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The Repo Man Lost Out

nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
edited July 2002 in General Discussion
Man, I would have to get REALLY hungry before I would consider doing repossession work. A very hazardous occupation, and they operate in a semi-illegal manner most of the time.

Sure, the debtor signed a contract allowing the creditor to repossess the car if the payments were behind, but that is a CIVIL contract, and law enforcement cannot take a position on such things, except to keep the peace.

The RIGHT way to do it is to go to a judge and get a court order to take the car, and then the Constable or Sheriff gets to pick it up. But that is expensive and time consuming and the repo guy doesn't get his fee that way, so they usually just slide in at night and snatch the car. If they can.

This one had hooked up the car, but car and tow truck were now on the property of the debtor. Debtor wakes up, sees what is going on, and tells the repo man, "You are not leaving here with my car."

This is where the police were called. Big disturbance, possibly with guns involved.

No guns when we got there though.

Debtor states he wants the repo man to leave his property. That is his right, and if the repo man refused, he would be subject to arrest for Criminal Trespass. I suggest to repo man that he set the car down and go on. He complies, but is not happy about it.

Repo man wants to know what we are going to do about the man pointing a gun at him prior to our arrival.

Repo man got a brief lecture on Chapter 9 of the Penal Code, which allows a person to use deadly force to prevent the theft of his property at night. Repo man now understands that even if debtor had shot him, that the Grand Jury would most likely not indict him.

No way would I ever work as a repo man.



SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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Comments

  • NighthawkNighthawk Member Posts: 12,022 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I know a guy in the repo business,he sends a woman and a roll back and I know of very few he fails to recover.He claims to make good money at it,and quite a few places use his services.Ive been called to only a few disputes,but like Nunn said all you can do is run the repo people off if there on private property.And let a Judge issue a warrant so the creditor can take possession of the car.But it does take a heartless person to take a car away from a family trying to make ends meet,Ive seen it done.The owner is allowed to remove anything not affixed or attached to the car only.Ive seen them get out car seats clothes CDs etc.But if they put a $300.00 stereo in the car thats their tough luck.Its hard to watch children see their car be hauled off.Its a cruel world thats for sure.I dont care what it pays I couldnt do it.

    Rugster

    Edited by - Rugster on 07/16/2002 10:20:28
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  • .280 freak.280 freak Member Posts: 1,942 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It is justifiable to kill someone in defense of property? Where?

    I have always been under the assumption, obviously mistaken, that you are justified in killing only in defense of self or others, not in defense of mere property.

    Man, I just GOTTA start paying closer attention.
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  • Matt45Matt45 Member Posts: 3,185
    edited November -1
    .280-

    The laws varies from state to state- In Washington State for example, you are correct, "...only in defense of your life or that of another.." homocide is not excuseable if preventing a property theft, EXCEPT if that act is a felony, and the other person displays a weapon "capable of causing greivious * harm".

    More and more, I think I may just move back to TX- gunracks, open containers, shoot the b@st@rd in the front lawn & drag him inside...OH Yeah baby!!

    Matt

    Reserving my Right to Arm Bears!!!!
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  • simonbssimonbs Member Posts: 994 ✭
    edited November -1
    Texas.

    Don't mess with Texas.
    I'm not afraid of the dark...the dark is afraid of me!
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  • RancheroPaulRancheroPaul Member Posts: 1,459 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have been told Texas allows you to "shoot the repo man." There have been some killed trying to haul off vehicles in the middle of the night during the past couple of years, attested to by the newspapers.

    It's very difficult for me to understand who is the most desparate of the two......the guy trying to keep his vehicle with its overdue payments, or the repo man who gets to risk his @ss for a fee.....no matter how large or small. Desparate folks do desperate deeds!

    Also understand it is because during the night time hours, a person can use deadly force to protect his property during a tresspass.

    Although some of you might not agree, I believe a whole hell of a lot of us need to "mind our own business." Looks like some lawmakers think so too!

    If You Can't Buy a Pair, Get a Spare!
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  • martzkj@msn.commartzkj@msn.com Member Posts: 582 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    To repo a car that is not paid for is not cruel. If they are that far behind in payment, you will never see your money. To go through the court system is a joke, you will get the car back destroyed and they will never pay to fix it, they can't even make the car payments. You guys only think it's mean until it's your money. If you feel bad for these people then you buy them a car. Take it from a person that has had rental property. People will get something they know they can't afford keep it or stay as long as they can, then it's destroyed when you finally regain possion. Get taken a couple times for a few thousand and your opinion will change. Taken once, shame on them. Taken twice, shame on me.
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  • martzkj@msn.commartzkj@msn.com Member Posts: 582 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    One more thing. Rugster, if they had the money for a $300.00 stero then they should of first paid the car payment.
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  • pikeal1pikeal1 Member Posts: 2,707
    edited November -1
    Gotta realize that some of the people that buy cars that they can't afford are also probably behind on their light bill, the phone bill and all the other bills they get every month. I understand that there might be a few people that really are trying to make ends meet, but there are also a lot of people who like to live way beyond their means and simply don't care about their credit or oweing people money. These people are a drain on society and affect all of us by causing interest rates to go up, phone service to go up, cell phone service, ect. I say it every day where I work. People call in to say they have no money but they don't want their phone service shut off. I work for customer service for a cell phone company and they do it every day. Some people owe over $500 and they beg that we don't disconnect them...and they tell us outright they don't have the money to pay.

    I say haul the car off and let them deal with it. they should have been more responsible in the first place. If you can't afford a new car, then get a used one. buy a rust bucket to get to work and back and pay the rest of the bills. when you have the means to buy a new car then by all means do it. until then, don't jeopardize your credit, and sacrifice putting food on the table just because you want a new car.

    Thats my opinion.

    Alex
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  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427 ✭
    edited November -1
    When I moved to Florida some twenty yrs ago, I repoed cars for a couple dealers in Kentucky,
    They would send me a repo order from a judge, and all the info they had on the person with the car.
    I never tried to take a car without notifying the person. I would knock on their door and tell them who I represented, and that there was a court ordered repossesion,
    99% would just hand me the keys, those that didnt, I just informed them that the Dealer would deal with them in court, and walked away.
    I was never threatened. a person must deal with this in a very diplomatic way.
    I never carried a weapon while doing this, as a persons life is not worth the price of a beat up old car.

    "A wise man is a man that realizes just how little he knows"
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have no pity for the dregs of society. I would do that job if I thought I could make 75-100k a year.

    A great rifle with a junk scope,....is junk.
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  • austin247austin247 Member Posts: 375 ✭
    edited November -1
    A few years ago when I lived in Lubbock a repo man came to repo a man's car in the wee hours of the morning. The owner came out, and, thinking someone was stealing his vehicle, fired off about 15 rounds from an SKS at the repo man. Mr. Repo Man was DRT.

    No charges filed, no-billed by the grand jury.
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  • leeblackmanleeblackman Member Posts: 5,303 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    When I was 16, a friend of mine who was 17's parents were gonig thru a bitter divorce. He's father had called a tow company to take his car which was parked in my parents garage. When the neighbor caught the tow truck man trying to open our garage, he got a rude barrel in the face awakening, and then another tow truck had to come pick up that tow truck...

    If I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended.

    The sound of a 12 gauge pump clears a house fatser than Rosie O eats a Big Mac !
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  • gunpaqgunpaq Member Posts: 4,607 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    A responsible person who has gotten into debt that cannot be satisfied or kept current would have made arrangements with the creditors prior to the collection process. One would be surprised how many creditors will work with the debtor, to the point of writing off the debt, reducing the debt, and/or bending over backwards in cooperating with payment terms, if they know the debtor is sincere in satisfying the debt. When the repo man comes, in most cases, the debtor has made no or little effort in paying on their debt.

    Pack slow, fall stable, pull high, hit dead center.
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  • bartobarto Member Posts: 4,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    i own two rentals & can attest (in my experience) that people who renege on contracts are DEADBEATS & should be treated as such.
    i realise there are probably exceptions but i've not met any.
    like the man said; if you feel sorry for them, pay their rent or make their car payment for them.
    barto

    the hard stuff we do right away - the impossible takes a little longer
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  • AlpineAlpine Member Posts: 15,092 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    "Neither a borrower nor a lender be".. If you are in that business you must take into account a percentage of deadbeats.

    Repo people if they were smart, instead of greedy, would take the vehicle in a public place, instead of at the residence.

    I have told repo people to disconnect the vehicle because the registerd owner objected to repossesion (Kalif. law) and have the repo person try to tell me what the law was. They of course went to jail and their tow truck went to car jail also.

    I just loved it when people would try to tell me how to do my job!

    "If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."
    ?The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.?
    Margaret Thatcher

    "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
    Mark Twain
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  • RugerNinerRugerNiner Member Posts: 12,636 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If some one is taking your car in the middle of the night how do you know if it's a Repo Man or Burglar?

    I would grab my Shotgun.

    Someone asked "where can you shoot some one to protect property"?
    FL. = YES
    PA. = NO

    It's a State Thing.

    Remember...Terrorist are attacking Civilians; Not the Government. Protect Yourself!
    Keep your Powder dry and your Musket well oiled.
    NRA Lifetime Benefactor Member.
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  • Judge DreadJudge Dread Member Posts: 2,372 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you know how much a car cost to put in the dealer in the first place you dont care about people not paying them anymore.....
    a $22,000.dollar car (Your cost) cost the manufacturer $2,200. to
    produce...

    With automation a motor ..$75. a transmision (Borg warner) "makes them all" $60 to $150 a rear axle differential and all $45 you sum all parts and the labor includes is just 1% of the street cost to you ......

    A bug (BW) produced in mexico costs $250 EACH !!!!

    Moders cars...????

    Call them a STEAL ! ,no longer it has a maintenance manual and only it can be fixed in a darn factory outlet (Owned by the Feudal lords
    Ford ,GM or whatever)

    If ever the repo man comes have a big can of gas (DOT aproved) in the trunk with a speed open lid ...and a flare gun

    AWWW Escuse me let me pick some stuff from the trunk

    OPPSSS! the stuff got spilled and lit a flare by accident hitting the flare gun with the gas can.....

    OPPPPSSSS! sorry darn ! run for it .....

    OK now you can have it ....... here are the keys!

    HEHEHE !

    JD

    Good...? , Bad...? Who cares ? as long I am the one with the the gun.....
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  • martzkj@msn.commartzkj@msn.com Member Posts: 582 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Rugernine, If I didn't pay my car payment for the last 6 months, I think they know it's the repo man. Anyway if they are that far behind they probably would love to have it stolen then let the insurance pay for it. Oh, but they probably don't have insurance either because they can't afford that. Then they take their uninsured car that isn't paid for with no insurance wreck into your family and walk away letting your insurance take care of the bill and the person holding the title to their car is also flat out of luck. Boy I feel so sorry for them, makes me want to CRY.
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  • treedawgtreedawg Member Posts: 321 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    good people do get in a bad position at times, but 99% are just dead beats. i wish we could put them in jail.
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,085 ******
    edited November -1
    I have no sympathy for deadbeats either, and that was not the issue.

    The repo man was trespassing and had to leave, just that simple.

    Incidentally, the debtor had papers dated that day, where he had gone to the dealership and signed a new credit agreement in order to make the car payments more affordable. The repo people didn't get the word.

    Another funny repo took place on a public street. The debtor noticed what was going on in time to run out to the car, get in, lock the doors and clamp both feet hard on the brake.

    Now it was a standoff. Illegal to tow a vehicle occupied by a human, and darn hard to tow one with the brakes locked unless you dolly it. No dolly, darn.

    So, a third party comes into play, and negotiates between the repo man and the debtor. A phone call is made, and a cash settlement agreed upon to forestall the repossession. Payment was made, the repo man released the car and went on.

    I was only a spectator, since I cannot actually take a position in such matters, and it was amusing.


    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • jltrentjltrent Member Posts: 9,345 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was a repo man for five years as part of my job when I worked in the banking business. I picked up collateral from over 200 debtors during that time (Farm equipment, tractor-trailors, autos, furniture and plenty more items.

    THis was very exciting and looking back very dangerious. I was shot at twice and had a knife pulled on me once, but at least 90% of the time I got my property without getting a court order. I was in just about every state east of the Mississippi.

    One thing I learned real quick was repoing from a man usually wasn't that bad, but when it come to picking up collateral from a woman it was hell. They would start hollering, screaming and everybody in the neighborhood would think I was trying to rape them or assualt them or something. It got to the point when it come to a woman I would get the key codes and get a key made and steal the car if possible.
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