KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Mike Rietano hasn't caught a break in the four years he’s lived in Kansas City.
"Been struck by a couple of deer that was $15,000 of damage in two separate instances, unfortunately I had a head-on collision and a hit and run doing Uber,” Rietano said.
On Aug. 31, Rietano stepped foot into the Autostart car dealership on Bannister Road and put down $600 on a 2011 Toyota Camry worth $7,000.
"Unfortunately a few days later, due to my negligence, my car gets stolen. I leave my car running while I ran into the store,” Rietano said.
The car, like many others on the lot, was equipped with a GPS tracking device.
"If your vehicle is stolen that helps the police department. Unfortunately what they don’t inform you is that they’re not there on the weekends. Well, my car was stolen on the weekend so the police department had no way of contacting them,” Rietano said.
Eventually police found the car at the city impound lot.
Rietano, who receives disability payments, sought help from his family to pay the fees to get his car back.
Then he learned:
"The vehicle suffered a battery being removed and all the interior wiring cut out of the vehicle that’s what we know of,” Rietano said.
Rietano was under the impression Autostart would help with some of the fees.
"There’s nothing in here about that insurance that I bought from them. OK, so where does it say that’s not covered?” Rietano said, pointing to his paperwork.
An Autostart representative told 41 Action News Rietano paid for the collateral protection program which covers the loan in case something happens to the car. This is separate from the comprehensive and liability insurance.
The spokesperson added Rietano only has liability insurance and his car is at a shop getting assessed for an estimate.
"What I hope happens is that I can get a vehicle from them that works properly and timely fashion,” Rietano said.
The Autostart spokesperson said they will do their best to help Rietano during this difficult time.
