My new pickup truck was stolen... :-(

[snydersnapshots]

Two weeks ago I bought a truck from my dad, a 2000 F250 diesel w/ 87000 miles on it. I drove it down from Montana last week, getting here last Saturday. Dad took immaculate care of it and had quite a bit of work done on it to make sure it was in top shape for me to buy. To say that it has sentimental value is an understatement.

Last night (Friday, 10/1), I took my wife to dinner and then we made a stop at the Michaels store on FM1960 near Willowbrook mall in the Houston area. In the store 25 minutes (8:35 pm-9). When we came out, the pickup was nowhere to be seen. Of course, I filed a police report and reported it to the insurance company. The cop who took the report said sometimes people will drive them, take what they want, then abandon them in a parking lot. I canvassed about every lot in the Willowbrook area all the way down to Steubner Airline. I finished up about 1am then couldn't sleep and did it again about 0545. I'm looking for a needle in a haystack, I know.

The pickup is Maroon and Gray, has Texas plates (AP3 8613), a Montana State University bumper sticker on the right rear bumper, and the mud flaps advertise Depratu Ford in Whitefish, MT.

I know it's a long shot, the thing is probably in Mexico being readied for its first load of drugs or illegals to cross the border as I type this, but I'll ask anyway. If you see this pickup, would you please call the police?

Here's a picture:



During the trip down, I drove the entire length of US 287, which starts in Choteau, MT and ends in Port Arthur. I started a blog but wasn't able to post as many pictures as I would have liked. Once things settle down, I'll probably post more, but for now my blog can be found here if you're interested.

[Mosephus]

I will echo the officer, usually they will joy ride it and take a hood or tailgate or the stereo. I hope it is found fast and returned in one unmolested piece. Looks like a very clean Powerstroke.

I hope you don't mind me asking, what did your gas mileage look like on the way back to Texas?

[TXhummer2]

A new friend of mine in Houston had his F-250 stolen from his place of work six months ago, and it was later found totally stripped. There is a ring in west Houston scouting for these and more. So sorry this happened to you too.

[KJ Smith]

That is a shame.

At 87K that thing is still new.

I have always heard the 4X4's are the ones they want....in Mexico.

I live in that area and will keep my eye out for it.

[SCone]

They took my Yukon in Vegas three years ago... LVPD recovered it 2 days later and aside from the busted stearing column and passenger door lock... the truck was cleaner than I had ever kept it. They took EVERYTHING... all our camping gear, photography gear, clothes, DVDs, games, EVERYTHING.... including the trash from all the seatbacks.

I'd bet they were going to come back for more later, but a good samaritan called it in as an abandoned vehicle.

Truck still works fine... 150,000 miles later............

[snydersnapshots]

Thanks for the encouragement and the kind words guys. I'll keep my fingers crossed--it is, or was, a very clean and well taken-care-of pickup. I certainly appreciate you keeping an eye out for it.

Nathan, I was getting 20 mpg +or- .5 on the way down. I was holding between 65-70 mpg most of the way. Dad put a chip in it several years ago and it does get decent mileage. If I'd held it to around 60 the whole way it probalby would have been a couple of MPG higher. I have another 7.3L F250, 4x2 with similar mileage (84k) that averaged abut 17 when we took it up there this summer. I was going to sell it when I got this one. Glad I didn't yet!

I'd love to catch the guys who did this. I've read some western novels that mentioned how the Apaches used to treat their prisoners. Right now I'd love to try some of their techniques. Of course, I wouldn't actually do it--but it gives my revenge-laden mindset something to chew on for the moment.

[janikphoto]

First of all, I am VERY SORRY this happened to you. I am hoping you'll get it back with minimal damage. And now to kick a man while he's down...

Originally Posted by snydersnapshots

...the thing is probably in Mexico being readied for its first load of drugs or illegals to cross the border as I type this...

I know you are upset at the moment, but that wasn't a very nice thing to say. You have pretty much no evidence that points it towards anything related to a Mexican or Mexican-American. Sure, some people use stolen cars for those purposes, but still... not a very PC thing to say without at least finding a Mexican flag left on the ground where your truck used to be.

And, nothing wrong with this next statement, I'm just confused about...

Originally Posted by snydersnapshots

...To say that it has sentimental value is an understatement...

What made the vehicle so sentimental to you? You never really stated why. You said it had some work done to it and had been well-taken care of, but those aren't sentimental things.

You did mention it was your father's truck, so I'm assuming there is a sentimental attachment there? Did he used to take you camping or fishing in it when you were younger? I'm sentimental about 1955 Chevy Bel Air cars, because of memories with my father. We rode in his Chevy in plenty of parades with the classic chevy club, we took it on some vacations and we worked on it together.

[snydersnapshots]

Originally Posted by janikphoto

First of all, I am VERY SORRY this happened to you. I am hoping you'll get it back with minimal damage. And now to kick a man while he's down....

OK Jason, here we go. I'm going to respond, though I probably ought to let this one go without giving it the effort. First, I'm going to give you a little insight into my mindset. Please, bear with me to the end of this post.

Between my work schedule and this deal, I've averaged about 4 hours of sleep per day since 7am Wednesday. Between 1 am Friday and 1 am Sunday, I got 2 1/2. Fatigue exacerbates things and I realize that.

To prove that I haven't completely lost my sense of humor, I'm going to suggest that the rest of you grab some popcorn, have a seat, and enjoy the show. That being said, let the beating begin. Here goes...

Originally Posted by janikphoto

I know you are upset at the moment, but that wasn't a very nice thing to say. You have pretty much no evidence that points it towards anything related to a Mexican or Mexican-American. Sure, some people use stolen cars for those purposes, but still... not a very PC thing to say without at least finding a Mexican flag left on the ground where your truck used to be.

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS?! DON'T EVEN &*(^ING GO THERE!
(btw--the &*(^ stands for frig...any other letters you may choose to insert there are purely at your own discretion)

My post here is an effort to hopefully get eyes on my pickup and get it returned to me and nothing else. MY COMMENT ABOUT THE THING BEING IN MEXICO HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHO TOOK IT, AND FRANKLY, I DON'T CARE IF THEY WERE MEXICANS, AMERICANS, INDONESIANS, SWAHILI, OR LITTLE GREEN MEN FROM OUTER SPACE. The fact is, the pickup is gone. The cold, hard, reality is that this type of pickup truck (F250, 7.3L diesel, 4WD), in this area of the country, when stolen, is quite often taken south of the border where it can be sold at a hefty profit. I was talking last night to a Harris County Sheriff deputy who came out point blank and said that. This was a professional job, not a bunch of high school kids out for a joyride. Hell, most high schoolers these days probably don't even know how to drive a vehicle with a manual transmission. The people who took it obviously did.

Originally Posted by janikphoto

What made the vehicle so sentimental to you? You never really stated why. You said it had some work done to it and had been well-taken care of, but those aren't sentimental things.

You did mention it was your father's truck, so I'm assuming there is a sentimental attachment there?.

OK, a reasonable question that deserves a reasonable answer, and I don't mind giving it one.

That truck was a connection to my Dad, who I'm realizing, is not going to be around forever. Since he and Mom live in Montana, I don't get to see them nearly enough.

As I said, he put a lot of effort and money into doing little things to fix it up for me. He did it not to get a better price on a sale lot, but out of love for me and my family and his desire to see us have the best vehicle possible. The loss of the physical asset of the pickup is not so much the issue as is the loss of the ties to family that it represents.

From a physical perspective, Dad's pickup had everything I wanted in a truck. It was low mileage, well taken-care of, had an engine and drive-train that would last a good 400,000 miles or so (at about 10k miles/year that's about another 30+ years of service for me). When I retire, I'm going to move back north to snow country and the 4wd would come in handy. I was really excited about getting that truck, going places and doing things in it and building the family photo album that much thicker. The last two summers, when we went to Mom and Dad's, my daughter would ask "you think Papa will let me drive his truck?" She likes driving the manual transmission and was extremely excited for me to get it down here so she could drive it occasionally. Unfortunately, she never got the chance to drive it.

I guess to sum it all up, the emotional reaction to the loss of this pickup is due to the connection with my family more than anything else. I've already got a diesel F250, in fact it's the same model year as Dad's, though it's a two wheel drive. If that one had met the same fate, I'd be mad for sure, but I wouldn't have the same emotional attachment as I have with this one. While replacing it would be a pain in the butt, I could do it relatively easily.

All that being said, it was all put in perspective yesterday when I called Mom and Dad and they weren't home. I realized after I hung up that they were at a memorial service for a neighbor who, at 53, had died from colon cancer. I've got my health and a loving and healthy family--everything else is icing on the cake.

[Hanky]

Actually a very high number of stolen vehicles land in Mexico and to be honest that was my first thought when seeing your location. BTW, cross border theft is well documented.

[KJ Smith]

Originally Posted by janikphoto

You have pretty much no evidence that points it towards anything related to a Mexican or Mexican-American.

Jason,

Thats on you.

No one has implicated any race here but you.

Whoever may have taken it may use it for themselves or sell it.

It is well documented that Ford Diesel 4 wheel drives are highly desirable along the border.

They are frequently used for illegal crossings.

On Edit:
As a side note, Mexico changed it's laws a couple of years ago. They are trying to cut down on the number of used vehicles imported from the US.
The law only allows vehicles 10 yrs old to be imported.

[ttusa]

Oh Ken I'm so very sorry! What's wrong with people???!!!

[Mosephus]

Originally Posted by snydersnapshots

T
Nathan, I was getting 20 mpg +or- .5 on the way down. I was holding between 65-70 mpg most of the way. Dad put a chip in it several years ago and it does get decent mileage. If I'd held it to around 60 the whole way it probalby would have been a couple of MPG higher. I have another 7.3L F250, 4x2 with similar mileage (84k) that averaged abut 17 when we took it up there this summer. I was going to sell it when I got this one. Glad I didn't yet!

Wow good thing you didn't! Thanks for the info, I've been trying to decide between the 7.3 and the 6.0, it still looks like the 7.3L's are getting better mileage. I've also got family in Montana(Billings) and it is so gorgeous up there, I'm at least glad you got to make the trip in your fathers truck.

[KJ Smith]

Originally Posted by Mosephus

I've been trying to decide between the 7.3 and the 6.0, it still looks like the 7.3L's are getting better mileage.

Avoid the 6.0.
They are referred to as snowflake engines, no two are the same.
Its a complete shot in the dark.

If you can find a late yr 02 or first qtr 03.

In Jan. 02 they kicked them up to 250hp/525torque.
They also beefed up the torque converter on the automatics.

I have a late yr 02 with 285,000.

[Mosephus]

Thanks, Sadly I'm all too aware of the faults of the 6.0 ( I've even fixed some of them :-/), it is certainly a gamble. It's just most of the owners who have a good example, love them. Back in my mechanic days I tended to favor the 6.0 more than the 7.3, but I will agree that the 7.3 is a much better engine and will last longer than the 6.0.

[snydersnapshots]

Originally Posted by Mosephus

Wow good thing you didn't! Thanks for the info, I've been trying to decide between the 7.3 and the 6.0, it still looks like the 7.3L's are getting better mileage. I've also got family in Montana(Billings) and it is so gorgeous up there, I'm at least glad you got to make the trip in your fathers truck.

I'm glad I was able to make the trip too. If...and this is a BIG if...I manage to get Dad's truck back, would you be interested in the one I would be selling? If so, let me know. I'd be happy to give you the info and put you in contact with the folks who have done the maintenance on it. Trying to think positive here.