My tyres and wheels were stolen. What should I do?

Jaimeteddy

The day before I took my Toyota Sienna to a mechanical shop for maintenance, and my tires and wheels were stolen. The mechanic pointed to a sign on the wall saying that they were not responsible for the burglary. Is this legal?

the_syco

Jaimeteddy wrote: »

The day before I took my Toyota Sienna to a mechanical shop for maintenance

Do you mean that you took the car to the garage, and then the wheels were stolen, or that they were stolen before you brought your car to the garage?

Jaimeteddy wrote: »

my tires and wheels were stolen. The mechanic pointed to a sign on the wall saying that they were not responsible for the burglary. Is this legal?

I'm fairly sure that whilst they have your car, that they must ensure it doesn't get damaged?

biko

Can you elaborate Jaimeteddy? Right now your post doesn't make much sense.

emo72

I can only imagine it means they were stolen while at mechanics. I'd be expecting them to replace them.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

I read it as “the day before today” so yesterday his car was in the garage and the wheels were nicked.

Anyway OP, it is the garages problem, he had your car, he was responsible for it. That’s what his insurance is for.

Cantona's Collars

I think by the day before the op means yesterday. A few commas and full stops would make it clearer. From reading the rest of the post,the vehicle was in the possession of the mechanic when the wheels went missing.

bazz26

The OP needs to provide more information.

banie01

If the car was in your mechanics possession, they are responsible.
It's why businesses have insurance.

The problem for you in enforcing that comes down to cost.
Assuming the replacement wheels and tyres are less than €2000 the small claims court is an option.
More than that, and a solicitor will be best placed to advise

I'd return to the garage, explain that you expect them to make this right. Not in a confrontational manner of course.
How you proceed depends on their response.

0lddog

Has the matter been reported to that gardai ?

DaveyDave

Where do those 'cars left at owners risk' signs come into play here, assuming car was in the car park and not inside the garage?

Mooooo

DaveyDave wrote: »

Where do those 'cars left at owners risk' signs come into play here, assuming car was in the car park and not inside the garage?

Gaa Club solicitor said those signs don't matters fcuk in any setting really

bazz26

I'd imagine if it's a proper garage then their insurance would cover any customer's property in their care on their premises/property including damaged or stolen, no matter what signage they hang over the front door. I'm not a legal expert but I don't think just putting a sign up stating they are not liable actually makes them not liable in the eyes of the law. I'd imagine if that was the case then no business would bother with public liability insurance and just hang a sign on their door saying you enter at your own risk. I could be wrong though. If it's a joe the mechanic working out of his shed then they probably don't have any such insurance so you would be hard pressed getting any sort of satisfaction.

Of course we have so little information to go on. We don't know if they were stolen while the car was on private property or outside the garage in a public place such as a street or lane way.

Comhrá

My tyres and wheels were stolen. What should I do?

The day before I took my Toyota Sienna to a mechanical shop for maintenance, and my tires and wheels were stolen. The mechanic pointed to a sign on the wall saying that they were not responsible for the burglary. Is this legal?

My troll detector just bleeped.......

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

bazz26 wrote: »

If it's a joe the mechanic working out of his shed then they probably don't have any such insurance so you would be hard pressed getting any sort of satisfaction.

A mechanic conducting his business out of a shed or workshop doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not a registered & insured business, I know of a lot of legit mechanics operating this way.

IrishZeus

New reg with 2 posts. I would be suspicious how genuine this is...

Eggs For Dinner

This is not a public liability issue as far as the mechanic is concerned, it is a property one. Even if he has cover for customers vehicles in his care, it would exclude theft unless fom a locked premises or compund

colm_mcm

I would guess that if this scenario exists, given the model of car - it’s not in Ireland.

FishOnABike

Toyota Sienna ... mechanical shop ... tires ...

What should you do? I'd suggest pissibly posting on a USA based site for relevant advice.

Wibbs

FishOnABike wrote: »

Toyota Sienna ... mechanical shop ... tires ...

What should you do? I'd suggest pissibly posting on a USA based site for relevant advice.

Given how many instances I've heard and read of Irish folks using "store/mom/shop instead of garage/candy/sedan/fender/etc" with mid atlantic accents and spellchecks set to 'Murican, don't be too sure F, the OP could well be from leafy south Dublin.

swarlb

Wibbs wrote: »

Given how many instances I've heard and read of Irish folks using "store/mom/shop instead of garage/candy/sedan/fender/etc" with mid atlantic accents and spellchecks set to 'Murican, don't be too sure F, the OP could well be from leafy south Dublin.

48,000 odd posts, and you can't spot that the OP only resides in his/her's own mind never mind 'leafy south Dublin'.

duskyjoe

So the OP has made a grand total of two posts and hasn’t replied since......think he’s taking the p/$$.

antodeco

Guess he just got wheely tyred

Marcusm

Eggs For Dinner wrote: »

This is not a public liability issue as far as the mechanic is concerned, it is a property one. Even if he has cover for customers vehicles in his care, it would exclude theft unless fom a locked premises or compund

Whether or not the mechanic has insurance is irrelevant. The mechanic is a bailee of the OP’s goods for their mutual benefit. The issue of whether the mechanic is liable us dependent on whether he has been negligent in safeguarding the goods not whether he has insurance.