VIDEO: Toyota dealer employees caught snooping through customer vehicle, watching porn
Click above to watch video after the jump
Have you ever had the feeling that the service guy at your local dealership is rummaging through your things? Perhaps even a few quarters are missing. A guy named Jason knows all too well about dealership employees going through his stuff – on two different occasions, Jason noticed that things were missing from his Toyota Tundra after getting it serviced at Hampton Toyota of Lafayette. One time, over $10 in quarters were reportedly stolen, and the next time, Jason says about half his quarters were gone.
After complaining about his problems to dealership management, he received no response. So he rigged a digital video camera to the passenger side door and recorded his Tundra's next service appointment. What he saw from the video footage was priceless. In one video clip, the technician rummages through his pills, even licking the medicine's residue on his hand. He also takes some quarters from the truck. Videos that were later removed from YouTube reportedly shows one man watching what sounds like pornography on a diagnostic computer.
Instead of again complaining to dealership management, this time Jason took the DVD to the local media, and sent a copy to the owner of the dealership, along with a letter detailing what happened to him. Consumerist reports that the dealer's owner immediately fired the three workers caught on video, along with the service manager that ignored his complaints. Jason also received an extended warranty on his truck for his troubles. Hit the jump to view the videos showing the technician rummaging through Jason's things. Hat tip to FaLex!
[Source: Consumerist]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 10)
Torrent 7:32PM (7/07/2009)
Wow that video got taken offline fast.
Reply
Caz 11:05PM (7/07/2009)
As a resident of Lafayette LA, I can confirm that Hampton Toyo sucks!
Howard 11:46AM (7/09/2009)
wow did he get caught and the dealers have the balls to charge like $55.00 hour labor
AnglsSandman 9:57PM (7/09/2009)
This happens at LOTS of dealerships, I know of atleast 3 or 4 that are currently looking at camera systems to be installed in their service areas, detailing booths, and service drop off lanes to protect their customers as well as themselves due to claims of scratches or dents on the vehicles occuring, allegedly after the vehicles were brought in. High Def. systems digitally imaging the vehicles from all sides and stored on dvrs or main frame computors are going to be all too common on the future to cover against false claims
Gunny 2:15PM (7/10/2009)
that is why you should buy american (CHEVY)..
jinsei888 7:32PM (7/07/2009)
plus one for the consumer!
Reply
vkchu 9:04PM (7/07/2009)
the tundra owner is badass!!!
i gotta get me a videocam.
Taglane 7:36PM (7/07/2009)
Wow that uh... That sucks bad.
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ALEXDB9 7:37PM (7/07/2009)
He better run a black light all over his truck
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Greg House, M.D. 9:48PM (7/08/2009)
(Dealership owner after observing black light test)
... umm, you should probably just ignore that, maybe some pill bottle residue... so, you want to make that a lifetime warranty?
JM 7:39PM (7/07/2009)
That's a good idea on how to get an extended warranty.
Reply
polo 2:38PM (7/08/2009)
Hmmm. So all it takes is some quarters, a bag of goodies and a hidden cam? anybody reccommend a good hidden camera for this??
sbessette91 7:40PM (7/07/2009)
This is why I take everything out of my SUV before I have it serviced. I typically don't have anything more than a navigation system and some change, but I take it with me. Bunch of pigs...
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RandyMarsh980 9:18PM (7/07/2009)
What you are seeing here is a BAD technician, most of us are hard working people trying to get by. Yes there are some bad ones that will screw you over, but most of us don't give a rat's ass about what's in your car. Let alone thinking about stealing some change. All we want is to clock in the most hours we can (if your on flat rate), make some money, and go home.
timhwu 11:01PM (7/07/2009)
This actually happened to me ~10 years ago at an Atlanta area Toyota dealership. I had dropped a dept store charge card in my car and didn't realize that I had lost it until I got a bill for ~$500 from Rich's. When I looked at the date of the charge, it was the day I had my Camry serviced and when I went back to my car to look, sure enough the card was sitting there, in the door pocket.
Never trust these service technicians!
Mike P. 11:54PM (7/07/2009)
I trust that many service technicians are honest, hardworking people. But I still have to protect myself from the bad ones. Besides, by removing valuables from the car I remove the opportunity and temptation to steal them.
Most people are basically honest.
Tagg 1:15AM (7/08/2009)
I worked part time at a dealership as a porter and can tell you that many customers are pigs. You would be shocked to see the interiors on some peoples and how disgusting they are. We had this one lady who brought her minivan in and when we opened the door there was so much trash in the car we couldn't even get in it. There was dog crap, rotten food, and pop cans every where along with mail and other papers at least 4 inches deep.
The stories I could tell.
It's amazing what service techs have to put up with at times.
tuxchown 12:46AM (7/08/2009)
Gee, I thought Toyotas never needed service.
Arvig 5:10AM (7/10/2009)
I'm not going to say that every technician is like this sbessette91, far from it. I've never had this happen to me personally in fact. BUT, this wasn't just one bad technician. It was three total, the service manager and two others if I recall right. I've seen other articles including one where the letter he sent to the owner of the dealership was published indicating whom was involved. Another employee backed the truck into the parking lot then moved it to another part of the service center, while uttering vulgarities and racial slurs. A third operated a laptop PC in his truck and watched pornography with it, based on the audio his camera recorded. The letter I saw explains both, including a non-graphic but still obvious quote from the film being watched by the guy with the laptop. So, this was THREE technicians, not just one bad one at this dealership, including the manager.
sbessette91 11:36AM (7/10/2009)
Yes, I tried to leave a comment yesterday but Autoblog was having trouble posting it. I wanted to clear up any confusion about my comment, I meant the technicians from the post were pigs, not all technicians in general. I didn't state my comment very well, apologies.