Crash Bytes (July '05)

(Double-click on the photos to enlarge.)

Gone With the Wind . . . and Back Again!

It's baaaack! That pesky stolen, recovered, burned vehicle. Now what? You know it was intentionally burned, but can you prove it wasn't really stolen? And what about the condition of the vehicle prior to the "theft"? If you aren't aggressively investigating these claims, you may be missing an opportunity.

At VMAR we not only determine the condition/position of the steering column lock and ignition lock cylinder prior to the fire, we also accurately reconstruct the condition of the engine and transmission prior to the "theft." Just imagine how many wrecked engines and blown transmissions we find that could not have resulted from the theft -- preexisting conditions that dramatically reduce the actual value of the vehicle!

Case In Point 1: A 1996 Chevy Blazer was reported stolen and recovered the next day. The vehicle had been completely destroyed by fire. We found that the steering column lock was intact and undamaged, that the ignition lock cylinder had been intact and undamaged prior to the fire, and that the transmission was severely damaged from long-term wear that could not have occurred during the theft.

Case In Point 2: A 2004 Chevy Malibu Maxx was stolen and recovered with severe engine damage reported from sand being poured into the engine through the oil filler neck. We determined that no attempt was made to defeat the steering column lock, ignition lock cylinder, or anti-theft system. We also found that the engine was undamaged -- it had not been run after the sand was poured in. So with the engine clean-up cost at less than the policy deductible, the vehicle was returned to the owner at a big savings to the insurance company! Another happy ending!