hear about your loss, I hope the police catch the guys and they get put away for awhile.

 

Whoa, Skullhat, I'm not blaming Johnny. I was trying to point out a couple of ways to get the word out on the stolen car and to say that he should do it quickly. Mikes51 posted some info, proving the power of the HAMB for good. That was good info about your experience with a similar deal. Gives us lots to think and learn about.

IMO, this thread shouldn't be about blame. I think it was started to help Johnny get back on his feet and back working, armed with his rather expensive lesson in business practices. Let's focus on that.

 

thanks Scott, I should be getting a copy of the video later today, I'll get it to you or Anissa as soon as I have it. And I will be taking advantage of your offer for the tools, Brother. I just need to get shit straightened out first.

 

Damn man, I'm sorry to read about this. Made me place a call to my insurance company to see what my coverage is and what it covers. This was a real wake up call to document my tools and parts quick! I'll send a little spending money, these guys have to be caught...way too brazen of a haul. Best of luck man.

Bryan

 

Too many stories like this lately.

 

Sorry to hear about your loss. I can tell you that I am in the process of switching our garage keeper's policy to one from Hagerty or Grundy insurance companies. Our current insurance guy is a fuggin IDIOT! Hagerty and Grundy are the first insurance companies to step up and actually want to cover a restoration/custom shop and ALL of it's contents. They are well versed in the ways of individual auto coverage so they actually know what they are talking about when it comes to garage keepers for a restoration/custom shop. We recently attended some information classes on both of these insurance companies at the "Hot Rod and Restoration" trade show last month in Indy. Let me know if you need any contact info for these companies when you get back on your feet. 'Till then concentrate on staying calm...this stuff will turn up. Somebody has to know something. Someone always is bragging to the wrong person. Stuff aint far away...I'll bet on it!

 

This sucks hard. People can't work for what they want, so they ruin it for those who do. I can only imagine how bad this blows for you, but all these people making it a little bit easier with each donation. I wish I could help but I have nothing to offer of worth. If I come up on some money I will send it your way for sure. PLEASE keep us updated with what you find out daily.

 

It just read that way to me i guess, but you're right the focus should be on helping a guy out. all cool

 

DOWN AND OUT MYSELF AFTER A LAYOFF BUT I WILL KICK IN SOME BUCKS WHEN FUNDS ALLOW. Post what was stolen and we can all watch the internet and papers for them.

Lundy

 

bump for the afternoon, this should be a sticky

 

As one of Johnny's friends, and the owner of the '50 Plymouth that was not stolen from the shop because it wouldn't start, I just want to say thanks to Alex for starting this, and thank you to EVERYONE who has offered help in any way, shape, or form. This kind of thing is heartbreaking, but when a community like ours can come together from all over the world and support one of our brothers it shows that good people with good hearts do still exist! We got your back Johnny!!

 

Thanks again to all you guys showing support for me and my shop. I spent the day making fliers with pictures of the vehicles that got stolen and drove around giving them to shops and businesses, hope it helps some how. If any body would like a copy of the fliers PM me your address and I'll send you one of each.

Thank you very much to everybody that has sent some money to my Paypal account, a lot of it has come from people that I don't even know and I do not know how to say thank you for this. I feel very humbled and blessed to have so many people trying to help me. So far there are $830 in my account, unbelievable. I really do not know what to say, it literally bring tears to my eyes. If I, or better when I get my shop going again and every thing is settled I will find a way to make it up to you guys. There will be huge discounts on every thing including labor rates for everybody on the HAMB, I will not forget what the HAMB family is doing for me! Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart, I also want to thank Skoty Chops who also started a thread here on the HAMB for me (http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=464879) and has donated so much equipment from his own tools.

Thank you all!

 

They spent an hour loading the first time, then came back two hours later to get the rivi with a flatbed..... so an hour loading is probably 30-45 minutes unloading ..... guess at 15 mins to get the flatbed sorted so 1 hour total travelling time, they are within half an hour of your shop.
They went home for a sleep or went somewhere to hide the Riviera and then returned in the morning for more.........How long in between the last night visit, and the 10.30 am daylight one? They must have had someone watching while they were gone, in case you had found the damage from the night before.......they wouldn't go back in daylight unless they were sure it was safe.........
They were as brazen as all fuck , thinking you and Alex were away at VLV..... It is someone you AND Alex know......... or someone who knows someone........... They had to know the shop next door was vacant, and how to get from one to the other...........what about the previous tennants in the empty shop, could they be jealous or agreived with anything that happened there? IT IS SOMEONE WITH LOCAL KNOWLEDGE.
They had to know about the movements of other people in the area and probably be known as locals there too, so they wouldn't be noticed.

 

i would keep a eye on craigslist and ebay for parts that might pop up cause there gonna strip and sell this stuff

 

Johnnykck is a class act. After all he has gone through with his losses he stands up and donates what he can with T-shirts to So-Cal for Asia Tuchsen's accident and recovery.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=464893
Oh my god, I am so sorry to hear this. I can't send any money right now because my shop just got robbed last week end and I'm trying to figure out how to make end meet. But I do have some shop T-shirts with different designs on then that I would like to donate for the Raffle. I hope this helps at least a little bit. Where do I send the T-shirts?
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This sucks!!! My friend got robbed last month & they took about $30,000 worth of stuff including 3 mac laptops. The neighbor saw 3 guys & 1 girl in 2 black suv's loading for about an hour & just thought her son was moving out. The morons went online with her sons laptop & the Ichat popped up on her new mac, so she called a friend that pinged the ip address. She notified SJPD to get a warrant to get the address of the guy online with her mac & they said it was a low priority crime. WTF???? She damn near handed the guy to them. Not sure if they got your computer, but if they did maybe this could help.

Like allot of others I would like to send you a couple bucks, but times are tight. However I would like to buy a shirt. Maybe run an add selling some shirts to help fund getting back on the road? Just a thought ....

 

I watched the surveillance video again today in detail, since I got my own copy. The first time they leave my shop with the U-haul truck they are only gone for 52 minutes and then return with the Truck and a flat-car-trailer attached. After they leave with the Rivi they are gone for almost three hours and then come back with the U-haul at 10:36 am, back it into my shop, stay for about 12 minutes and leave at 10:48 am and don't come back. They have to be so close to my shop that I should be able to smell them, it is driving me crazy!!! I'm going to spending some time tomorrow driving up and down some streets and looking over fences and into door and windows.
The previous tenant from the vacant shop that they busted in through was Alex Gambino, he moved over on the other side of me a few months ago because he could get more units that are connected together, thus giving him a shop with a larger joined floor space.
I agree it must be somebody that knows me and Alex and knows our shops pretty well. Alex needs to get a premium alarm system with surveillance asap and put some big heavy duty locks on all his doors and gates. As bold as these fu**ers are I would not be surprised if they try and come back for more. After watching the Video today I will not be re-opening my shop at the same location, to unsecured and to far off the beaten path. I will be looking for new location with a better more secure building and a better location. It will probably cost more money for rent, but I do not want to go through this again.

 

It's sad but true, the cops do not give a shit! I did not have a computer at the shop.
Good Idea with the shirt add, I'll be posting some in the for sale section of the HAMB tomorrow. I'll let you guys know when the thread for the shirts is up. They will be selling for $16 a piece.

Thanks again, you guys rock!!! The HAMB rocks, very proud to be a member of this awesome community!!!!

 

Johnny-
Somebody brought up checking out the upcoming auto swap in Fresno, Cherry Auction Spring Auto Swap on the 18th.
I'll be there selling my "don't need it anymore's", and I'll keep my eyes peeled and ears open, but just some info;
that swap and any swaps in the Fresno County area usually have a pretty heavy semi-undercover DMV/CHP/Sheriff (aka Fresno H.E.A.T. team) presence...,
I've not only seen them, but also seen them yank people out of there along with the stolen property.
You might want to have whoever's assigned to your case send some info their way.
Send me some flier info, I'll print it and hand it out.

Oh, and by the way... if you dirt bags that took off with Johnny's shop are monitoring this site for another score... C'mon down to Fresno, my shop's always open, but if I'm gone... funny thing is, if you can make it by the dogs, the lead from the neighbor will/can be poisonous!

 

I'll send you some fliers in the mail if you PM me your address and I'll try to contact the fresno PD/ Sheriff and see if I can send them a copy also. Thanks.

 

wear a sling over sign to fresno that says "WTB 63 buick riviera" and see if you get any shady folk! If I were Alex, I would prolly think about moving too! You dont want to fall victim either!

 

hey johhny just heard today ,this sucks ...... i can dig some extra stuff for ya ..... you said that you wont be at yer shop , does gambino have some of your flyers , i can put them in the tattoo shop... also there is that wensday night show at boston market / mervyns in santa clara @ el camino and scott . try to get them flyers out over there , alot of different people muscle cars , classics and such .....pm me with yer # and i'll call ya with what i got .....scotty....

 

With as large a comunity as the Hamb is not to mention all car guys around the world, you need to get as much information as you have public as quickly as possable. If you have the dvd of them doing it, you should get it posted asap to see if ANYONE recognises anything that might help you. The longer it takes to get pics/info/video up, the better chance they have of not getting caught.