"I don't see the VW.."

[graysky66]

..and with those words my 66 beetle disappeared - probably forever.

My wife called to say she was leaving work and heading for home and as she reached the parking lot of the school where she teaches she kept repeating "I don't see the VW"

Yesterday afternoon our 1966 VW was stolen from Hawthorne CA. I'm still in shock.

The grainy school video surveillance tape shows two men approaching the car and within two minutes had the locked door open, the car started and drove away with our beloved VW.

I feel like I have lost a family member.

We didn't have the car for very long. We bought it a little over two years ago as a Cal Look and I have spent the last few years bringing it back to stock.

I am mourning the loss of the car as a whole, but also some of the little things that brought me such joy - finding original 66 only door panels and replacing the generic ones that were in the car when I bought it. Replacing the crappy aftermarket bumpers whose edges would give me paper cuts with German ones, buying the chrome buckles and making my own useless seat hold down strap, having my seats reupholstered in the one year only 66 pattern and in the process getting rid of the Ford Mustang vinyl that was on the seats previously, finding and installing NOS SB19 SB20 SB21 headlight glass, even dealing with the incompetence of the DMV while I endured the YOM license plate process I can look back on and shake my head but still smile.

I know in my head that it is truly gone and that I will never see it again, it is off to some other part of the world either whole or in a thousand parts taken away by people too lazy to do the work themselves, too lazy to spend the time in a labor of love, too cheap to spend their own money to get the car they want, but my heart holds out hope that somehow by miracle it will be recovered. But I know it won't be.

So now I am left to wonder what next? Am I up for trying to find another bug and begin the process all over again? If I decide not to can I live with the envy I now feel when I see another VW on the road? Am I willing to put love into another car and risk someone else stripping it away from me again? This will take some time for the hurt to go away, for my mind to clear so I can make a rational decision, but I wanted to share my story here on 66vwbeetle.com with perhaps the only people who can truly understand my grief and relate to what I am going through.

Thanks for listening, and feel free to talk me into getting another VW.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_ ... id=1079815

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1104897.jpg

[jmartini]

graysky66: This is about the saddest thing I've read in recent history. I am so sorry this happened to you and am hoping the police find your bug. Obviously buying another beetle won't replace what you had with the one that was taken but you will create new memories. When I bought my newest 66 I thought it would be just like having my first all over again, but it's not, each one (just like kids) are a little bit different and now I'm happy to say its the 66 I've owned the longest.

I too worry about someone stealing my ride so I always use the club on the steering wheel, it's cumbersome to deal with but there's no way anyone can drive off with her. I suppose there are some other more expensive alternatives like Lojack which boasts a 99% recovery record, but I have no idea what the costs are on that.

Your letter is a sad reminder that there are people out there that have no moral compass. The good news is that you are still safe and for that I am grateful.

If they don't find your bug I certainly hope you will get another, there is always a 66 looking for a good home! I hope you will keep us all up to date on what happens. Best of luck! John

[1966veedub]

Lots of people, including myself, have posted links to your story on facebook. Hopefully you'll get some kind of lead with the more exposure.

As for LoJack, I had it on my Jeep Grand Cherokee for over 10 years when I lived in East L.A. (where I grew up), but it was never put to the test because it was never stolen. I had it from 1993 to 2004 when I sold the Jeep and if it still operated the same way, a LoJack technician comes out to your work or place of residence every 4 years to change out the lithium battery in the LoJack device (hidden somewhere in/on your vehicle) to ensure a strong signal is present should the car get stolen. If I recall correctly, there was no monthly service charge. you do have to pay for the device and its installation (I think it was about $400 back then) and every 4 years the service call to change the battery was between $100-$150. I'd say well worth the investment and I will be looking into that if I ever get my '66 in as nice a condition as your stolen bug was.

Good luck!!

[graysky66]

John,

Thanks for the kind words. I remember when I first bought the car and joined this forum and saw the pictures of your car. I remember thinking "I hope I can get my car looking as nice as that one."

We had a kill switch on the car but it wasn't turned off that day. I always had the intention of getting a club or some other anti-theft devices on the car but never seemed to get around to it as I focused more on making sure I had all the obscure one-year only 66 parts... a lesson learned the hard way.

Thanks again for your support and I will surely keep you updated.

graysky66: This is about the saddest thing I've read in recent history. I am so sorry this happened to you and am hoping the police find your bug. Obviously buying another beetle won't replace what you had with the one that was taken but you will create new memories. When I bought my newest 66 I thought it would be just like having my first all over again, but it's not, each one (just like kids) are a little bit different and now I'm happy to say its the 66 I've owned the longest.

I too worry about someone stealing my ride so I always use the club on the steering wheel, it's cumbersome to deal with but there's no way anyone can drive off with her. I suppose there are some other more expensive alternatives like Lojack which boasts a 99% recovery record, but I have no idea what the costs are on that.

Your letter is a sad reminder that there are people out there that have no moral compass. The good news is that you are still safe and for that I am grateful.

If they don't find your bug I certainly hope you will get another, there is always a 66 looking for a good home! I hope you will keep us all up to date on what happens. Best of luck! John

[graysky66]

1966veedub,

Thanks so much for taking the time to link this to Facebook. I have been truly overwhelmed by the response of others in trying to help find the car. As I posted in my response to john, I always had the intention of adding more anti-theft measures but never got around to it. If I do end up starting over with another Beetle I won't make the same mistake again.

Lots of people, including myself, have posted links to your story on facebook. Hopefully you'll get some kind of lead with the more exposure.

As for LoJack, I had it on my Jeep Grand Cherokee for over 10 years when I lived in East L.A. (where I grew up), but it was never put to the test because it was never stolen. I had it from 1993 to 2004 when I sold the Jeep and if it still operated the same way, a LoJack technician comes out to your work or place of residence every 4 years to change out the lithium battery in the LoJack device (hidden somewhere in/on your vehicle) to ensure a strong signal is present should the car get stolen. If I recall correctly, there was no monthly service charge. you do have to pay for the device and its installation (I think it was about $400 back then) and every 4 years the service call to change the battery was between $100-$150. I'd say well worth the investment and I will be looking into that if I ever get my '66 in as nice a condition as your stolen bug was.

Good luck!!

[jmartini]

We all have our fingers crossed that the outcome is going to be positive!

[Bug-Eyed]

Sorry for your loss.

There are lots of V-Dubs in California. I wouldn't sleep well at night worrying about it if I live there.