STOLEN: 1987 Vanagon in Seattle, WA **FOUND**

teej · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 7:41 am Post subject:

Wow, great ending, nice work!

It isn't just Vanagons. In a different neighborhood here last month I was unloading my pickup and started chatting with a guy who was recovering his stolen Honda Odyssey. He was told by the police that this is part of the theives' M.O., they don't want to store the stolen goods in their homes so the vermin use a stolen vehicle as a little rolling warehouse.
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1986+ Wolfsburg Weekender Pop-Top 2.3 WBX Manual Trans

RainierSyncro · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:27 pm Post subject:

The Vanagon rescue squad helps people broken down across the country. In Seattle, the Vanagon rescue squad helps you get your van back from the crackheads.

Jake de Villiers · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 10:17 pm Post subject:

Wow, what a great Samba story! Nice work Amanda and Kelson! Wink

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'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7.5 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
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Love My Westy · Samba Member Joined: August 08, 2007 Posts: 1894

I'm glad they didn't toast your engine seeing you had cooling system issues. Glad you got it back! Applause

SyncroBilly · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 9:53 pm Post subject:

Glad everything worked out. Still can't believe how this went down. Sounds like it wasn't too damaged, too.

Epic win Laughing

mbcbags · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 9:28 pm Post subject:

Key was recovered and most of the camping stuff recovered. There weren't any arrests when I was there, but the lead officer said that they might have enough to nab the woman involved since she was directly related to both the stolen van and the TEC Shop break in. The neighbors all came out while I was there and said that the house was a known drug den, but that the cops never responded to their calls and didn't do anything about their complaints.

The craziest thing is that the house is less than a mile from the precinct and the cops weren't the ones that found it. It was the Samba community that found and made sure the van was recovered. I actually flagged down the cops and that's the only reason they were there on the spot. I don't know how long it would've taken for them to respond to the actual call?

I'm going to still go through my insurance claim to rehab the interior since it's pretty much a bio-hazard right now. And have Eion go through the mechanical to make sure it's all on the up and up. We may have the van back, but it's still a long road to bringing it back up to where it was before it was stolen.

This week was definitely one of the biggest roller coaster rides of emotion I've ever been on!
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I'm horizontally opposed; what's your problem?

IdahoDoug · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 9:24 pm Post subject:

Nice job on the stakout and assistance to recover it guys. That's the Samba spirit alive and well. Maybe I should start a thread on how to immobilize a Vanagon you know is stolen to help the owner? Nah, it would just turn into some odd backbiting and I'd be accused of wanting to wear a cape. Oh wait - that's exactly what happened! Hah!

Well done one and all!!!!!

DougM

PS - you might want to also take the address of the crack house off the Samba. There's potential for that to end poorly.
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1993 Toyota LandCruiser, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

tarandusVDub · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 9:18 pm Post subject:

We need a superhero action figure in his honor, with a VW emblazoned on his chest...
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1990 Syncro 16" DoppleKabine 2.1 DJ 112i
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Sold: 1972 Bay Campmobile; 1984 Westy, base model, 2WD.

madspaniard · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 9:15 pm Post subject:

Nice!! Did you also get your ignition keys back and the camping stuff? Any arrests? Eager to hear more details about the cops showing up at the house.
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1991 Westy auto w/ Peloquin TBD

"The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad” - Salvador Dali

mbcbags · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 8:27 pm Post subject:

OMG!!!! My van is officially recovered! A HUGE thanks to Amanda, I spoke with her on the phone and still can't thank her enough. Who else would stake out a house just to make sure the van stayed in place. Only a Vanagon owner would care that much.

The interior is the grossest most disgusting thing you'll ever see, but it's all surface stuff. No damage that I can find so far. I'm thinking a good bleaching and some new carpet will do the trick. That and a solid ionizer treatment to get rid of the rotten food smell.

Thanks to everyone else as well. I had sort of forgotten how special the community was until this week. I think I just took it for granted that I was in this cool club of truly wonderful people. God, I'm starting to tear up just thinking about how great you guys are.

Thanks, thanks, thanks!!!!
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I'm horizontally opposed; what's your problem?

SyncroBilly · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 8:13 pm Post subject:

You are a hero. You definitely did your good deed for the day. I should have kept your phone number just in case my van got stolen haha. Good stuff.

amari77 · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 8:00 pm Post subject:

It was very gratifying to see the owner drive the bus out of the driveway! His friend says the police will let him drive it home. I hope it's in better condition than ours was when we got it back. His friend told us that he'll be able to drive it home, and that the neighbors say the house is a crack den (not surprising). We didn't see any arrests, but we left pretty much right after we saw the bus come out of the driveway. We're just happy that Kelson spotted it. It's great to see someone else get his vanagon back. Really getting sick of these meth and crack heads....maybe it's time to move away from the city.

Syncro Jael · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:51 pm Post subject:

Maybe I need to move to Washington?

If mine got stolen here in Utah, not many people know what a Westfalia even is Shocked

I love stories that end well...
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1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat)

SyncroBilly · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:49 pm Post subject:

No problem. You never know

amari77 · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:48 pm Post subject:

SyncroBilly · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:46 pm Post subject:

Amari... you should edit your post and remove your phone number

SyncroBilly · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:44 pm Post subject:

Very cool. It's nice to see a win like this. Congrats. Great job Wink

danbar · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:38 pm Post subject:

WOAH! I used to live in that house! This was over 10 years ago and I have no idea who lives there now but when you said the street I was thinking it had to be one of two or three houses right there. Crazy story and great job everyone!
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'88 SCA High/Pop-top Syncro camper
'61 Meyers Manx

tarandusVDub · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:34 pm Post subject:

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1990 Syncro 16" DoppleKabine 2.1 DJ 112i
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Sold: 1972 Bay Campmobile; 1984 Westy, base model, 2WD.

amari77 · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 7:30 pm Post subject:

Cops are there right now with the owner so most likely all will be well.


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STOLEN: 1987 Vanagon in Seattle, WA FOUND
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