helenrose80

Order from X-Eng arrived today - speedy!!! Got to see the 90 yesterday - they've damaged both doors - just wrenched them open, didn't bother breaking the locks. They cut through the crook lock we had on there, so that's still attached to the steering wheel, the steering column is broken. They basically hot wired it so all the electrics have been ripped apart and the binnacle panel is gone. They ripped the speakers out and the gears need fixing... and we need a new battery. So could have been better, could have been a lot worse! On the engine front, we're still not sure if it's ours or a different one - we only had it for 3 weeks when it got stolen so we didn't spend any time tinkering with the engine... oh well, it works and it's ours now.

Should be getting it back this week FINALLY!!! it's now at the garage getting looked over and sorted. Still have not been able to see it, thanks to the garage only being open mon-fri while we're both at work, and miles away! Just ordered a pedal lock, gear lock and column lock from x-eng!

Finally.... we are getting out 90 back. The serial number had been so expertly filed and replaced the police could not trace it, so we get to keep whatever engine is now in it... It's at the recovery garage now having the locks and steering fixed - hopefully we will have it back by the end of next week - so we'll be placing an order with X-eng this weekend - the other half threatening to stay awake all night, every night watching it until we have it secured isn't something I want to have to live through Thank you again for all your advice and support, much appreciated Helen

We'll be up for this if we have our landy back and running - how do you book? is £25 for a person or per landy and it's human counterparts? Also - are dogs welcome?

Ok, so had an email last night of the police and it turns out it was a new engine - a TD5 in one of the other land rovers, he got the paper worked mixed up - wasn't even looking at our 90!! He sent us a photo of ours - looked like ours however the serial numbers still don't match - so we still can't have it back yet and we will still have not seen the exterior so don't know about winch, snorkel etc etc... we will contact the insurance company again to ask for sure about NCB etc, there doesn't seem much point until it gets released from the police though and we know what's broken/missing... £200 to get it released from the police compound

They stole it around 4am and we were called around 10.30pm to say they'd found it - they had it for over 12 hours. Everything else matches but the engine according to the police - he is going to email us photos later on apparently so we will know for sure then! According to the police they're a well known, organised car theft gang that they've been tracking for a while, so they do know what they're doing and had the means to alter them in the timeframe they had them. According to the police they strip some for parts and then they do some up and ship them to Ireland and Europe to sell them - they're still on remand which is a good thing Anyway - all speculative until we actually get to see it - hopefully will be over the next few days and i'll let you know when we find out

As far as i'm aware the serial number on the V5 matched the serial on the paper work from when it was put in in 04... the engine in it now has a different serial so it has def been replaced :-/ bit annoying really as if that turns out to be nicked it massively delays us getting our landy back! I've not checked on the home insurance yet as another thing we've not been told is if the stuff we had in there is still in there! Apparently the forensics and CID have just looked at the engine/chassis etc and not the inside... we don't even know what the steering wheel is like as we had a massive crook lock on it or if the locks/doors are damaged... who knows, suppose if they swapped the engine the may have swapped other stuff. Also have not been told if our winch/snorkel etc is still on it.. Ideally what we want to do is go and have a look at it as we'd be able to tell right away what's been altered, but we've been told we need to wait for them to do some more investigating.

Hi guys, the police had a their car specialist come in to look at our 90, he sounded like he knew what he was talking about... but we aren't making any judgements until we get to see it - like you say, they may not know about landys. He asked us what our engine should look like (baring in mind it was fitted in 2004 and been used on a farm), after we had told him about ours - how dirty it was! and our mods he then told us the engine that is in it is sparkling clean, doesn't looked used and has the plastic cover new engines have... Also - the serial number on the engine in it now isn't the same as the serial number on the paper work we have for it - so it's def not our engine - new or not! Simonr - we have already picked out all the kit we want from X-eng I actually had it all in the shopping basket when we got a call from CID last night. Just waiting to see if and when we get it back and you will be getting an order from us! edit: THANK YOU for the link to the discount code

We had the CID round last night, sounds like the people that stole our 90 have put a brand spanking new engine in there - problem with that it, if it's stolen we don't get to keep it - i'm betting that it's not legit, which leaves us with no engine... and a possibility of no 90 at all :*( My other half is hoping they bought the new engine to minimise the risk of selling it on at an inflated price - which means we'd get to keep it...! This does mean that the men who took it will get a longer prison sentence, as they clearly were not just stealing it for a laugh. They couldn't tell us if anything else has been changed or updated or removed... want it back now

To be honest if we find there is a lot of damage or kit missing it might still be worth us claiming for the repairs, our excess is only £100. We also had camping gear and tools in the back which amount to a pretty penny - never thought of bringing it all in the house It was the policeman that told us our no claims would already be gone for just reporting the theft to the insurance... We are going to call them again on Monday, not much we can do until we get it back - we have no idea what state it's going to be in. I had my hiking gear in there too, stupid on reflection, but where we live has such a low crime rate when we called the police they sent 2 transits, 2 cars and a dog van... Really makes you think, it's so easy to become complacent. @ qwakers - it does make you worry about your other vehicles. We are thinking about getting a parking post put in the drive in case they come back for the lotus - not the most expensive car, but has huge emotional value to my partner and is a limited edition version, so could not be replaced. I'm not so bothered about my other car, but would still be fuming if it got taken. We sat up late last night dreaming up all sorts of ideas to secure the cars - and our house! @ hybrid_from_hell - looks the ticket We are def going to be buying the X-Eng pedal lock and a few other things, tracker looks interesting - will pass that onto the other half Thank you all so much for the advice - knocks you for six getting something stolen, felt like someone had died yesterday - not knowing what to do or feel or think... I feel so bad for all the people who don't get theirs back. I got home from walking the dog early on when i noticed it was gone, thought Tom had moved it for a joke, or had gone to work early. Credit to Northumbria police, they were great - here in 5 mins and then when we got the call to say it was found, they were here in 10 mins to take a statement from us. Eager to get it back - will let you know how it is when we get him back!

Yeah we had a steering lock on it - ironically just fitted that night! Now looking at getting a pedal lock and a column lock from X-eng. Mind you the police said that would only deter them for a bit, if they want your landy they will get it :*( Suppose having it as secure as possible makes it harder/more of a risk for them, so less attractive? We have two other cars, a hot hatch and a lotus - we were always worried about the lotus getting taken, not the landy, but apparently they're the 3rd most popular motors that get stolen - maybe as they're so easy to break into? We had it parked across the (narrow) street we live on - right outside the village policeman's house! he was gutted he has slept through it. I still think they rolled it down the hill before starting it... So has anyone bought anything from X-eng, looked last night, right now im in the frame of mind to buy one of everything!! Thanks again for all the kind gestures, takes the sting out of it a little!

thanks everyone We wont find out until forensics have finished with it how much damage has been done, or things missing... hopefully they wont have had time to do much, the police were really on the ball. Hope our winch etc is still there! I didn't realised we'd have to pay to get it back from the police, seems a little unjust that we have our 90 robbed, then we have to pay for recovery - I also didn't know as we have informed the insurance company, we automatically lose our 7 years no claims, even if we don't actually claim from them... Maybe i'm a little naive to the ways of insurace nowadays but seems a little harsh.

Police have found it! 4 were taken, ours, one from Alnwick, Lancashire and Edinburgh... Known car criminals, all in custody!!! can you adam and eve it!!!

Thank you... I miss him :*( Such a horrible feeling getting it stolen, never happened before and hopefully never will again!

Hello, We are asking for help, our 90 was stolen from outside our house this morning, We live in a village near Washington, Tyne and Wear. 1988 land rover 90 with 300tdi running gear. 3" lift, winch bumper and winch, steering guard, snorkel and 4 roof mounted rectangular spotlights. REG: E862 LPT. Green respray, white roof, save our countryside tyre cover. It has a dog guard and a gun rack. We've only had it for a month and are quite gutted! The police have been made aware and so if anyone sees it can you please contact us, or washington police. many thanks Helen