Is it auto theft?

[Scott Clem]

What is the name of your state? Florida

I took my van to a small repair shop and asked them to diagnois it and let me know what was wrong. When I went back to the shop two days later they told me that they had found the problem and had tried to fix it without my permission. To make matters worse they actually broke what they were trying to fix. this whole breaking things went on for about the last two months until the last time I went in and they told me I would have to have the engine rebuilt. "This was due to damage they had caused". I filed a small claims case against the shop and they abrubtly shut down the shop and took my van with them. I got lucky and got the home number of the owner. when I called him and asked him about my van he said he was still trying to fix it but would'nt tell me where it was or what he was actually doing to it. I've asked repeatedly for my van back and for the location but have had no luck. I finally did a phone # trace on the internet and got his address and found my van. I went to the county sherriff and tried to file a report but they said it was a civil matter. Is this correct? If he has my van without my permission and I don't owe him any money isn't that theft?

 

[reddenbakker]

oh scotty boi:

Why havent you read up on maintaining a car?

And why do you take it to some small back alley shop when you should be taking it to sears, or mr.goodwrench?

You see YOU left the car for 2 days, YOU didnt have a clue as to what could be wrong.

Go back over there and take pictures of your van in His lot or home, you will need them to show proof to a judge.

 

[Scott Clem]

I know now I should have went to a normal dealership, but like all money wise "haha" people I was trying to save a buck. I did however have a very good Idea what was wrong with it before I took it there. I knew it had a stuck injector but didn't know exactly what was involved in fixing it. I asked them to diagnois it simply to affirm what I thought I knew. As far as leaving it for two days I didn't have much of a choice. It was a saturday when I took it to the shop and the earliest I could get back was monday evening. I could have waited and took it monday but didn't realize what the future held for me. What does leaving it there for two days represent? And what will taking pictures help me with in court? Thank you for taking the time to answer my thread, could you please advise further. scott

 

[amc822]

It's theft in my world. Try the police department maybe you'll have better luck. You should also file a complaint with the attorney general's office for your state or any consumer protection agency. It may hinder the guy's ability to get another business license if he tries to open another shop and they may also help you get your van back. Good luck.