this thread delivered

They also stole an oil catch can I had. Was custom painted to match the car.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/...4d54faed_b.jpg

It was brand new, never used and probably would still be in the box it came in. Would love to see that back as well but not having much luck.

That is a sweet looking catch can, and pretty unique, crossing my fingers for you.

ha. i wonder if that will show up on craigslist too with the same contact person.

I dont think I will find this one but worth a shot. RS pulled through once already hahah

If not, I'm still happy that I got the rims back. I cant replace those, but I can replace the catch can with little trouble.

just curious: how much is that catch can worth?

also wondering... you mentioned your car was at the shop being worked on, but they moved it outside for some reason? it was out on the street when the theft happened? :confused:

The interesting thing is... she probably didn't steal the rims but was selling it for someone who did... If she was "smart" she could tell both you and the RCMP to pound sand. Unless there is a serial number, and you can PROVE that the wheels she had were yours, and no other rim/tire combo existed, you would not have gotten your wheels back. Looking at the pictures in an ad and saying those are your rims because you recall the scuff on one of the wheels probably also isn't enough evidence unless you have a picture of the wheels on your car with the same unique marks.

Saying the wheels are the same brand/model/colour does not prove the wheels are yours. Even with the recent theft of the wheels. It would not fly in either civil or crim court.

BUT, glad you got your wheels back. Usually stories like this don't end as well.

Did you read the thread at all? OP punched his VIN into the wheels.

You must not have read the thread. I did not want to give out all the details until they were back in my possession. Once that happened I stated how it happened and why I can prove they are mine.
She could not tell me or the RCMP to pound sand, the wheels have both my SIN and VIN stamped into them. That is enough evidence to do what I needed to do to get them back.

@ Thumper, the catch can was around $200 I think with all fittings and such. Not a huge loss, but a loss I dont want to deal with :P
As for the car, yes it was parked outside the shop, in a well lit area with 5 different wheel locks per wheel. They used gator grip sockets to remove the locks (found 3 broken ones next to the car).
The car is normally inside but there were to many customer cars there and it was either leave my Prelude outside or a customers exotic so we opted for the Prelude.

I missed the part that you engraved the VIN., obviously.

You have the worst Spidey sense ever.

:(

Sorry bro, but I said the same thing you did early in the thread (when there was no info about the identification). I normally do appreciate common sense being injected into sensationalized threads but in this case you just got owned by not reading first. :p

I just skimmed through it, and missed it on page 3 where OP answered it in a multi quoted reply....

that may or may not have occurred.

i wish gator grips never existed.

so this happened during shop hours? damn...

No, they took the wheels between 10:30pm and 11:30pm. I got the call from my dad who was told by another person at a shop near by. They had an hour to get the wheels off the car from the point my dad left the shop until I got there.

Yeah, the gator grip sockets are great for some stuff.....this is not the kind of thing I like to see them used for.

it's not the first time i've heard gator grips being used for getting around wheel locks.

maybe you are the best person to ask... what do you think of wheel locks like this:

Cone Seat- Under Hub Cap Wheel Lock Set (M12 x 1.5 Thread Size) - Set of 4 Locks and 1 Key - Cone Seat - Wheel Locks - Automotive - Products

also, where did you get your punch set? home depot didn't have a clue what i was talking about.

good to hear you got them back

I had one for years. My dad bought it when my bike was stolen when i was 5 and we did this to all sorts of things.

As for the wheel locks, there is a way to get any wheel lock off, does not matter the design. Its simply a matter of time and being prepared. If its rims and they have checked out the car they will bring tools to take them.
Locking lugs are like the club, they are easy to bypass for someone who is serious about taking them but some cracker will just move onto the next one because they cant be bothered.

Just curious, has the RS beatdown crew ever lived up to its name or is it just keyboard warriors?

I'd be pretty scared if I saw like 10 civics roll up outside my house.

When they offer crap like this to anyone its easy to take wheels from any vehicle really.

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDAwWDQwMA...NTFnSh/$_1.JPG

We use these in the shop for people who lost there wheel lock key but you can buy these almost anywhere now, as well as those slim jim kits.

Portable welder
Weld nut onto lock
Turn nut

All your wheels are mine.

That works as well, attracts a lot of attention tho and you may need to change spools as wheel nuts are made out of all sorts of things now.

probably front page on a sales flyer from princess auto :cry: