Yella Fella STOLEN...

yvrr · 03-07-2010, 09:01 AM

Everyone,

Alan Feld just send me the following e-mail:

Joyce Hoffman, the owner of the Yella Fella, the bright yellow Sportsmobile that has been in many advertisements, just informed me that it was stolen yesterday from Oceanside at 1 PM. She was attending the opening of the Woman’s Surfing museum when it was stolen. This van is very high profile and visible, can you put the work out for everyone to keep an eye out for it, and report sightings to the police.

Here is a photo

Joyce would love to get her back! Let’s see if we can help.

Alan

billwilson · 03-07-2010, 10:26 AM

what a shame
will be on look out

i live in the next town up the coast, kinda a wake up call

will be adding a few anti theft things sooner than planned

because the van is so hi profile
probably in mexico now

bw

bettyford · 03-07-2010, 11:01 AM

Man that s==t piss's me off,
We will all have to be very careful about really good deals on eBay and craigslist, Being from San Diego I bet it didn't go south. I bet it went straight into a shop and is being striped. Not trying sound like a know it all just a thought . So I will not be buying anything used from socal.

I have Emailed all my buddy's in SD and they will be on the look out.

Ron

yvrr · 03-07-2010, 12:15 PM

Joyce posted this to the Yahoo group:

Thanks to everyone for getting the word out on Yella Fella. I parked him in an open public parking lot @ Cleveland & Pier Way in Oceanside, CA @ 1:00 yesterday. I walked into the museum about 200 yards away & within sight of Yella Fella. I went to leave @ 4:30 to find him gone. He was locked & there was no glass on the ground, so obviously a pro. Given the uniqueness of it & its bright yellow paint job, I assume it was taken immediately after I left it. This was no spur of the moment snatch, because they had to have some place to stash it within a 20 or 30 minute drive as they had no idea how long I might be in the building & once a police report was made they would surely be caught if on the road anywhere. I am thinking that I was probably spotted on my drive to the event & followed (a very scary thought) & they grabbed it the moment I was out of sight. It is probably already being stripped of all the components to be sold.

I had never really considered it necessary to add any of the anti theft stuff, since I figured they wouldn’t be much of a target due to their uniqueness—particularly a bright yellow one that locked like a Ford van on steroids!

Thanks, again--Joyce

Nomadcat · 03-07-2010, 02:01 PM

I've been thinking of a kill switch for a while. It may be time.

Angel · 03-07-2010, 02:41 PM

billwilson,

Please keep us posted as to what you do and WHERE you have it done. I will probably follow suit. I want a battery kill switch, also. I have a clicker that sets an alarm but I think I need to have something on me that lets me know that the alarm is going off. Nobody pays attention to alarms anymore.

After losing everything when my prior van burned up, one would think I would learn. I have the only copy of important SMB info in my van. I am going to fix that. Also time for pictures of everything in my van. This has been suggested on a previous thread. Homeowners insurance covers these items.

Angel

billwilson · 03-07-2010, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angel

billwilson,

Please keep us posted as to what you do and WHERE you have it done. I will probably follow suit. I want a battery kill switch, also. I have a clicker that sets an alarm but I think I need to have something on me that lets me know that the alarm is going off. Nobody pays attention to alarms anymore.

After losing everything when my prior van burned up, one would think I would learn. I have the only copy of important SMB info in my van. I am going to fix that. Also time for pictures of everything in my van. This has been suggested on a previous thread. Homeowners insurance covers these items.

Angel

will do
i have a couple of souces of no BS info
will post here also to get feedback

sadly a car can be flat bedded with a winch and down the road in minutes

will follow up

best to you Joyce (?) and Yella Fella

NRL · 03-07-2010, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nomadcat

I've been thinking of a kill switch for a while. It may be time.

Hidden Kill switch(s) to an additional appropriate Relay that connects to the PCM or Starter solenoid, or both just to make sure.
Also recommend LOjack or a GPS Tracker or both also.

bsdctx · 03-08-2010, 08:51 AM

New rims, a little retro body work, bada bing!

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4436

sdwindansea · 03-08-2010, 09:25 AM

So sorry to hear this. Especially since it was such an unique and beautiful SMB.

For those looking into additional security on their SMB, here was a long topic about it http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/vie....php?f=2&t=125. I purchased the Ravelco a couple years ago and I have not complaints.