LS Swap Fraud - Need New Shop

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

lelandEOD said:
Brother, if you lived closer I'd round up two or three of the boys and we'd:

View attachment 4063331
Click to expand...
@reklund5 = shotgun
then we'd have to go full blown For whom the Bell Tolls.

1767825968734.gif
 
Shumi90 said:
Ooof is right. I am tempted to do much worse than what you describe...but that won't change the situation and only be momentarily gratifying just to cause more problems later. The LE actually jokingly suggested I break in and take it; however, he then warned me not to do that. I will give him a couple of days to make a legal suggestion.
Click to expand...
Now see, I would read that suggestion as, "Go ahead and get your rig, just don't do it in a way that I get a call." Time to start binge-watching Lockpicking Lawyer vids and practice up.
 
Shumi90 said:
It is insured. But he did not steal the truck. I took it to him for work. This makes it a civil case for breach of contract. The cost to bring a suit and the fact that he is not getting out makes recovery of any monetary compensation inconceivable. Even if I get a judgement, collection will mute.
Click to expand...
But he stole the engine and the transmission
 
oof, this is a sad tale for 2026. I wonder if you post up in the Clubhouse section to get some local help/advice/etc? I hope you get a swift resolution on this nightmare.
 
Shumi90 said:
Happy New Year!!!.....Well....Errr....So... my '96 LC went into a local 'specialty LS swap' shop in late October for an LS3 and 4L80E engine/transmission swap. OEM engine removed, Marks 4x4 adaptor received and everything is moving forward. Holidays come and go, and I can't get in touch with the owner. Surprise!!! The owner was arrested in Dec and sentenced today to 60 years for fraud. Yea - 60 Years for Fraud and theft. FAFO in TX, I guess. Apparently, he ran 2 other shops and took peoples rides and engines. $2MM worth. None of the reviews of the shop I was dealing with had any of this, which is why he kept switching shop locations apparently.

Now I need to get my truck back without the engine and transmission (they are long gone), collect the remaining parts and find another shop. It goes without saying that $16K payment is long gone too. Here is the kicker, since the owner has not performed the work because he was arrested, the police stated that this remains a civil case and not a criminal case. They are trying to figure out how I can recover my vehicle since they don't have a criminal warrant at this location to execute. Fun... if I can't get in to retrieve the truck, the police will have to open a civil complaint and find a judge to issue a civil warrant for the police to open the shop forcefully. In the meantime, I need help finding a reasonable and REPUTABLE shop preferably close to Houston TX where I can tow my vehicle and parts to complete the job once I get my truck back.
Any suggestions or previous experience with a shop that can take this on?
Thank you...and hoping your 2026 starts off better than mine.
Cheers

View attachment 4062853
Click to expand...
This is a huge bummer man! I see you're in Houston. Call Javier's Autos Unlimited! 713.461.5595 (look them up on google) He's the official unofficial LC mechanic of Houston! He's very well versed in motor swaps to! Hell of a guy.
 
Friends, Partners in Crime, and Support Team...We have an update:

The shop's neighbor that originally gave me the scoop on what happened to the shop my LC was in, called me all upset for having 'involved' him with the police. The police simply called him to get the phone numbers he had of the landlord and the mechanic that still had access to the shop. I appreciate that he was not involved and did not want to get involved but we smoothed things out. The Police could not share the number of the landlord not mechanic with me, however they did go and talk to the landlord. Since the lease was still current and paid up the landlord said he had no grounds to open the shop. Not sure that is legally correct. As landlord he has a right to inspect the property, but he may be right that he cannot allow police to enter without a warrant. I called the leasing number at the front and left a VM with no results. And the neighbor did not want to give me the mechanics number - told me to get it from the police. I appealed him by quoting Edmund Burke. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

The next afternoon he called me and told me that one of the mechanics was in the shop and they would help me get my stuff out of there. So, I quickly went there and grabbed everything we could find and called a tow truck before the landlord or anyone else showed up. So... She is back in my possession. Engine and transmission are definitely gone, and the LS was no were to be seen. I did get most of the pieces (transfer case, Marks 4x4 adaptor, hood, radiator, AC condenser, drive shaft, battery boxes, ARB front bumper with winch and lights, grill, shroud, front braces, lights, etc. The only thing I could not find is the transmission support bracket and probably some small items. I'll have to source those. Everything inside was as I left it. Fridge, ARB drawer system, air compressor, stereo w/ reversing camera, RTT, etc. all there.

Now I just need catch my breath and make a deal with another shop. Thank you for all your suggestions and support. It would have been more fun with the van crew in the memes, but it's done.
You guys can probably appreciate the license plate.

1000021281.webp
 
Shumi90 said:
Friends, Partners in Crime, and Support Team...We have an update:

The shop's neighbor that originally gave me the scoop on what happened to the shop my LC was in, called me all upset for having 'involved' him with the police. The police simply called him to get the phone numbers he had of the landlord and the mechanic that still had access to the shop. I appreciate that he was not involved and did not want to get involved but we smoothed things out. The Police could not share the number of the landlord not mechanic with me, however they did go and talk to the landlord. Since the lease was still current and paid up the landlord said he had no grounds to open the shop. Not sure that is legally correct. As landlord he has a right to inspect the property, but he may be right that he cannot allow police to enter without a warrant. I called the leasing number at the front and left a VM with no results. And the neighbor did not want to give me the mechanics number - told me to get it from the police. I appealed him by quoting Edmund Burke. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

The next afternoon he called me and told me that one of the mechanics was in the shop and they would help me get my stuff out of there. So, I quickly went there and grabbed everything we could find and called a tow truck before the landlord or anyone else showed up. So... She is back in my possession. Engine and transmission are definitely gone, and the LS was no were to be seen. I did get most of the pieces (transfer case, Marks 4x4 adaptor, hood, radiator, AC condenser, drive shaft, battery boxes, ARB front bumper with winch and lights, grill, shroud, front braces, lights, etc. The only thing I could not find is the transmission support bracket and probably some small items. I'll have to source those. Everything inside was as I left it. Fridge, ARB drawer system, air compressor, stereo w/ reversing camera, RTT, etc. all there.

Now I just need catch my breath and make a deal with another shop. Thank you for all your suggestions and support. It would have been more fun with the van crew in the memes, but it's done.
You guys can probably appreciate the license plate.

View attachment 4064475
Click to expand...
That's a huge step man congratulations
 
Wow, terrible outcome that at least now has a chance to get better. Best wishes going forward.
 
Shumi90 said:
Friends, Partners in Crime, and Support Team...We have an update:

The shop's neighbor that originally gave me the scoop on what happened to the shop my LC was in, called me all upset for having 'involved' him with the police. The police simply called him to get the phone numbers he had of the landlord and the mechanic that still had access to the shop. I appreciate that he was not involved and did not want to get involved but we smoothed things out. The Police could not share the number of the landlord not mechanic with me, however they did go and talk to the landlord. Since the lease was still current and paid up the landlord said he had no grounds to open the shop. Not sure that is legally correct. As landlord he has a right to inspect the property, but he may be right that he cannot allow police to enter without a warrant. I called the leasing number at the front and left a VM with no results. And the neighbor did not want to give me the mechanics number - told me to get it from the police. I appealed him by quoting Edmund Burke. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

The next afternoon he called me and told me that one of the mechanics was in the shop and they would help me get my stuff out of there. So, I quickly went there and grabbed everything we could find and called a tow truck before the landlord or anyone else showed up. So... She is back in my possession. Engine and transmission are definitely gone, and the LS was no were to be seen. I did get most of the pieces (transfer case, Marks 4x4 adaptor, hood, radiator, AC condenser, drive shaft, battery boxes, ARB front bumper with winch and lights, grill, shroud, front braces, lights, etc. The only thing I could not find is the transmission support bracket and probably some small items. I'll have to source those. Everything inside was as I left it. Fridge, ARB drawer system, air compressor, stereo w/ reversing camera, RTT, etc. all there.

Now I just need catch my breath and make a deal with another shop. Thank you for all your suggestions and support. It would have been more fun with the van crew in the memes, but it's done.
You guys can probably appreciate the license plate.

View attachment 4064475
Click to expand...
Still not ideal, but it could be a lot worse! Again, I'm not a lawyer, but my gut says the landlord is correct. At least in a residential context, a person would be pretty pissed to come home from work and find that their landlord had opened their house to the cops - and rightly so. Personally, my opinion is that if there is a disconnect between what should have been done and what was, it's mostly with the cops not wanting to bother filling out the paperwork to track down the stolen items. I'd make them file a police report for the theft of anything you have VIN numbers for... the original motor and trans of course, and the LS if you've got the VIN for it. Probably nothing will come of it, but make them do the bare minimal part of their jobs. At least it's part of the record at that point.
 
If you find yourself having to pick up another T case consider a split case with twin sticks. Gets you away from AWD and gives you 2WD low with the twin sticks.
Just one man's opinion. T cases are available new from Toyota.
 
LongDuck said:
Everything you just described about LE needing warrants to get your own vehicle out of there tells me you shouldn't engage another shop until the truck (*body) is sitting in your own driveway. Only then can you get another shop involved to plan for the work.

I also assume you're going to need another $16k deposit (*or so...), along with any number of other engine swap parts that you could be collecting now for the eventual date that you get a call from LE that your truck is sitting somewhere it doesn't belong, and to come and get it.

Buy me a beer and I'll tell you the story about stealing my own car from a repair shop's walled, fenced, and security gated storage yard...
Click to expand...
:eek:
 
Shumi90 said:
Friends, Partners in Crime, and Support Team...We have an update:

The shop's neighbor that originally gave me the scoop on what happened to the shop my LC was in, called me all upset for having 'involved' him with the police. The police simply called him to get the phone numbers he had of the landlord and the mechanic that still had access to the shop. I appreciate that he was not involved and did not want to get involved but we smoothed things out. The Police could not share the number of the landlord not mechanic with me, however they did go and talk to the landlord. Since the lease was still current and paid up the landlord said he had no grounds to open the shop. Not sure that is legally correct. As landlord he has a right to inspect the property, but he may be right that he cannot allow police to enter without a warrant. I called the leasing number at the front and left a VM with no results. And the neighbor did not want to give me the mechanics number - told me to get it from the police. I appealed him by quoting Edmund Burke. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

The next afternoon he called me and told me that one of the mechanics was in the shop and they would help me get my stuff out of there. So, I quickly went there and grabbed everything we could find and called a tow truck before the landlord or anyone else showed up. So... She is back in my possession. Engine and transmission are definitely gone, and the LS was no were to be seen. I did get most of the pieces (transfer case, Marks 4x4 adaptor, hood, radiator, AC condenser, drive shaft, battery boxes, ARB front bumper with winch and lights, grill, shroud, front braces, lights, etc. The only thing I could not find is the transmission support bracket and probably some small items. I'll have to source those. Everything inside was as I left it. Fridge, ARB drawer system, air compressor, stereo w/ reversing camera, RTT, etc. all there.

Now I just need catch my breath and make a deal with another shop. Thank you for all your suggestions and support. It would have been more fun with the van crew in the memes, but it's done.
You guys can probably appreciate the license plate.

View attachment 4064475
Click to expand...
building owners can usually be found out via the county tax assessor's office (their website)
 
LXDOC said:
Find out who owns the building where it is stored. Speak to owner of said building.
Click to expand...
I did call the landlord, but no response. Not sure he could have let me in since as a landlord you can't let anyone in. I can verify ownership of the truck, but not the parts in the shop. Good thing I was able to get in and retrieve 95-98% of my things. This is now just a cautionary tail for all members.
 
Marvelicious said:
Why? If you're concerned about some potential legal ramifications, he was literally let in by an employee of the shop to retrieve his own property. If anything, this thread serves as a reminder to all of us to research who we do business with.
Click to expand...
That is my intent @Marvelicious. I have not disclosed the shop name or persons involved. This is more of a cautionary tale to all members to be careful. All reviews on-line were positive which in hindsight are probably all fake, or negative ones purged out. I did confirm the owner was sentenced to 60 years, which blows my mind that he would get that much when I hear murderers have gotten less. Anyway, we should not run into him anytime soon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom