Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

[PBocciardi]

Folks, my friend Leon just had his 'Bird stolen yesterday from right outside his business in Des Moines, Iowa. He is absolutely heartbroken. If you're in the area, please keep your eyes out for a 2002 red T-Bird with hardtop, license plate: "Zooomy." I pray that it is found!

[wtxbird]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

Sorry to here that, in Texas we can shoot them for it if we catch them in the act. Good luck on recovering it

[Dizzbe]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

Paula - I'll send this to my Brother. He is an Iowa State Trooper, he knows how much my Bird means to me, so I'm sure he'll keep his eye open.

Let's hope for a speedy & damage free return for your friend.

[jimvit1]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

I can't believe someone would be so DUMB as to steal such a High Profile car as the T-Bird. Its not like you see them every day and it would stand out like a sore thumb. Should be a quick recovery unless its taken straight to a chop shop for parts which I hope is not the case.

[FritsB]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

Hope they find your friends Bird back soon Paula.
I would go nuts if that happened to me

[Ol'Dave]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

Well you came to the right place to assist in your search. That's Skoz Country!! No one should mess with our beloved T-Birds. Period. But especially in his neck of the woods. And with the addition of Vickie's Brother now in the loop, you should be in good hands.

[FritsB]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

sounds like 'double trouble' for the one that took that Bird

[sdman]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

I think I will start setting my alarm now, even in the yard and in the car port.

[5bird7]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

I'm posting it on my site's t-bird homepage.

Is there any other info on the crime? was it locked?

[texasbird]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

I think I will start setting my alarm now, even in the yard and in the car port.

Don't feel bad, Doug. I hit my Lock & Alarm as the garage door is going down, with the T-bird inside. Besides, I bet Monk would too, it he was allowed to drive.

James

[5bird7]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

It's quite possible this owner is a TBN member as I have his plate on my website and it's been there at least since 2003.

[Sweet T]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

This is what I learned when my T Bird was stolen:

Get the State Police involved, definitely. They're more than happy to help with a high profile car.

The car will be sitting somewhere for 24 hours "cooling off" as the thieves don't know if it has LoJack or not. I called every mall in the area so their security guards could look for it while it was cooling off. They were happy to help. I also called the largest tow companies in the area so their drivers could keep an eye out. Not like it's a silver Camry or black Honda.

If the car has a Speed Pass/EZ Pass (for tolls) call the overseeing authority to see if the transponder has been triggered, where and time.

I drove through large company parking lots with my key fob, to see if I could set the alarm off.

Your friend can't just sit there and wait for the police to find it. To them, it's just another stolen car.

[PBocciardi]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

Thanks so much to all of you for your suggestions to Leon, and thank you, Vickie, for passing this along to your brother. (Dot: The car was locked, but Leon's keys were stolen.) I would just be sick if this happened to me. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

[5bird7]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

That's really bad about the keys. Barbara's (Sweet T) had hers stolen too because someone got a key but luckily hers was found quickly -- and the perpetrators.
Sounds like someone who had come into his business when it was busy and knew what to look for and where.
That's 3 red ones that we know about, stolen over the past 5 years.

[5bird7]

Re: Stolen Thunderbird -- Des Moines, Iowa

Paula, back in January, someone in Oklahoma had their high profile Model T (Brass era - 1914 as I recall) stolen (it was in a plain trailer). There was such a big to do about it, that it was recovered within two weeks. The owner was 87 as I recall and had had it for over 70 years. That hit the paper, radio, tv and of course the local police were on the look out for it. so it pays to be proactive about searching for the car if it is to be found as Barbara states.