ATTN All owners/fleet owners & carriers

[Fender39]

You may have already seen my post about our stolen van... I've since been made aware that the driver has been looking for other owner to drive for since last Monday (May 11)... The same day he was fired by our carrier. Our van has been considered missing/stolen since Thursday, May 14.

I don't want to see any other people get screwed over by this guy. He has a history of falsifying information and fraud. And is now wanted to auto theft. There is a warrant for his arrest. As it turns out, the carrier that hired him initially (and incidentally recommended him to me) failed to do a background check. Of course I was unaware of this fact until now. Out of all the jobs he's put on his application, only 1 actually exists. Oddly enough, he ran for a large carrier and was FIRED for falsifying information, aggression and lack of action.

DO NOT HIRE THIS GUY! We learned the hard way... Mistakes were made on our end for sure. The point is, beware! If you'd like more specific information, please PM me.

His last know definite whereabouts was in Atlanta, GA. However, he lives in Columbus, OH and i believe him to be there. After being let go from our carrier, they took him out of the system and therefore were/are unable to track him through Sylectus.

 

[davekc]

Maybe the carrier could assist by turning it back on so you can locate it?

 

[Turtle]

Maybe the carrier could assist by turning it back on so you can locate it?

It's odd the police didn't do that already.

 

[Ragman]

It's odd the police didn't do that already.

We really don't know that they didn't. We're only getting one side of the story.

 

[Fender39]

Carrier told me they were unable to turn it back on. Plus there is no guarantee he still his phone or the app. The police haven't been able to do too much. The report isn't complete yet. They told me it would take 5 business days.

 

[Turtle]

We really don't know that they didn't. We're only getting one side of the story.

Which is why the Code of Conduct prohibits posting of personal information, even in cases where someone is claiming the theft of a $40,000 van.

I'll just say that if I were going to put someone in my van, not only would it have a GPS tracking device hidden under the dash, but I absolutely would not blindly take the recommend of a carrier for a candidate, as they have no vested interest in my van. I'd do my own interview and background check.

 

[Fender39]

There are a lot of things that should have been done, unfortunately we can't go back in time, what we can do however is help keep everyone informed so that this guy does not do this to another person.

 

[vandriver2]

We really don't know that they didn't. We're only getting one side of the story.

True.

 

[vandriver2]

Which is why the Code of Conduct prohibits posting of personal information, even in cases where someone is claiming the theft of a $40,000 van.

I'll just say that if I were going to put someone in my van, not only would it have a GPS tracking device hidden under the dash, but I absolutely would not blindly take the recommend of a carrier for a candidate, as they have no vested interest in my van. I'd do my own interview and background check.

Great suggestions...the main thing I've learned in my 56+ years is never to assume or expect.

 

[Bruno]

I have offered to help you free of charge. Before getting into expediting I was in collections and skip tracing to recover things in the Lease to Own business. I have sent you a few PM and you responded one time. I live in Ohio and have contacts in Columbus, Ohio. As a fleet owner myself I can understand your upset, but others are willing to help you recover your van, but seems you don't want anyone help.

 

[Fender39]

I'm sorry if you feel that I don't want your help. That is not how I feel I assure you. Yesterday was a day full of phone calls to insurance company's, police departments, going back through all of this driver information looking for anything that might give away his whereabouts and trying to figure out how to pay the bills. A little overwhelming and time consuming to say the least. I will look back into my PM's. Please understand tho that a lot is going on, I will get back to everyone as fast as I can I have had quite a few people offer to help and I have to make sure I don't jump the gun and that I think it through before I accept too much outside help. The outpouring of people willing to help and their well wishes are more than I could have imagined and you guys truly don't know how much it is appreciated.As I have stated before the main purpose of this thread is to help others from going through the same thing.

 

[Murraycroexp]

Maybe the carrier could assist by turning it back on so you can locate it?

I'm guessing if he doesn't wan't to be found that his "location services" have been turned off on his cell phone. Unless he's a complete and total dumbarse.

 

[xiggi]

Sounds like he just might be.

 

[Dave Christopher]

Which is why the Code of Conduct prohibits posting of personal information, even in cases where someone is claiming the theft of a $40,000 van.

It is very hard to convict a driver you have in your employment, of vehicle theft, i went thru this years ago when a fleet owner with Landstar, had a driver disappear between Fla and Az., then get a letter faxed from him demanding to be paid for waiting time, while i was rebuilding the motor in his truck,before i even hired him , he showed up at my shop in Fla., i told him the truck wasn't ready , guy was broke, i gave him food, drink and a room to sleep and wait for the truck. (Huge mistake on my part) He Did 3 loads then got paid and headed to Az. With a load, Local,state nor FBI, in Fla.,would charge him,'cause he had permission to posess the vehicle, i ended up losing a court hearing in Az and ended up 2 years later with Az police calling me ,informing me that they found the truck in a scrap yard parted out. And my Ins. still Wouldn't cover it because there is small print in their paperwork that says "not covered if stolen by an employee",,,, go figure, Turned out this driver made a living doing these things, he had been working for another bco @ landstar for years, so i never thought to go too deep ,in background check,as the company was pretty strict on criminal records, and i knew the guy casually for a year or 3, Anyhow he ended up a few years later ,getting in the face of a good old boy in Ga., and got what he deserved ,a free trip to Az in a pine box. So, i hope your state police have different laws, but dont count on getting much help from the feds, who are supposed to handle interstate theft/crime.

 

[Turtle]

That's why I used the word "claiming," because it can be tricky to prove theft of a truck after you've voluntarily given them the keys and the truck.

 

[Opel2010]

That's why I used the word "claiming," because it can be tricky to prove theft of a truck after you've voluntarily given them the keys and the truck.

How about when the contract states clearly that "if the driver does not return the truck within X days at a specific location, it'll be considered stolen vehicle and the authorities will be informed", and he signed for that?

 

[Turtle]

Something along those lines, probably,but I would think it would need to be more specific than simply "within x days." I mean, within X days of what? Today? The date of contract cancellation? The date of acknowledgement of contract cancellation? That's something that a lawyer or an experienced fleet owner can better answer than I can.

 

[Opel2010]

Something along those lines, probably,but I would think it would need to be more specific than simply "within x days." I mean, within X days of what? Today? The date of contract cancellation? The date of acknowledgement of contract cancellation? That's something that a lawyer or an experienced fleet owner can better answer than I can.

I was just trying to give you an idea... of course there are specifications. As a matter of fact I had this problem with a guy, he worked almost two weeks, then the third week he used my truck for his own interest, refusing to return the truck. He did it only when he heard the word "police"...

 

[Turtle]

Like many owner/operators, within 6 months of becoming an expediter I knew that I needed to buy a whole bunch more of these, put drivers in then, and then get out of the way of all the cash rolling in. Then a year or two later, after meeting and talking with many drivers, I realized just what a PITA being a fleet owner could be. Every time one of these threads come along, that realization becomes even more cemeted.

 

[cheri1122]

It is very hard to convict a driver you have in your employment, of vehicle theft, i went thru this years ago when a fleet owner with Landstar, had a driver disappear between Fla and Az., then get a letter faxed from him demanding to be paid for waiting time, while i was rebuilding the motor in his truck,before i even hired him , he showed up at my shop in Fla., i told him the truck wasn't ready , guy was broke, i gave him food, drink and a room to sleep and wait for the truck. (Huge mistake on my part) He Did 3 loads then got paid and headed to Az. With a load, Local,state nor FBI, in Fla.,would charge him,'cause he had permission to posess the vehicle, i ended up losing a court hearing in Az and ended up 2 years later with Az police calling me ,informing me that they found the truck in a scrap yard parted out. And my Ins. still Wouldn't cover it because there is small print in their paperwork that says "not covered if stolen by an employee",,,, go figure, Turned out this driver made a living doing these things, he had been working for another bco @ landstar for years, so i never thought to go too deep ,in background check,as the company was pretty strict on criminal records, and i knew the guy casually for a year or 3, Anyhow he ended up a few years later ,getting in the face of a good old boy in Ga., and got what he deserved ,a free trip to Az in a pine box. So, i hope your state police have different laws, but dont count on getting much help from the feds, who are supposed to handle interstate theft/crime.

Permission to possess a vehicle one doesn't own is construed as open ended, meaning they don't ever have to give it back? I can't believe the law allows that. But I guess it's best to cover that contingency when writing a contract, with something like "must return vehicle to specified location within 72 hours of notification from owner to do so."