Posted: 8/2/2011 3:48:26 PM EDT
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I need some advice and or help. I can't seem to get any.
I was working at a gm dealer as a tech. I was buying some tools from a tool distributor and I am current on my payments. I left work Wednesday and didn't come in Thursday or Friday due to heat exhaustion. Boss told me not to come in Monday he would call me. When he called me he said I was going to be let go and that the tool man took my tool cart. I have about 3500 worth of tools on my cart and none of them are the one's I purchased from the tool dealer. I only owe him 289dollars and was current on my payments. The service adviser at gm allowed him to take my tools and I belive the reason he had me wait to come up there Monday was so the tool man could do what he did.(I suppose He was mad that I didn't come in). I have called the police and a detective has been assigned my case only he will not get in touch with me. When I call they tell me he is Away from his desk or out to lunch etc.. They act like I am bothering them and act annoyed! I was able to track down the toolman's boss and he said it would be Friday before he can get my tools back and he is holding them as collateral! And that the tools I still owe on, well he will decide what there value is as they are now used! But he will tell me how many he will need to clear my balance! My tool's of my trade have just been stolen and I seem to have no Right's!!! What can should I do!!! |
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I don't want to name anybody yet. I am a bit pissed off right now and may not be being fair to the officer. I have never been in this situation and don't know what to do.
I can but won't tell ya what I want to do! lol  Really just frustrated with the deal at the moment. Hoping someone would have some good advice for me.
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I would file charges for theft, when you signed the contract for the tools, that gave him the right to repossess only the tools that you have not paid for.
I was a mechanic for many years and bought thousands of dollars off of tool trucks, some of the dealers that I know have been ripped off by dishonest mechanics, but he still does not have the right to remove the tools without your permission, and seeing as you were up to date he didn't have the right to take the tools. |
| The only payment I was behind on was this past Friday because I wasn't there. And all I had with this guy is a truck account. Never signed a contract per say. If he would of called me I would of paid him using a debit card. Or I would even give him his tools if that is what he needed. But to take my tool cart? Yea I plan on filing charges! Although I would rather just have my tools so I can go to another job. |
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Wow! I don't know what the terms of your purchase of tools is from this jerk, but if bill collectors start making it a habit to repossess the collateral in anticipation of your your not making a payment on time. Your service manager needs to get his butt bit for allowing your property to be stolen. That just ain't right. |
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If someone took $3500 worth of tools, I'd be up everyone's ass until i got them back. I mean I'd track the fucker down. Report them as stolen. Then go find them. Former employer could be charged too. Well I'm not going to say to much on an open forum but I plan to pursue charges on all parties involved. Tool dealer and his boss(he is the one trying to tell me what the law is) and I believe the dealership is liable also. I am being blackmailed with my own tools! So far without the help of the police at all! I am ready to go exact vengeance but sure as I do the police will then take interest in arresting me! That won't make things any better for me or my family. I really can't afford an attorney and am dependant on the detective doing his job! [>:// To say I am a little pissed is putting it very mildly! |
| Report has been filed and have a case number. Waiting for the detective! I know the location of my tools the person who took them and wittiness. It should be an easy thing to do. Arrest the guy get my tools back put him on probation and more money for the city. Right? |
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I have a meeting with an attorney this afternoon. But if anyone knows of an attorney who would be able to really help me bring about the proper results and not cost an unemployed mechanic a king's ransom, I would greatly appreciate it.
I don't want to name anyone yet as I'm not sure of the implications. I have known some bad tool dealers in the past also and some really good one's. I always try and keep my balance low with these guy's just so I can pay them off if I leave a job or don't much care for them. Or vice a versa! lol |
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I know Texas isn't about lots of regulations and such... but, since this guy is also a finance company; as a finance company does he have to be licensed by the State of Texas? IDK. What are you thinking, getting his license pulled? lol That is good I will ask the attorney about it. I appreciate that advice. I am kinda tunnel vision on my thinking here. |
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Quoted: Quoted: I know Texas isn't about lots of regulations and such... but, since this guy is also a finance company; as a finance company does he have to be licensed by the State of Texas? IDK. What are you thinking, getting his license pulled? lol That is good I will ask the attorney about it. I appreciate that advice. I am kinda tunnel vision on my thinking here. Yes, if he is licensed as a finance company or required to be; the licensing office will have a complaints process. No licensee of any profession likes it when their state licensing board calls. |
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I would file charges for theft, when you signed the contract for the tools, that gave him the right to repossess only the tools that you have not paid for. I was a mechanic for many years and bought thousands of dollars off of tool trucks, some of the dealers that I know have been ripped off by dishonest mechanics, but he still does not have the right to remove the tools without your permission, and seeing as you were up to date he didn't have the right to take the tools. The above is about all I could tell ya. That is really fucked up, your place of work should have stood behind you and not fucked your over by letting them take your tools. I wish you the best of luck getting them back. i'm not an auto mechince but like you I have tools of my trade and would be wanting to tear someones head off if they took them. 
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One other thing to do if you have no gotten your tools back, is contact who ever the franchisor is for r tool guy, Snap On, Matco, Mac, Cornwell. The company hates hearing stories like yours. I had a similar thing happens years ago. Closed down my shop and one of the neighbors was storing my tool box, well the landlord saw it stored in the back of his shop at took it. Then called the Snap On dealer and asked to order keys for my box, and yes the dealer knew it was my box, I also did not owe the dealer any money. Well Snap On got so pissed about it the yanked the guy's franchise. Sticking him with about 80K of tools and a truck with payments.
Call who ever the tool jerk's franchisor it will get straightened out fast. |
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Report has been filed and have a case number. Waiting for the detective! I know the location of my tools the person who took them and wittiness. It should be an easy thing to do. Arrest the guy get my tools back put him on probation and more money for the city. Right? Hate to tell you this but I wouldn't expect too much immediate help from the cops as this wasn't a strong arm robbery although it is a theft. They'll probably treat it like a burglary which means assigning a detective to the case who will contact you in a couple of weeks. They may even consider it a civil matter in which you'll have to take tool peddlers and former employees to court. Sounds like they repoe'd their tools and stole yours including the cart in the proccess. You need to try and make an inventory of what was stolen and whatever documents, receipts to back it up. The employer was also responsible for your property stored in his a place of business and him denying you access to protect them by telling you not to come in that day or even mentioning it to you that you were being cleaned out makes him culpable. I would get a good lawyer and go after both these turds for not only the cost of the stolen property but loss of income from not being able to gain new employment as the result of not having tools. You probably won't prevail proving loss of income as it would be a punitive damage and Texas isn't big on punitive cases but it's worth a shot. |