Garage customer demands compensation for car theft

Business owner admits dropping car keys but says case is closed after owner received car insurance settlement

Garage customer demands compensation for car theft
Dunthornes Garage. Image: Google Street View.

The owner of a stolen Ford Focus is pressuring his garage for compensation after his car was taken while it was under the care of the service and repairs business, the Eastern Daily Press has reported.

Stephen Wright had taken his car to Dunthorne’s Garage in Norfolk to have routine repairs carried out but received a call from police informing him his car had been involved in a road traffic collision on Sunday, September 8.

Stephen said: “We went to the garage and could see the gates had been forced open.

“It didn’t look like there was any damage to the workshop, where I’d been told my car would be kept.

“They said they had taken it outside on the Friday night because someone wanted to use the garage for private work on the Saturday.”

He was offered £2,400 by his insurance company, but is adamant he should also receive compensation from the garage.

“It didn’t exactly do me any good”

Julian Dunthorne, who runs the business on Great Eastern Way, admitted he dropped the keys, which he claims thieves must have later found, but believes the matter is over.

He said: “For the first time in 28 years I dropped a set of keys.

“The people who broke in must have found Mr Wright’s keys and then his car.

“Mr Wright wants more money for the stress this has caused, but he’s been offered more than the car is worth.

Related: Garage speaks out following “hard-hitting” Trading Standards sting

“This whole situation has left a bitter taste in the mouth.

“It didn’t exactly do me any good.”

A Norfolk police spokesman said: “A man in his 20s and a man in his late teens were arrested in connection and released under investigation. enquiries are ongoing.”

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Home Page Forums Garage customer demands compensation for car theft

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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  • #190256 Reply

    The owner of a stolen Ford Focus is pressuring his garage for compensation after his car was taken while it was under the care of the service and repa
    [See the full post at: Garage customer demands compensation for car theft]

    #190279 Reply
    Andrew
    Guest

    I’d say any compensation must come from the car thief, I can understand compensation from the garage if the insurance claim wasn’t made, but to claim insurance AND compensation is a bit of a stretch.

    #190281 Reply
    Paul
    Guest

    The customer has clearly been inconvenienced by the theft of this vehicle. The garage failed to secure his car keys and his car adequately while it was in their care. Perhaps the customer didn’t want to change his car but now he is forced to. I don’t think it is unfair to ask the garage for compensation.

    #190287 Reply
    Graham Clark
    Guest

    The garage concerned in my humble opinion must have an obligation to stand by their customer. Droping/loosing keys, albeit a mistake, is of no fault of the customer, good communication and agreeing on a settlement would be advantageous to both parties, as previously said, the owner is now in a car replacement situation that is beyond his control and maybe budget. Customers are not easily found, but very easily lost.

    #190294 Reply
    Peter Miles
    Guest

    Hmm, a bit of a difficult one. The owner’s insurance has paid out for the value of the car but I do think that under the circumstances as the keys were left outside the garage owner should make some offer to please the customer. For myself it is a condition of my insurance that all keys are kept in a safe overnight and any other time the garage is unattended and that obviously wasn’t the case here. If the garage owner dropped the keys why didn’t he try and find them?

    #190296 Reply
    Dougal
    Guest

    The garage should have offered to cover legitimate out of pocket expenses from day 1.
    Simples!

    #190336 Reply
    JOHN CRAIG
    Guest

    The owner of the garage must offer the customer a free service but no money should change hands.The owner of the needs a boot up the arse for careless way of handling the keys of the garage did he report the loss to the Police.

    #190773 Reply
    John Darby
    Guest

    The garage was negligent by allowing the keys to be taken. My insurance has said on previous occasions that you should take reasonable action to prevent a vehicle from being stolen and if after that the car is still taken it is down to the customers insurance as if it were parked in the street. So for the customers insurance to cover the loss is just lucky for the garage owner, but he still should cover the owners loss, excess, increased insurance premium and inconvenience I feel.

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

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