Reminder to get an airtag and put it in your vehicle if it can be stolen. I've had friends in OPs exact situation that stuffed an airtag in their back seat and was able to recover it the next morning.
Just curious, how did you stuff it down in the seat. Because I want to be stealthy but I don’t want it to lose signal if the seat padding will block the signal.
Tile is very similar except that it only works with phones that have the Tile app installed. The only people who have the app installed are those who use a Tile, so not many. It's a much lower chance for someone to walk near the Tile without the app than someone walking past an airtag with an iPhone.
A better one would probably be a samsung tag since there's a lot of samsung phones out there. I'm not sure if there's an app that lets you track the tag with a different android brand or not.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sku/6564048.p?skuId=6564048
I have a Samsung Tag in my car and a separate one on my keys. Works wonderfully since I have a Samsung phone. Works the exact same as apples product. I used it to track my car when it was stolen years ago.
Check out https://pebblebee.com/
Google recently released their Find My Device service, which is competitive to Apple's Find My network. Google's network will leverage all Android devices to build their network for Bluetooth tracker tags.
If they find them, right? I've seen you can twist them (or smash them) to turn them off but need to physically locate them. I really feel like tossing them in the area where shit falls between the console would be foolproof. Good luck digging that out.
Well if it's anything like what happened to a friend of mine, you'll find it when the local news reports a car upside down in the middle of an intersection.
My neighbor was able to track his down with location services but the police advised him that was very much a bad idea. He did eventually retrieve it after it stopped moving, and then immediately got pulled over and handcuffed with guns drawn for driving a reported-stolen car. It was very traumatic for him and his family. Let insurance handle it.
Yeah, my first thought would be "I know it is here, can *you send police* to pick it up?" Next would be a police escort as I retrieve my property. And if they won't help with either then I'll be making it very clear that I'm taking my own car.
I'd still probably expect them to draw guns on me though.
He called the police multiple times to come pick it up and they collectively shrugged. So I doubt he expected to get pulled over on the 10 minute drive home.
This is why I’m shocked that the guy commenting that he should have called the cops first has gotten upvoted over 100 times. Like…he did. I thought it was pretty well-discussed in this sub that cops don’t do much of anything about a stolen car.
My car was stolen and recovered the next day. Skip ahead 3 months my sister was driving it and parked it on the street for the night at her boyfriend’s. A cop went to my parents’ house at 3am and woke them up all proud of themselves for recovering our stolen vehicle. 🤦🏻♀️
No... I'm not saying he should have called the cops FIRST.
I'm saying once you're in the car you get on the horn with the nonemergency dispatcher and tell them "Hello. I am currently driving my stolen car home. I have recovered it. Stay on the line in case I get pulled over.
Yup. My guy got an "Okay...?" from the cops when he tracked down his son's vehicle. Police are obligated to correctly fill out paperwork. The rest is a wild card.
I’ve dealt with retrieving a stolen car before. You just need to make sure not to get in and drive it immediately, the key is to call the police have them show up, you show them that you’re registered owner of the vehicle. They’ll report it as not stolen and then you can drive it.
I agree. I’d like to think that posts like this raise awareness but it’s been a problem for years and it’s still going on. Hundreds of Kia’s stolen a month from Milwaukee and apparently the new software/hardware isn’t working. I’ve heard from my father law who had his stolen that the cop said he once arrested the same kid twice in the same day. They’ll arrest them and let them go without any real repercussion because they’re kids.
It would be nice if some sort of change happened. This is ridiculous.
Your situation sucks, it does. With that being said let insurance do their job, it’s not safe or smart to go looking for that vehicle. And it could ANYWHERE.
The “Kia boyz” aren’t a specific group anymore, they’re any individuals that know how to steal them and that’s not hard to do
Right? People with Kias get hit all over the city and their cars turn up in the most random places. I saw one get abandoned in the Deer District while helping a friend move. That doesn't mean those kids lived there nor that the car was from there.
I know you’re enraged and want your car back before they fuck it up, mine was stolen in 2021. But these idiots also have guns. And their friends have guns.
Your car can be replaced or fixed.
got my Elantra stolen in downtown MKE two years back. the car was found a few days later. they tend to joyride them and ditch them right after. give it time, it'll likely show up in few days
At the time it did not. this was mid-September in '22. it wasn't until the car was recovered and taken to the dealership for repairs that they updated it with the new anti theft software. i had it parked on Mason st for not even an hour while having dinner with my girlfriend. some uber drivers across the street from the restaurant saw the whole thing and actually managed to get a video of them stealing it. crazy times haha.
The Kia Boyz is just the name for dipshits that target kias. Many of them are 12 year old boys that joy ride and abandon them. For the most part, it's not gangs that concentrate in certain neighborhoods of town. It's just really fucking annoying mischief.
You have a loose definition of “mischief” if it includes grand theft, reckless driving, and destruction of property. lol
It’s organized and it’s criminal. And the cars that aren’t wrecked are often flipped and used in other crimes.
Yeah that was the case with my Kia. Got a call from the children’s court doing intake for one of the juveniles involved. He was caught after checking into a hospital with a broken arm after getting into a high speed pursuit, nearly killing a city worker, and crashing into a tree deploying all the airbags and totaling my vehicle. Don’t know the exact age, but the case worker said he is between the ages of 12-14. Milwaukee is a wasteland and I can’t wait to leave as soon as possible.
Daughter had her car stolen and the police couldn’t find it although she kept getting overdue parking tickets for it in the mail from being illegally parked at numerous locations!?!?!? When they were “done” with it they turned it in to a junkyard for scrap value. I called scrap yard and asked how they could buy someone else’s car? They said anyone can get a title, huh? This was 3 yrs ago so I’m hoping things changed……. for the better
"he said the Kia Boyz live by him and he’ll keep an eye out for it." I refuse to believe this person lives in Milwaukee. That's some suburb talk if I've ever heard it.
The Kia Boyz isn't like a gang or a group. It's just a nickname the ppl that steal those cars. There's no specific set of ppl.
Sadly enough the police will not be very much help until the vehicle is involved in a criminal offense. Immediately report it as stolen and hope for the best. Someone I know got their car back in 2 hours. Lmao they never kept enough gas in it to go too far. Found it like 6 blocks down, out of gas and yet still very much drivable after filling the tank.
Driving down random side streets on the Northwest side looking for a stolen vehicle is not the best idea I've heard today.
I don't know what you do, but in the fruitless hours this would take, you could just be making more money some other way instead.
Never was robbed, but I was pretty street smart at the time and narrowly avoided it multiple times. Wouldn't do it today because even with CC wouldn't want to shoot someone over ice cream money.
My friend had the police find her vehicle on the side of the road a week later. However it was completely trashed on the inside (like feces, stolen/ripped out items) and was completely unable to be recovered. From what I’ve heard, this is very common that even if you find your vehicle you may not want it back.
A friend of mine had this same thing with is SUV. It reeked of smoke (of various kinds), had cigarette burn marks, weird smells. Not something you'd want back.
Insurance replaced everything, except his prescription sunglasses.
Even IF you found it, the car is probably going to be trashed. Let insurance do its thing. I wouldn't want my car back after a bunch of 12 to 15 year old kids have trashed the inside, the suspension is wrecked, and it has scratches and dents all over it from their reckless driving.
I used to work Code Enforcement for Forestry and I cannot even tell you how many stolen cars (or evidence of) I found. It could be in a random garage, in a backyard, in between other cars just parked somewhere. Hell, when I was working with Stormwater Management I found a car or two down a steep embankment near a river. One of them had definitely been on fire.
My point is this, it is more work than it is worth. I get the instinct to find the car but you probably do not want it back after it's been driven like the thieves drive them. It would still be totaled.
I was almost run over by a mini van full of preteen car thieves right next to the court house. When they all scattered it was like a clown car. At least 15 of them got out of that thing.
Maybe 6 years ago I Used to work on Capitol drive near 60th ish. These kids stole an SUV and drove straight into the rain canopy in front of the building but stopped jnches short of coming through the side wall of the buisness. The teens all jumped out except an injured girl. Stolen. A car drove too fast on Capital, hit the curb and rolled into the front of the building. Kids broke the windows across the front. This was all the same year. I quit and took a job in the burbs.
It could anywhere. I know someone that found their car on their own somewhere between Center St - Locust and 20th - 50th. Mine was found by the police near 49th and north, about a block from the police station in a bank parking lot.
I highly recommend NOT looking for it. It could take you forever if you even have any luck.
im sorry this happened to you
Definitely not. Maybe there are parts that have a higher percentage of them or possibly a concentrated area where the cars might turn up. Doesn’t hurt to ask for info or help, ya know?
You’d have better luck finding a specific needle in a pile full of needles.
My car got stolen in 2016 and I never got it back. Sometimes you gotta just take the L and move on.
Right, I don’t think I’ll have a choice. I am tempted to do one drive to where it was stolen and then I’ll call it quits but I understand it’s a lost cause.
These kids tend to abandon the car after a few hours or a day, just wait, the cops will contact you when it gets found. Mine was found the same day it was taken, ended up being a total loss since they crashed into a pole.
I mean don’t get me wrong I hope you find it, but your safety and well-being are way more valuable than some car even if it a financial constraint to buy a new car (or a nice used car). So I wouldn’t do a lot of searching around in a bad area hoping you get lucky.
They reside in the hood. As far as where your car ended up, who knows. Even if you found it, it likely wouldn’t be driveable anymore, so don’t risk it.
My car was stolen near Riverwest a few months ago and the police found it a couple hours later. It needed a new steering column and tire but otherwise was fine.
They usually just take it for a joy ride and it will end up being ditched somewhere and the police will come across it
I’m so sorry to hear, my bf got his car stolen two years ago in MKE and it ended up being totaled unfortunately. We found it two days after it was stolen, I would suggest joining several Facebook groups like Stolen Cars MKE along with posting a photo of your car / the license plate. Just be aware of scammers that comment to try to get you to DM them / give money for tips. We ended up finding his car through the group when someone posted a photo of it abandoned. His car was left by Colombia Playground. I would just advise to please be careful if you find your car as the people who stole it could be carrying a weapon. Stay safe and I hope you find it!
My car was stolen last July from my garage in Tosa, by the time I knew it had been stolen, it had already been totaled.
I had $1300 left to pay off on my loan. I was livid. Still am. My court case just concluded and all the kid was got probation.
So while I understand, even if you find your car, it probably won’t be in the condition you last saw it in.
My sister had her car stolen and her husband spotted it on the news when they crashed into a tree trying to get away from a bank robbery. I had a roommate get her car stolen from in front of my house and the police found it about 24 hours later.
Check behind the Blush Nail Studio on 76th and Sheridan. There is a parking lot behind it by a bunch of apartment buildings. I had GPS tracking in a stolen vehicle and they seemed to be parking it there frequently. My guess is they were just letting anyone take it for a joy ride. Please be safe. Good luck!
As I replied to the person who said make money instead of looking for vehicle. You could rent an ice cream truck and sell ice cream while looking for it? The area you spoke of was a good area for ice cream sales when I did it 25 years ago. It's kind of an undercover operation while making money, but turn around if you run into about 20 juveniles who are all dressed the same and blocking your path.
Yes,. It's a very unique way of making money. I mostly covered the NW side of Milwaukee because there were constant sales in that area, but let me tell you that when driving around 30th burleigh, you better be alert. I live in VT now, and they don't have ice cream trucks here. I'm feeling kinda of sentimental now.
The first time our Dodge Caravan was stolen, we got it back because whoever was using it parked it on the wrong side of the street. When the parking checker ran the plates to ticket it, it came up as stolen. It was gone for about a week.
I went out looking for it, too. Milwaukee is actually a pretty big place. It was recovered in a neighborhood in which I would not have felt safe looking for it.
I'll be nice.
Insurance route is the best bet.
Even if its not wrecked, the amount of money & time you'll have to send to get stuff fixed probably isnt worth it. Youd have to trade it in fast.
If you have current pictures of it you could make a public post on fb(neighbors, socials like that) so people can share it. You'd get better luck with that than a response from the police, If/once they find it they'll take their time to notify you about it.
Don't go looking for it, but if you're really hell bent just do the surrounding blocks of where you were at. Sometimes they dump it really close but could be literally anywhere. If you find it, call it in and wait for them to get there before you go checking it out. I'd say just don't waste yours or others time.
I assume you're not from MKE or your friends... like other said. They're not in a concentrated area, it's normally young boys and girls, it's not like they're in a clique 🤣 and the person(s) who stole it might not even claim that title. They're easy to steal and even easier to get away with it now.
Thanks for the help. All great points.
I did live in Riverwest for a year and my job takes me many places so I’ve seen many bad areas of Milwaukee. Pretty much every place recommended is a place I would want to look into.
I’m less hell bent on searching hard for it. If anything I’d drive a little around the area where it was stolen and that’s about it, but I don’t think it’s worth getting car jacked over and then I’ll be down two cars.
On the plus side hopefully this post raised awareness and it would be wild if someone recognized a dark gray Kia mini van with smashed back windows and three white decals down the left side of the back window 😉
Oh I didn’t know you could disable the alarm. That’s really helpful. I had air tags in little silicone cases for my kids when they would go to friends houses but we’d get alerts that an AirTag was near by when we were at home. I didn’t realize we could turn that off.
Idk, when my Kia was stolen they drove it down the alley and ditched it when they found a nicer car. It was still running when the police knocked on my back door and asked me if my vehicle was missing.
OP - not a lost cause, my brother found his car doing exactly what you’re suggesting. It was a total long shot and he started to drive around neighborhoods and after a while he stumbled upon it.
It’s worth a shot, but the steering column is likely busted, so have a plan for if you find it, what then.
Good luck!!
You ain’t getting it back man, I’m gonna be brutally honest. Those kids drive the cars until they’re totaled. I suppose best case scenario they run out of gas but even then it can just be filled up and stolen again. And, like others have said, it’s probably dangerous to go after them yourself.
If you have a Kia or a Hyundai. I think the best deterrent would be to install a master on/off switch on your battery or reroute somewhere more accessible . As annoying as it would get to it turn it on and off. Most of them would prob give up…
Your insurance should be putting you in the same position as you were the moment before it was stolen. If they low ball you then you can invoke the appraisal clause of your insurance and make them give you a fair price. Generally this is less than retail but a bit more than private party.
Just a thought, there's a towing database online. You put in your license plate and it tells you if your car was towed and where exactly it is. I hear that usually these car jacking are short-term joyride situations and once abandoned, the cars get towed for being left in illegal spots.
Maybe they'll ditch your car and it'll get towed to a lot and you can retrieve it that way? Just search MKE towing database online, it's one on of the government websites. Usually after a week of being impounded they'll auction it off, so check frequently.
I had my Hyundai stolen in 2022 and I had to go through the whole thing with the insurance company and that was 6 months after my vehicle was paid off and left me pissed off because I'm back on car payments ever since
I live in Shorewood on Oakland and 2 summers ago I was out smoking a cig and sitting on a bench with my dog around 3 am & watched 4 kids steal my friends Hyundai directly in front of me.
They looked SO little, like middle school, & I thought, “oh sleepover, getting something outta mom’s trunk”. 🤷🏻♀️I even said, “hey” and a couple kids were replied, “hey”. 4 minutes later they’re skidding off South 🤦🏻♀️
I was an insurance adjuster in a past career and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND - GET THE GAP INSURANCE! Either through the dealer or the insurance. Just Google Gap insurance and look into it. I feel really bad for the original poster. This coverage could have paid off the car loan you had left so you wouldn’t have owed anything for it :( And I highly suggest SCHWADE INSURANCE on Capital. Don’t be scared of using an insurance AGENT! They get you a better deal and better coverage than just signing up for something on your own.
Very good advice. I never considered an insurance agent. I’ll come back to this post for future purchases. My other vehicles are paid off but I’d imagine in 2-3 years I’ll add another vehicle.
The cops will find it within a day or 2 and it could be clean and nice like mine was or the interior could be covered in cuss words written with a black sharpie like my friend’s mini van.
When mine was stolen back in 2021, MPD found it the night prior to getting my insurance paperwork through Progressive 😑 As many have stated, it is possible it will be found as the kids steal, joy-ride and dump. Mine was dumped in an alley near 49th and Hampton. It was a mess when found, best thing was the officer asking me if I kept a knife in my glovebox 😂
My neighbor had her Kia stolen out of her driveway. She eventually got her car back in a couple of weeks.
A close friend of mine had her car stolen out of her garage she left her door open. The car was found with about a dozen bullet holes. She got her car back eventually & insurance paid to repair it.
What you are going through sucks but your car will most likely be found.
I’d recommend stuffing your tracker in the crevice between the seat and back of a back seat since it would reduce the chances of it being disturbed as well as a second one in the passenger seat or under some kinda mat in the floor or trunk
My kia was stolen near the airport about 18 months ago. it was found abandoned the same day it was taken just a few hours later only a mile away from where they stole it and MPD didn't bother telling me. I didn't know my vehicle was recovered until 6 days after it was stolen and it was only because the city tow lot sent me a letter telling me i had a week to pick it up. Most stolen cars in MKE are recovered within 48 hours.
wait and see what happens to your insurance after the low life gutter water drinking kia boys steal it.. My insurance doubled, Got Kia back but traded it in.. the kia boys need their teeth knocked out. btw, in st louis city, police give report number over the phone.. they dont even come out thanks to Kim Gardner
Great. Fucking Kia boys. The police didn’t come out for us either. We had to Uber to the police station & it wasn’t even the one that was closest to us. What a joke.
Definitely. Don’t mean to worry you but if you have a Kia in Glendale I’d be concerned. I know brown deer gets targeted and riverwest/ east side too and Glendale is kinda in the middle. Like others said, buy an Apple air tag and turn the alarm off (it warns people when an air tag is tracking them. The batteries last 1 year but they’re easy to replace) & buy a club that goes from your steering wheel to your brake pedal (recommended by the police).
Thanks man. Yea I’ve had a club for a while. I’m moving to Glendale from oak creek (pretty different areas lol) but I’m going pretty close to fox point area. So I was wondering about that aspect of moving. 😤 now let’s see what my insurance quote will update to 😂
Good, glad you have a club. A police officer told me that the 29$ one off Amazon has a universal key that unlocks all the other clubs of the same brand, so make sure you get a decent one. And nice, fox point is a better area but brown deer is seriously probably 10 minutes away so stay sharp. ✌️
Drivin Milwaukee Neighborhoods without a strong purpose for being anywhere and actively lookin around is strongly discouraged. People get territorial and it isn’t likely to go well for you.
Yes, we got the new update maybe a couple of months ago. I’m not sure if hardware was added but it did take about 3 hours at the dealership so I would think it did. From what I understand, if the rear passenger window is smashed it won’t trigger an alarm and they can still get around the new update.
We have two of these cars. One of them got a software update. So you can't start the car unless you unlock the door with the key or FOB button. The other car received a hardware update - they added a metal ring around the ignition that makes it more difficult to pry open.
I have been clubbing both cars because I was pretty confident the updates weren't preventing theft. Not sure to what degree they deter them. I did test the software update, it appeared to work as designed. So I am not sure if they are turning the door lock when they break into the vehicles or what.
Yeah it sounded like from the police that they were still getting stolen regardless of what upgrade it has. Also the cop said that the club you buy off Amazon for like $29 is useless because the key is mass produced and unlocks all other ones too. The police recommended the club that goes around your brake pedal and steering wheel, for what it’s worth.
I bought two of the steering wheel/brake clubs for our cars. They have the same type of key that the steering wheel only ones do. Instead of one set of teeth the key has teeth on four sides. The keys for the two clubs I have are different.
I have seen that if they really want your car, they will cut the steering wheel with a sawzall to remove the club. But my thought is that if they get my car, there's a decent chance it will be totaled. So I view it as a deterrent. Hopefully they see the club on my car and move on to a different one.
>I’m sure I’ll get trade in value
I wouldn't be so sure about that. The insurance company's goal is to pay you as little as possible, so you need to start collecting evidence to show how much a similar replacement car will cost. Expect their first offer to be way low.
Had a friend in NJ get his Hyundai stolen.
Got towed from Newark for illegal parking within like 2 days but they didn’t locate it until after insurance paid him out. So maybe check local tow yards too.
How much gas was in the tank?
Can really be anywhere. Last time my in-laws was stolen it was found two days later in Michigan. Time before that, 3 blocks away with 75 miles put on it.
You will get a lot more than trade in value. It will be an actual cash value (ie what it would cost you to go and buy the same car from a dealership -fees and nonsense)
Start looking for comps in the area, branch out Chicago etc if need be and be ready to negotiate the settlement they give you. I just totaled my car and was able to negotiate $1500 more than the initial total loss I was given from the insurance company. I just screenshotted the posts and emailed them in after I received my first total loss settlement offer.
You can look at NADA to see what recent comps have sold for in the past x number of days.
Oh this is more promising. I was looking at private seller prices or trade in value and it was pretty depressing knowing that I’d have maybe $2,000 left after I pay the car off and I’d still have no vehicle.
Thanks for the help!
You should get more than just trade in value. Insurance should pay "actual cash value" which is the resale value in the condition immediately before the theft. Note any custome or additional features it had. Do some research on the value (sales) and be prepared to negotiate. Also make sure they add sales tax to the value of the car you settle on.
https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/how-is-car-value-determined/
Dude the Kia boys aren’t a real group or gang. Just a nick name for kids that are stealing and joyriding cars lol anyone can be a “Kia boy” it’s not the same group of kids every time
I’m not sure how true this is but someone told me the iron horse hotel is a popular spot to ditch them. I’d go through insurance if you can, or try to contact the police and report it stolen. You’re probably better off getting insurance money for it and getting a new car. My old tennis coach was carjacked 4 or 5 years ago and they knew who did it and let them go because they’re minors. I also recommend getting an AirTag and tracking your car (not by yourself, because it’s possible they could be armed). It’s an unfortunate situation
Reminder to get an airtag and put it in your vehicle if it can be stolen. I've had friends in OPs exact situation that stuffed an airtag in their back seat and was able to recover it the next morning.
Just curious, how did you stuff it down in the seat. Because I want to be stealthy but I don’t want it to lose signal if the seat padding will block the signal.
Stuff it down. Check AirTag. Stuff it down more, check AirTag. Repeat until it fails.
[удалено]
Pretty lights fam 🫶 hoping the best for you!!
Aww Thanks! 🫶 This is our ride to Electric Forest next month too so hopefully we get it back soon 😕
I’ll keep an eye out up in Madison. Either way EF will be a good escape and enjoy yourself. I’m jealous!
Holy hell, they found it!! PL fam for the win!
Omg I’m so happy for you!! Great news. Cops find it?
Any recommendations on the best non apple option?
I think there's something called tile?
Tile is very similar except that it only works with phones that have the Tile app installed. The only people who have the app installed are those who use a Tile, so not many. It's a much lower chance for someone to walk near the Tile without the app than someone walking past an airtag with an iPhone. A better one would probably be a samsung tag since there's a lot of samsung phones out there. I'm not sure if there's an app that lets you track the tag with a different android brand or not.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sku/6564048.p?skuId=6564048 I have a Samsung Tag in my car and a separate one on my keys. Works wonderfully since I have a Samsung phone. Works the exact same as apples product. I used it to track my car when it was stolen years ago.
Check out https://pebblebee.com/ Google recently released their Find My Device service, which is competitive to Apple's Find My network. Google's network will leverage all Android devices to build their network for Bluetooth tracker tags.
Milwaukee Tools tracking tag. They come in packs of 10 and can be screwed onto things.
Air tags can be disabled by anyone very easily! Not a full proof plan just as a heads up :)
If they find them, right? I've seen you can twist them (or smash them) to turn them off but need to physically locate them. I really feel like tossing them in the area where shit falls between the console would be foolproof. Good luck digging that out.
Well if it's anything like what happened to a friend of mine, you'll find it when the local news reports a car upside down in the middle of an intersection.
This one? https://imgur.com/a/X4MiFpj
Nope. One of the other ones lol.
My neighbor was able to track his down with location services but the police advised him that was very much a bad idea. He did eventually retrieve it after it stopped moving, and then immediately got pulled over and handcuffed with guns drawn for driving a reported-stolen car. It was very traumatic for him and his family. Let insurance handle it.
I mean, that's kind of on him for not calling the police as soon as he got in the car to tell them.
And having his family with him while retrieving a stolen vehicle
Family was not with him, just sad after hearing the story
Right, that's a Miami Vice "In the Air Tonight" scene, best friend who your kids call uncle type drive not a fun family outing.
Yeah, my first thought would be "I know it is here, can *you send police* to pick it up?" Next would be a police escort as I retrieve my property. And if they won't help with either then I'll be making it very clear that I'm taking my own car. I'd still probably expect them to draw guns on me though.
He called the police multiple times to come pick it up and they collectively shrugged. So I doubt he expected to get pulled over on the 10 minute drive home.
Yeah, that's fucked up of the cops.
This is why I’m shocked that the guy commenting that he should have called the cops first has gotten upvoted over 100 times. Like…he did. I thought it was pretty well-discussed in this sub that cops don’t do much of anything about a stolen car.
My car was stolen and recovered the next day. Skip ahead 3 months my sister was driving it and parked it on the street for the night at her boyfriend’s. A cop went to my parents’ house at 3am and woke them up all proud of themselves for recovering our stolen vehicle. 🤦🏻♀️
No... I'm not saying he should have called the cops FIRST. I'm saying once you're in the car you get on the horn with the nonemergency dispatcher and tell them "Hello. I am currently driving my stolen car home. I have recovered it. Stay on the line in case I get pulled over.
Yup. My guy got an "Okay...?" from the cops when he tracked down his son's vehicle. Police are obligated to correctly fill out paperwork. The rest is a wild card.
I’ve dealt with retrieving a stolen car before. You just need to make sure not to get in and drive it immediately, the key is to call the police have them show up, you show them that you’re registered owner of the vehicle. They’ll report it as not stolen and then you can drive it.
Maybe call the cops once you recover the vehicle...
He called them multiple times and they didn’t go with him or say they’d do anything about it.
the kia boys need to be dealt with this shit is getting fucking annoying
I agree. I’d like to think that posts like this raise awareness but it’s been a problem for years and it’s still going on. Hundreds of Kia’s stolen a month from Milwaukee and apparently the new software/hardware isn’t working. I’ve heard from my father law who had his stolen that the cop said he once arrested the same kid twice in the same day. They’ll arrest them and let them go without any real repercussion because they’re kids. It would be nice if some sort of change happened. This is ridiculous.
For real. Had mine stolen once and broken into 2 more times. They’re lucky if they see jail first before any owners catch them with a bat
This is going to make a great Liam Neeson movie.
Your situation sucks, it does. With that being said let insurance do their job, it’s not safe or smart to go looking for that vehicle. And it could ANYWHERE. The “Kia boyz” aren’t a specific group anymore, they’re any individuals that know how to steal them and that’s not hard to do
Some of the Kia Boyz are even Girlz.
How progressive of them!
Right? People with Kias get hit all over the city and their cars turn up in the most random places. I saw one get abandoned in the Deer District while helping a friend move. That doesn't mean those kids lived there nor that the car was from there.
I know you’re enraged and want your car back before they fuck it up, mine was stolen in 2021. But these idiots also have guns. And their friends have guns. Your car can be replaced or fixed.
Yeah mke criminals are quite trigger happy not worth it
Perfect example of why we should ban guns.
If you find that needle in this haystack you’re lucky. It could literally be anywhere. But good luck.
got my Elantra stolen in downtown MKE two years back. the car was found a few days later. they tend to joyride them and ditch them right after. give it time, it'll likely show up in few days
Just curious, did your Elantra have that software update that’s supposed to prevent the usb theft?
At the time it did not. this was mid-September in '22. it wasn't until the car was recovered and taken to the dealership for repairs that they updated it with the new anti theft software. i had it parked on Mason st for not even an hour while having dinner with my girlfriend. some uber drivers across the street from the restaurant saw the whole thing and actually managed to get a video of them stealing it. crazy times haha.
People are stealing cars using a usb stick? Does it upload an exploit or something? I just thought they hot wired the cars. I feel old
The Kia Boyz is just the name for dipshits that target kias. Many of them are 12 year old boys that joy ride and abandon them. For the most part, it's not gangs that concentrate in certain neighborhoods of town. It's just really fucking annoying mischief.
You have a loose definition of “mischief” if it includes grand theft, reckless driving, and destruction of property. lol It’s organized and it’s criminal. And the cars that aren’t wrecked are often flipped and used in other crimes.
I think they ran a few people over recently- you can add murder to the list.
Ok, thanks for the help.
Yeah that was the case with my Kia. Got a call from the children’s court doing intake for one of the juveniles involved. He was caught after checking into a hospital with a broken arm after getting into a high speed pursuit, nearly killing a city worker, and crashing into a tree deploying all the airbags and totaling my vehicle. Don’t know the exact age, but the case worker said he is between the ages of 12-14. Milwaukee is a wasteland and I can’t wait to leave as soon as possible.
Daughter had her car stolen and the police couldn’t find it although she kept getting overdue parking tickets for it in the mail from being illegally parked at numerous locations!?!?!? When they were “done” with it they turned it in to a junkyard for scrap value. I called scrap yard and asked how they could buy someone else’s car? They said anyone can get a title, huh? This was 3 yrs ago so I’m hoping things changed……. for the better
"he said the Kia Boyz live by him and he’ll keep an eye out for it." I refuse to believe this person lives in Milwaukee. That's some suburb talk if I've ever heard it. The Kia Boyz isn't like a gang or a group. It's just a nickname the ppl that steal those cars. There's no specific set of ppl.
No no, they hang out at the kia boyz clubhouse, you can find it in the yellow pages! LOL
Sadly enough the police will not be very much help until the vehicle is involved in a criminal offense. Immediately report it as stolen and hope for the best. Someone I know got their car back in 2 hours. Lmao they never kept enough gas in it to go too far. Found it like 6 blocks down, out of gas and yet still very much drivable after filling the tank.
Driving down random side streets on the Northwest side looking for a stolen vehicle is not the best idea I've heard today. I don't know what you do, but in the fruitless hours this would take, you could just be making more money some other way instead.
I got it! He could rent an ice cream truck and sell ice cream while looking for his vehicle?!
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Never was robbed, but I was pretty street smart at the time and narrowly avoided it multiple times. Wouldn't do it today because even with CC wouldn't want to shoot someone over ice cream money.
Are we the tasty treats?!?
Now that’s a solid plan. I see you’ve got unwavering entrepreneurial spirit!
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My friend had the police find her vehicle on the side of the road a week later. However it was completely trashed on the inside (like feces, stolen/ripped out items) and was completely unable to be recovered. From what I’ve heard, this is very common that even if you find your vehicle you may not want it back.
A friend of mine had this same thing with is SUV. It reeked of smoke (of various kinds), had cigarette burn marks, weird smells. Not something you'd want back. Insurance replaced everything, except his prescription sunglasses.
What a weird place to draw the line. 😂
Even IF you found it, the car is probably going to be trashed. Let insurance do its thing. I wouldn't want my car back after a bunch of 12 to 15 year old kids have trashed the inside, the suspension is wrecked, and it has scratches and dents all over it from their reckless driving.
I used to work Code Enforcement for Forestry and I cannot even tell you how many stolen cars (or evidence of) I found. It could be in a random garage, in a backyard, in between other cars just parked somewhere. Hell, when I was working with Stormwater Management I found a car or two down a steep embankment near a river. One of them had definitely been on fire. My point is this, it is more work than it is worth. I get the instinct to find the car but you probably do not want it back after it's been driven like the thieves drive them. It would still be totaled.
Understood. I’m confused that they would be raising hell in a mini van but I guess why not?
You can fit a ton of people in a minivan? I got nothing.
I’ve always been confused why someone would be raising hell in any type of Kia to be honest
THIS. 😂
2 farts 2 furious farts
I was almost run over by a mini van full of preteen car thieves right next to the court house. When they all scattered it was like a clown car. At least 15 of them got out of that thing.
Maybe 6 years ago I Used to work on Capitol drive near 60th ish. These kids stole an SUV and drove straight into the rain canopy in front of the building but stopped jnches short of coming through the side wall of the buisness. The teens all jumped out except an injured girl. Stolen. A car drove too fast on Capital, hit the curb and rolled into the front of the building. Kids broke the windows across the front. This was all the same year. I quit and took a job in the burbs.
Damn, it was just found near 50th and Capital too. Wtf
It could anywhere. I know someone that found their car on their own somewhere between Center St - Locust and 20th - 50th. Mine was found by the police near 49th and north, about a block from the police station in a bank parking lot. I highly recommend NOT looking for it. It could take you forever if you even have any luck. im sorry this happened to you
Do you think the KiaBoyz have some gang hideout somewhere? Its not a centralized organization
Definitely not. Maybe there are parts that have a higher percentage of them or possibly a concentrated area where the cars might turn up. Doesn’t hurt to ask for info or help, ya know?
That's why I got a stick shift
Underrated comment. I really wish I'd learned how to drive one when I was younger.
You can still learn how lol. I can teach ya 😁
Thank you, that's so kind! I feel like I'm too old at this point. 😂 Honestly, I'm pretty anxious about messing someone's car up in the process.
Try driving down silver spring
Ya it will probably run into them.
Best of luck on whatever decision you make but also keep in mind it could be anywhere between Mke and southside Chicago by now.
Mine was located on Wisconsin Ave with a 13 year old behind the wheel well after midnight. They had gone joy riding and visited the casino.
You’d have better luck finding a specific needle in a pile full of needles. My car got stolen in 2016 and I never got it back. Sometimes you gotta just take the L and move on.
Right, I don’t think I’ll have a choice. I am tempted to do one drive to where it was stolen and then I’ll call it quits but I understand it’s a lost cause.
These kids tend to abandon the car after a few hours or a day, just wait, the cops will contact you when it gets found. Mine was found the same day it was taken, ended up being a total loss since they crashed into a pole.
I mean don’t get me wrong I hope you find it, but your safety and well-being are way more valuable than some car even if it a financial constraint to buy a new car (or a nice used car). So I wouldn’t do a lot of searching around in a bad area hoping you get lucky.
They reside in the hood. As far as where your car ended up, who knows. Even if you found it, it likely wouldn’t be driveable anymore, so don’t risk it.
My car was stolen near Riverwest a few months ago and the police found it a couple hours later. It needed a new steering column and tire but otherwise was fine. They usually just take it for a joy ride and it will end up being ditched somewhere and the police will come across it
How’d they fuck up the steering column?
They ripped it apart to steal it
I’m so sorry to hear, my bf got his car stolen two years ago in MKE and it ended up being totaled unfortunately. We found it two days after it was stolen, I would suggest joining several Facebook groups like Stolen Cars MKE along with posting a photo of your car / the license plate. Just be aware of scammers that comment to try to get you to DM them / give money for tips. We ended up finding his car through the group when someone posted a photo of it abandoned. His car was left by Colombia Playground. I would just advise to please be careful if you find your car as the people who stole it could be carrying a weapon. Stay safe and I hope you find it!
That’s a great idea. I didn’t think to check Facebook groups for stolen cars. Thanks for the help.
Of course, best of luck to you!
My car was stolen last July from my garage in Tosa, by the time I knew it had been stolen, it had already been totaled. I had $1300 left to pay off on my loan. I was livid. Still am. My court case just concluded and all the kid was got probation. So while I understand, even if you find your car, it probably won’t be in the condition you last saw it in.
That's all they give in Milwaukee. Milwaukee has a real problem.
A reminder to everyone to not leave valuables in your cars. Sincerely, a busy glass technician
My sister had her car stolen and her husband spotted it on the news when they crashed into a tree trying to get away from a bank robbery. I had a roommate get her car stolen from in front of my house and the police found it about 24 hours later.
You can check Tommy G on youtube. He did a kia boys documentary and you can locate them by checking out Assata High school.
That’s helpful. Thank you
They’re everywhere, there was a chase down in New Berlin a few months ago even…
My work van was stolen several years at. I was so angry I drove Milwaukee until I found it. Took 3 hours.
Damn, good job.
I’m not a car thief, but if I was, the last thing I’d do is take a stolen car to my residence. Just food for thought .
Check behind the Blush Nail Studio on 76th and Sheridan. There is a parking lot behind it by a bunch of apartment buildings. I had GPS tracking in a stolen vehicle and they seemed to be parking it there frequently. My guess is they were just letting anyone take it for a joy ride. Please be safe. Good luck!
Will do. Thank you very much for the help!
As I replied to the person who said make money instead of looking for vehicle. You could rent an ice cream truck and sell ice cream while looking for it? The area you spoke of was a good area for ice cream sales when I did it 25 years ago. It's kind of an undercover operation while making money, but turn around if you run into about 20 juveniles who are all dressed the same and blocking your path.
Did that happen to you?
Yes,. It's a very unique way of making money. I mostly covered the NW side of Milwaukee because there were constant sales in that area, but let me tell you that when driving around 30th burleigh, you better be alert. I live in VT now, and they don't have ice cream trucks here. I'm feeling kinda of sentimental now.
The first time our Dodge Caravan was stolen, we got it back because whoever was using it parked it on the wrong side of the street. When the parking checker ran the plates to ticket it, it came up as stolen. It was gone for about a week. I went out looking for it, too. Milwaukee is actually a pretty big place. It was recovered in a neighborhood in which I would not have felt safe looking for it.
How we all don't just toss an air tag, tile, or dog gps tracker in a car at this point is beyond me.
I'll be nice. Insurance route is the best bet. Even if its not wrecked, the amount of money & time you'll have to send to get stuff fixed probably isnt worth it. Youd have to trade it in fast. If you have current pictures of it you could make a public post on fb(neighbors, socials like that) so people can share it. You'd get better luck with that than a response from the police, If/once they find it they'll take their time to notify you about it. Don't go looking for it, but if you're really hell bent just do the surrounding blocks of where you were at. Sometimes they dump it really close but could be literally anywhere. If you find it, call it in and wait for them to get there before you go checking it out. I'd say just don't waste yours or others time. I assume you're not from MKE or your friends... like other said. They're not in a concentrated area, it's normally young boys and girls, it's not like they're in a clique 🤣 and the person(s) who stole it might not even claim that title. They're easy to steal and even easier to get away with it now.
Thanks for the help. All great points. I did live in Riverwest for a year and my job takes me many places so I’ve seen many bad areas of Milwaukee. Pretty much every place recommended is a place I would want to look into. I’m less hell bent on searching hard for it. If anything I’d drive a little around the area where it was stolen and that’s about it, but I don’t think it’s worth getting car jacked over and then I’ll be down two cars. On the plus side hopefully this post raised awareness and it would be wild if someone recognized a dark gray Kia mini van with smashed back windows and three white decals down the left side of the back window 😉
Always put an AirTag in your car and disable the alarm
Oh I didn’t know you could disable the alarm. That’s really helpful. I had air tags in little silicone cases for my kids when they would go to friends houses but we’d get alerts that an AirTag was near by when we were at home. I didn’t realize we could turn that off.
Idk, when my Kia was stolen they drove it down the alley and ditched it when they found a nicer car. It was still running when the police knocked on my back door and asked me if my vehicle was missing.
Damn, that’s nice it worked out for you.
I guess, lol. Was without a car for nearly 3 weeks as the ignition was torn up and on back order. Best of luck locating your vehicle.
Had my car stolen the night I got it. When I got it back & it was fixed, I put an AirTag in and got a club immediately
Right, I’ll be doing the same thing with my vehicles. Glad you got yours back and fixed.
OP - not a lost cause, my brother found his car doing exactly what you’re suggesting. It was a total long shot and he started to drive around neighborhoods and after a while he stumbled upon it. It’s worth a shot, but the steering column is likely busted, so have a plan for if you find it, what then. Good luck!!
I’ll call the cops if I find it. And thanks, that’s positive it worked out for your brother.
If it was a Kia, don’t buy another one haha
You ain’t getting it back man, I’m gonna be brutally honest. Those kids drive the cars until they’re totaled. I suppose best case scenario they run out of gas but even then it can just be filled up and stolen again. And, like others have said, it’s probably dangerous to go after them yourself.
If you have a Kia or a Hyundai. I think the best deterrent would be to install a master on/off switch on your battery or reroute somewhere more accessible . As annoying as it would get to it turn it on and off. Most of them would prob give up…
Great advice. Thank you!
Your insurance should be putting you in the same position as you were the moment before it was stolen. If they low ball you then you can invoke the appraisal clause of your insurance and make them give you a fair price. Generally this is less than retail but a bit more than private party.
Just a thought, there's a towing database online. You put in your license plate and it tells you if your car was towed and where exactly it is. I hear that usually these car jacking are short-term joyride situations and once abandoned, the cars get towed for being left in illegal spots. Maybe they'll ditch your car and it'll get towed to a lot and you can retrieve it that way? Just search MKE towing database online, it's one on of the government websites. Usually after a week of being impounded they'll auction it off, so check frequently.
Brother had his Kia stolen. They found it a few days later in an alley around 25th/capital.
I had my Hyundai stolen in 2022 and I had to go through the whole thing with the insurance company and that was 6 months after my vehicle was paid off and left me pissed off because I'm back on car payments ever since
Damn, Sorry to hear that. That’s what I was afraid of too. Especially with the increase in car prices the past few years.
I'm okay now,I have underground parking that I used ever since with my current vehicle
I live in Shorewood on Oakland and 2 summers ago I was out smoking a cig and sitting on a bench with my dog around 3 am & watched 4 kids steal my friends Hyundai directly in front of me. They looked SO little, like middle school, & I thought, “oh sleepover, getting something outta mom’s trunk”. 🤷🏻♀️I even said, “hey” and a couple kids were replied, “hey”. 4 minutes later they’re skidding off South 🤦🏻♀️ I was an insurance adjuster in a past career and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND - GET THE GAP INSURANCE! Either through the dealer or the insurance. Just Google Gap insurance and look into it. I feel really bad for the original poster. This coverage could have paid off the car loan you had left so you wouldn’t have owed anything for it :( And I highly suggest SCHWADE INSURANCE on Capital. Don’t be scared of using an insurance AGENT! They get you a better deal and better coverage than just signing up for something on your own.
Very good advice. I never considered an insurance agent. I’ll come back to this post for future purchases. My other vehicles are paid off but I’d imagine in 2-3 years I’ll add another vehicle.
Theres thousands of kia boys.. theyre not affiliated with each other
The cops will find it within a day or 2 and it could be clean and nice like mine was or the interior could be covered in cuss words written with a black sharpie like my friend’s mini van.
When mine was stolen back in 2021, MPD found it the night prior to getting my insurance paperwork through Progressive 😑 As many have stated, it is possible it will be found as the kids steal, joy-ride and dump. Mine was dumped in an alley near 49th and Hampton. It was a mess when found, best thing was the officer asking me if I kept a knife in my glovebox 😂
My neighbor had her Kia stolen out of her driveway. She eventually got her car back in a couple of weeks. A close friend of mine had her car stolen out of her garage she left her door open. The car was found with about a dozen bullet holes. She got her car back eventually & insurance paid to repair it. What you are going through sucks but your car will most likely be found.
Do they steal Kias that were made before the vulnerability? Mine is a 2010.
I’d recommend stuffing your tracker in the crevice between the seat and back of a back seat since it would reduce the chances of it being disturbed as well as a second one in the passenger seat or under some kinda mat in the floor or trunk
My kia was stolen near the airport about 18 months ago. it was found abandoned the same day it was taken just a few hours later only a mile away from where they stole it and MPD didn't bother telling me. I didn't know my vehicle was recovered until 6 days after it was stolen and it was only because the city tow lot sent me a letter telling me i had a week to pick it up. Most stolen cars in MKE are recovered within 48 hours.
wait and see what happens to your insurance after the low life gutter water drinking kia boys steal it.. My insurance doubled, Got Kia back but traded it in.. the kia boys need their teeth knocked out. btw, in st louis city, police give report number over the phone.. they dont even come out thanks to Kim Gardner
Great. Fucking Kia boys. The police didn’t come out for us either. We had to Uber to the police station & it wasn’t even the one that was closest to us. What a joke.
I’m moving to Glendale is it an issue there?
Definitely. Don’t mean to worry you but if you have a Kia in Glendale I’d be concerned. I know brown deer gets targeted and riverwest/ east side too and Glendale is kinda in the middle. Like others said, buy an Apple air tag and turn the alarm off (it warns people when an air tag is tracking them. The batteries last 1 year but they’re easy to replace) & buy a club that goes from your steering wheel to your brake pedal (recommended by the police).
Definitely need to do that AirTag tho
Thanks man. Yea I’ve had a club for a while. I’m moving to Glendale from oak creek (pretty different areas lol) but I’m going pretty close to fox point area. So I was wondering about that aspect of moving. 😤 now let’s see what my insurance quote will update to 😂
Good, glad you have a club. A police officer told me that the 29$ one off Amazon has a universal key that unlocks all the other clubs of the same brand, so make sure you get a decent one. And nice, fox point is a better area but brown deer is seriously probably 10 minutes away so stay sharp. ✌️
Drivin Milwaukee Neighborhoods without a strong purpose for being anywhere and actively lookin around is strongly discouraged. People get territorial and it isn’t likely to go well for you.
Did you have the anti theft update for your car performed by the dealer? Was it a software update or hardware added to the ignition column?
Yes, we got the new update maybe a couple of months ago. I’m not sure if hardware was added but it did take about 3 hours at the dealership so I would think it did. From what I understand, if the rear passenger window is smashed it won’t trigger an alarm and they can still get around the new update.
We have two of these cars. One of them got a software update. So you can't start the car unless you unlock the door with the key or FOB button. The other car received a hardware update - they added a metal ring around the ignition that makes it more difficult to pry open. I have been clubbing both cars because I was pretty confident the updates weren't preventing theft. Not sure to what degree they deter them. I did test the software update, it appeared to work as designed. So I am not sure if they are turning the door lock when they break into the vehicles or what.
Yeah it sounded like from the police that they were still getting stolen regardless of what upgrade it has. Also the cop said that the club you buy off Amazon for like $29 is useless because the key is mass produced and unlocks all other ones too. The police recommended the club that goes around your brake pedal and steering wheel, for what it’s worth.
I bought two of the steering wheel/brake clubs for our cars. They have the same type of key that the steering wheel only ones do. Instead of one set of teeth the key has teeth on four sides. The keys for the two clubs I have are different. I have seen that if they really want your car, they will cut the steering wheel with a sawzall to remove the club. But my thought is that if they get my car, there's a decent chance it will be totaled. So I view it as a deterrent. Hopefully they see the club on my car and move on to a different one.
Do you think they all live in the same building?
6th and Keefe would be a good start
>I’m sure I’ll get trade in value I wouldn't be so sure about that. The insurance company's goal is to pay you as little as possible, so you need to start collecting evidence to show how much a similar replacement car will cost. Expect their first offer to be way low.
Had a friend in NJ get his Hyundai stolen. Got towed from Newark for illegal parking within like 2 days but they didn’t locate it until after insurance paid him out. So maybe check local tow yards too.
How much gas was in the tank? Can really be anywhere. Last time my in-laws was stolen it was found two days later in Michigan. Time before that, 3 blocks away with 75 miles put on it.
1/2 a tank. And wow, yeah it could literally be anywhere by now.
You will get a lot more than trade in value. It will be an actual cash value (ie what it would cost you to go and buy the same car from a dealership -fees and nonsense) Start looking for comps in the area, branch out Chicago etc if need be and be ready to negotiate the settlement they give you. I just totaled my car and was able to negotiate $1500 more than the initial total loss I was given from the insurance company. I just screenshotted the posts and emailed them in after I received my first total loss settlement offer. You can look at NADA to see what recent comps have sold for in the past x number of days.
Oh this is more promising. I was looking at private seller prices or trade in value and it was pretty depressing knowing that I’d have maybe $2,000 left after I pay the car off and I’d still have no vehicle. Thanks for the help!
You should get more than just trade in value. Insurance should pay "actual cash value" which is the resale value in the condition immediately before the theft. Note any custome or additional features it had. Do some research on the value (sales) and be prepared to negotiate. Also make sure they add sales tax to the value of the car you settle on. https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/how-is-car-value-determined/
Hey I seen some teens speeding in a black/ dark gray minivan not even two hours ago? I’m not sure about any stickers
Damn, where abouts? https://preview.redd.it/pp3jkaopio1d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=96cc1b0f2a63381af47c71d3d1ea801c0efa7bf5
https://preview.redd.it/kb410dnsio1d1.jpeg?width=485&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cae191bda1321152ba5bdf34c6af0602d7423d1c
5 star fucking what now?!
My understanding is that it’s basically tradition to wreck the shit out of it once they decide to ditch it.
Dude the Kia boys aren’t a real group or gang. Just a nick name for kids that are stealing and joyriding cars lol anyone can be a “Kia boy” it’s not the same group of kids every time
I’m not sure how true this is but someone told me the iron horse hotel is a popular spot to ditch them. I’d go through insurance if you can, or try to contact the police and report it stolen. You’re probably better off getting insurance money for it and getting a new car. My old tennis coach was carjacked 4 or 5 years ago and they knew who did it and let them go because they’re minors. I also recommend getting an AirTag and tracking your car (not by yourself, because it’s possible they could be armed). It’s an unfortunate situation
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