Distraught Durban man's car stolen from dealership
After booking his vehicle into the dealership for repairs, a mere month after purchasing it, the van was stolen from the dealership on the day he was asked to come collect.
Purchasing a new car is a milestone moment in anyone's life. It shows growth and is symbolic of success.
But for one Durban man, Darrel Shanmugam, it was an experience that has caused him great anguish.
Shanmugam had taken his "Amarok Aventura 3.0 TDI to the Edwin Swales branch of Barons VW in Durban on 20 September 2024, just a month after purchasing it." (IOL)
A month later, he found out that his vehicle had been stolen from the dealership.
Shanmugam went to the dealership on October 28th, 2024, for an update as he had not heard from them. He was told that the vehicle was not ready; a battery still needed to be installed. They advised him that they would call him once the vehicle was ready for collection.
I wanted to wait for the car, but I was told they were still busy with other vehicles and would call me when they were done. I left the dealership just after midday. They called me back a few hours later, after 3pm, to collect my car. When I arrived and waited at reception, I was told the car was in the wash bay. After what felt like 45 minutes of waiting, I was informed that my car had been stolen.
According to IOL, Shanmugam said he was taken into an office and was shown CCTV footage of two men entering the dealership, going straight to the service department, entering his car with the keys in the ignition and driving off without being asked any questions by the security.
"These were strangers, yet they came in broad daylight and left without anyone saying anything. This was an inside job—how did they know my car was ready?" asked Shanmugam.
Shanmugam said he was promised a courtesy car and assistance from the dealership. However, he says the dealership backed out of their arrangement. They issued him a letter denying responsibility for the theft and refused him a courtesy car.
The confusing part is that Shanmugam didn't have insurance for his vehicle. When you purchase a car from a dealership, it's usually a prerequisite that you have vehicle insurance before you leave with your new car. If you are financing your vehicle through a financial institution, but if you are paying cash, then you can buy it without insurance.
The dealership has denied Shanmugam access to the CCTV footage and has advised him to engage a lawyer, but even with a lawyer, he has been unsuccessful in attaining the footage.
He is distraught over what has happened and has been struggling to sleep or work.
"It’s been incredibly difficult. I can’t sleep, I can’t function—I’m devastated, especially by how VW has distanced itself from this situation, even though the vehicle was stolen on their premises." (IOL)
A similar incident occurred recently when a Durban man left his vehicle at a service centre in Pinetown and was informed that someone who assumed his identity contacted them to hand over his vehicle to one of his associates.
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