Updated 8/21 --- Case # 07-002069

Update 4: Picked up the truck today. It stinks. Apparently, the windows were down while it was abandoned in Missouri, as all the snack debris, paperwork, dog treats, etc. on the floors and window cubbies has gone bad. And, the villains smoked and left beer cans, so that's all great with the hellish sun. Also, it was out of gas, so I had to spend an extra half an hour at the fix-it place while they looked for gas for it. Apparently, it was at least partially a pointless joyride, abandoned when out of gas. Yeah, deductible kicked in, so I had to write a check for $300-something today. This feels wrong that I have to pay for something wildly not our fault, and after never making another claim, ever. Update 3: The events you are about to read took place between 2:35 pm and 6:05 pm on August 13th. Yes, it was a trip back to the 50s. All paperwork and physical appearances. Well, unless you want to mail in notarized copies. And no one tells you what to do, so we had to drive across the whole damned city... twice. Anyway, saw the truck. Weirdly, the box sorta hidden in the back seat with the tarps, bungees and FAK is missing. The ladder and vaccuum out in the open in the bed are right there and unmolested. Explain that. And, Alison shares no musical taste with those who drink malt liquor in stolen trucks and leave the cans behind. The truck starts...ish, and has no damage the insurance guy missed, but there's something else wrong with the ignition mechanics, so the steering wheel only sorta turns. Not really drivable in any safe manner, so its being towed tomorrow morning. Still much insurance to work out. Not sure, in the end, how much out of pocket there will be. Oh, and also I loved how this was a number originally. As we move thru the system, I have more and more numbers I absolutely have to refer to: - Police case number 07-002069 - Claim number UMD6293 (yes, they call it a "number" despite the 3 alphas) - Tow reference number 705-105 Update 2: The Mission detective wandered over to Missouri first thing and gave us a report, paraphrased: - The vaccuum is there! - The ladder is there! - That's all weird as the doodlebug is not! What? The small, specialized item is gone? - The dash is broken, and the steering column (not a suprise, as it was stolen!) - The CD player is gone. Shocker. - The CDs are still there! So, stupid thieves. Insurance guy needs to go next, and evaluate it for repair and money. I suspect its screwed up enough we cannot start it with a key, so it'll be a bit before we're driving it. So, status is: Waiting for the insurance guy to call. Update: Its been found. There will be more updates, as we haven't seen it, and cannot till some time Monday, but it was found in KCMO, and is in some impound lot out off Stadium Drive. Alison is pissed that it seems we'll need to pay for the impound lot charge ($75/day!) even though we are the victims here. I'd love it if there was a great story around this, but even if so, I am a pretty mediocre storyteller. So, our truck was stolen, from in front of our house. Apparently, at 4 am this morning, as the dog was trying desperately to wake us up at that point. But she's annoying often enough anyway, so we blew it off. Naturally, it was also filled with my nice Fiberglas stepladder, and Alison's beloved Doodlebug and cannister vac. She's much more upset about those than the truck. Tomorrow, I'll call the insurance company and find out the true nature of the disaster. I have poor hopes for paying out usefully on a 1994 pickup. Hopefully, we'll find the truck abandoned soon enough.