Wwyd?

[MikeW]

So one of the mechanics I work with found a snap-on LED flashlight under the hood of a truck last week. It worked, it wasnt broken in any way, so he kept it. Our local Snap-On rep comes around a few days later and the mechanic asks for the charger for that specific light. The Snap-On guy says, thats a brand new light. He just got one in last week and had sold it to a guy in town.

Now, the mechanic told the Snap-On guy that he had bought it from a friend--Not that he had found it under the hood of a car.

Well, the Snap-On guy got nosey and went and asked the guy he sold the light to if he had lost it and sure enough, he had. Well, the original owner came up here today wanting his light back. The mechanic said he'd give it back and there was no foul play intended, etc. He had just found it under the hood and decided to keep it.

Now i was there when the dude came looking for his flashlight and he was acting like a total tool. He was acting like our guy went and stole it right out of his toolbox. I know he was pissed about the lie, but he should be glad he's getting it back. There were no marking or anything on it, so the owner had no proof that THAT light was his.

What's your guys' take on the situation? Was the mechanic here in the wrong for keeping it and should the owner have acted like he did? I dont think so. Had the mechanic here not gone looking for a charger, the owner never wouldve gotten his light back. Im just curious of what you shop mechanics have to say.

[Pandemic]

It was in the guys car so it was his. The mechanic should have put it in the glove box or something.

[PointBlank]

He stole from a customer. Plain and simple.

He'd be out of a job where I work.

[crusto2k3]

He stole from a customer. Plain and simple.

He'd be out of a job where I work.

I've left tools in the engine bay.

Should've put it in the car and told the customer.

I wonder if your friend has ever 'found' anything else. Whats to stop him from ripping anyone in the past/future off or even you for that matter.

[scudweiser]

The mechanic took something that didnt belong to him, but the owner of the flashlight didnt care enough to keep track of where it was. tough call.

[steelbluesleepR]

taking a flashlight that happened to be in somebody's engine bay is just like taking somebody's ipod that happened to be in their cupholder. there is NO difference. the mechanic is thieving scum.

[crusto2k3]

The mechanic took something that didnt belong to him, but the owner of the flashlight didnt care enough to keep track of where it was. tough call.

come'on man do you have morals? So if you misplace something in your car it's free game? All you have to do is ask, as long as she is not a crackhead...."What would my Mom do?"

And after all, whgo said he wasn't storing the light there. I know people who put things in their bay in secure spots.

[F22HB]

He totally stole it. He should be fired, there are plenty of more honest people out there who would love his job I'm sure. Besides, maybe the guy leaves the freakin flashlight under the hood incase it's dark out and he goes to check something under the hood. This is why I never let shops do work on my car. Jesus people.

[MikeW]

The original owner of the light was a mechanic at another shop. The vehicle that it was found in belonged to a customer that so happened to visit both shops in a 2-week period.

Ive been told by aot of guys that they're always finding tools and screwdrivers and wrenches under hoods. They've admitted to leaving tools of their own under hoods as well.

What I think is funny is that the customer took their car to the other shop and they must not have done a good job if the customer is then coming here for work. PLus the dude is leaving a brand new light under the hood..? Yeah.

I could see where the mechanic here is in the wrong. The light didnt belong to him but the customer would've done anything with it. They probably would've tossed it. And giving it to the shop foreman here, he probably wouldve told the tech to keep it or who knows.

The original owner is going to get his light back, but i dont think his attitude was necessary. He could've just come up here and said, "look, the light you 'found' belongs to me. Id appreciate it if you could give it back." But instead he's coming up here, brow-beating the guy and acting like our guy knew who it belong to and intentionally stole it from the guy. It was an accident. He found a tool and he kept it. From what Im told, it happens all the time. 99% of the time, the original owner never gets it back, so i think this guy should be lucky and thankful.

[TheFirstNutZo]

He totally stole it. He should be fired, there are plenty of more honest people out there who would love his job I'm sure. Besides, maybe the guy leaves the freakin flashlight under the hood incase it's dark out and he goes to check something under the hood. This is why I never let shops do work on my car. Jesus people.

I'm with this guy. I don't even see how there are two sides to the argument. One person stole from another, and got caught. The person he stole from was upset. I would've been pissed off too. There was no misunderstanding, one person removed personal property from a vehicle he was working on INTENTIONALLY.


kudos to the snapon dealer for being vigilant of a dirty thief.

[F22HB]

Well no shit it was his. It was taken from his truck.

[crusto2k3]

Either a Liar or a Thief. Maybe both.


Shouldn't have lied to the SnapOn guy. That's where he went wrong.

I would throw it away at this point and screw everyone!

[visualpoet]

I'm with the guys. It's like saying he found a twenty on their floorboards and decided to keep it.

[MikeW]

You guys...

John Q Customer takes his car to Shop-A to get it worked on. Mechanic-A leaves light under hood.

A week later, John Q Customer takes his car to Shop-B where Mechanic-B finds light under hood.

The light wasnt taken from Mechanic-A. It was found under the hood of a customer's vehicle. Maybe we have some shady dudes working here but i dont think it's THAT big of a deal. No harm, no foul. All the guys Ive asked have said that it happens all the time and the dude should be lucky he's getting it back.

[Bullhorn7]

How did the mechanic KNOW it was from a different shop and not the customer? He knew it probably belonged to the customer and therefor stole it. Hes in the wrong totally and should be fired...