Small Talk: What It's Like To Have Your Car Stolen

Kirt Kingzett is a real estate broker who is also an actor. If you are lucky enough to have HD cable and watch INHD, he is the co-host of a show called Beer Nutz where they travel the country drinking beer for you. Now that he's back, his car got stolen.

1. Getting your car stolen is obviously not fun. Tell us your not-fun story.

A day at the Bitch Beach. So I wake up head to the street, where I know I left my car, because I had to get my wallet out of it to go to dinner with a friend the night before. To my surprise, there is another car parked in the place where my vehicle was - what the!?! My first thoughts are, "ok now I can't get to where I am going", then, "what did I leave in the car? Tools, sports gear, a cashiers check!?!!?"

Ok, first things first, call the police. "Hello North Hollywood Police Department, Yes I think my car has been stolen... what's the plate #? I'm not sure but I have the VIN."

"Ok what is it? Well we don't have it in impound." Next is Van Nuys... same thing.

Now I head over to Van Nuys police department. I walked over the Van Nuys Blvd. to catch the bus, that I don't think I have ever traveled on since living in LA for 15 years. To my surprise, it didn't take long to catch a bus. It was very clean, not crowded and $1.25 for a ride to the police station. Not bad at all. I have used public transportation in every other city, but not LA.

I get to the Van Nuys police station: the officer was professional and courteous as he told me to look around the block for my car, as some thieves park the car a block or 2 away for a day or so to see if there is a LoJack device installed in the vehicle. I said yes, I did walk up and down the block as I sometimes forget where I park my car. The officer said he would call if they found my vehicle or if someone found it. He said sometimes the thieves take it for a joy ride, or for parts and leave it in a parking lot, or on a street.

2. Any tips for future GTA victims?

Tips are to keep your car empty of things you don't absolutely need in it. Your auto insurance won't pay for anything left in it, and your home owners insurance usually has a deductible: mine is $1000.00. It's tough to come up with that many items to meet the deductible.

Get LoJack if you like your car. I make my car mine, by tinting the windows, new tires and keeping it clean, but I didn't get a recovery system so now I have to just wait to see if the jackass that took my car doesn't really mess it up. It's just a pain in the rump looking for another car! I hate looking for a car.

3. What's your next car going to be?

Well I have been looking at BMW's and I know that's quite a chance, but there's an opportunity where a friend of mine is selling his 2003 325i BMW. I still have to think about that one, but it is a sweet ride. I think having a car stolen really makes me think that I don't want to get anything to new or too fancy. Well I guess the '97 Honda Accord they took wasn't top of the line.

4. Any updates on the status of your car? Has it been found yet?

No update on the car as of yet, but the officer did say that 50% of cars are typically found and returned, sometimes but not always in the same shape. The good thing about the Van Nuys police department is that they will call you if and when your car is recovered, so I won't have to pay for 3 weeks of impounds if they have it. And I heard some stations don't call, they let the car sit. So I am optimistic, he also said it can take up to a month to recover the vehicle. So for that time I have a rental, which my insurance covers up to $20 a day. You really can't get that much of a car for that!

5. Since you are a "Beer Nut," name some of the best places to get a beer after your car is stolen

Well the nice thing about living where I do is that there are a couple of good bars within walking distance. The Green Frog has some really good beers on tap!

Picture taken on Ventura Cyn. Ave where Kingzett's car was stolen.