FOUND METRO! Peterborough

[dollywobbler]

My friend's Metro has been stolen. 

 

Yes, it is a 1.3. Lives in Peterborough. Please keep your eyes peeled. Especially if you know someone upgrading a Mini...

[HillmanImp]

That would be the only reason it was stolen I suppose? What a shame. Hope its found.

[Ratdat]

I want that number plate.

[vulgalour]

Oh no!  That's really bad, I hope he gets it back.

 

 

Thankfully Ratdat is one of those upstanding community member types so I don't think we need to raid his gaff to see if he's transferred the plate to a French car.

[Ratdat]

Were these not grade A joyrider fodder in their day because they were easy to nick? Probably slightly more likely than it being pinched for the engine but not good either way.

[EssDeeWon]

It'll turn up in a few days if someone has just nicked it for a free ride home, on the other hand it may never be seen again if some mini merchant wants the running gear out of it, but fingers crossed, ya never know.

[Partridge]

I've seen that car in metal, lovely little motor Hope it gets back safe and sound.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

These were much in demand by joyriders in Milton Keynes ,because they were narrow enough to fit between the metal posts that are at the access points to the 'Redway' system- a network of footpaths and cycle ways/ underpasses that connect the whole area. Other common twoc fare like Astras and Cavaliers would end up wedged,hopefully with the little scrotes stuck like rats in a trap.

[scruff]

Hope they get it back, an easy to nick motor like that is unfortunately easy pray in a city. 

Suggesting someone has nicked it to rob the engine for a mini is a touch paranoid though Ian.

[dollywobbler]

Perhaps. It's a good reminder that some anti-theft kit is a really good idea though. Autoshite is usually piss-easy to nick.

[Ratdat]

It's easy to be complacent about security on old cars. I use some kind of steering wheel security device if I'm out and about and more often than not, I'll remove something to disable the car too. I even do this with my Prairie. 

 

The one I fear for most is my '62 Bluebird as it has a dash mounted ignition switch so not even a steering lock. Plus it has quarter lights which make it super vulnerable and easy to get into. I tend to not take it anywhere where I'll have to leave it unattended for long. 

[Angrydicky]

Yeah that will have been taken by joyriders. A near-identical E reg 1.0 in the same colour was taken from near mine last year, was fortunately recovered with ignition and door damage (plus scrapes down both sides and both mirrors smashed off where it had been driven down a footpath or something). A disklok only costs about £30-40 on Ebay and having one fitted to your 80's car is pretty much a guarantee that it'll still be where you parked it in the morning.

[EssDeeWon]

Hi AD the chap I got my Granada from near the airport said he often gets kids attempting to nick them, so his fleet now have steering wheel locks on and they don't tend to bother now.

 

No ones attempted to steal mine yet

[meggersdog]

I'll keep an eye out,DW.Haven't been in Peterborough itself for years though.

Cars often used to get dumped down the country lanes near me years ago (sadly most were burnt out ).

[Micrashed]

Sad, but I suspect this is its fate:

[dollywobbler]

It was stolen last Thursday, and no sign of it yet, which makes joyriding seem less likely. It belongs to Jozza, occasional poster on this very forum. I've never had a car stolen. I can't even begin to imagine how horrible it feels. 

[dugong]

I've put the word out among my banger mates to see if any of their Ministox contacts get offered an engine \ most of a Metro. 

[Rusty_Rocket]

Not sure I particularly like the suggestions that it's been stolen by a Mini owner for its engine- Mini owners tend to be thoroughly nice people and happily welcome Metros into their shows. Could happen for that I suppose, but I would say it is far more likely to have been taken by a purpose-less scumbag who has no idea what an A-Series engine is..

Hope it turns up one way or t'other.

[Partridge]

I've a quick skim of banger forums and haven't seen anything yet. If it has just been taken for a joy-ride, I have a feeling it will end up in the fens. Have you guys been out to look for it on the off chance yet?

[TRW]

Why didn't the owner fit some kind of steering lock?

 

I read the bit about them being a poster on here. Surely then they'd know how easy ARG cars are to disappear with and would therefor secure it to the hilt.

 

Hope it is returned to its rightful owner with minimal damage, and soon.

[Mr Lobster]

Apparently it has been located and recovered!

[dugong]

Not sure I particularly like the suggestions that it's been stolen by a Mini owner for its engine- Mini owners tend to be thoroughly nice people and happily welcome Metros into their shows. Could happen for that I suppose, but I would say it is far more likely to have been taken by a purpose-less scumbag who has no idea what an A-Series engine is..

Hope it turns up one way or t'other.

 

 

Chances are it'll be someone from the Mini scene who gets offered the engine unknowingly - so they'll suffer too. It probably isn't a Mini enthusiast, more an unscrupulous person who wants to make money from the aforementioned.  

 

50\50 it's been taken by someone who knows what engine it's got (not hard to do a VLE check). If it's not that, it's a scrote needing something easy to steal so they can burn around town for a bit and later dump the car when they've had some fun. The latter wouldn't care about what engine it had (as you say). 

 

It's one of those two scenarios. It may hurt to hear it, but the truth of the matter will be somewhere in between. Why else would you steal a Metro? Modern stuff is too hard to swipe unless you can grab the keys. 

[Partridge]

Apparently it has been located and recovered!

Really?!

[dugong]

Really?!

 

I bloody hope so!

[Micrashed]

II've never had a car stolen. I can't even begin to imagine how horrible it feels. 

It usually starts with disbelief " Im sure I left it here" followed by shock then anger (and in my case a car chase, a further chase on foot and belting the person who did it in the face very hard whilst a policeman pulled me off him so at least I got some closure, and the car back).

 

Not sure I particularly like the suggestions that it's been stolen by a Mini owner for its engine- Mini owners tend to be thoroughly nice people and happily welcome Metros into their shows. Could happen for that I suppose, but I would say it is far more likely to have been taken by a purpose-less scumbag who has no idea what an A-Series engine is..

Hope it turns up one way or t'other.

Why because "enthusiasts" cant be morally corrupt? It happens. You get nice as pie Car Mad people who wouldn't think twice about stripping a "hot" car for bits and fragging the rest. I know a series Landy enthusiast like this (hes not a personal friend before anyone gets the wrong idea I just know him). 

[eddyramrod]

I'm glad it's returned, hope it hasn't suffered too much in the time it was away.

[Mr Lobster]

Really?!

 

Confirmed on twitter!

[dollywobbler]

Not sure what state it's in mind...

[Angrydicky]

Bloody excellent news. Hope the damage isn't too bad.

[Wilko220]

Yay. I'm pessimistic about likely condition though.