Mass. couple says dealer won't take responsibility after vehicle presumably stolen

IT WAS JUST HERE, WE’RE TOTALLY OPEN RIGHT NEXT TO ROUTE ONE. YEAH, ROUTE ONE AND THEN 295 RIGHT THERE. THERE’S NO GATES, THERE’S NO CAMERAS, THERE’S THERE’S NOTHING. THE SOUTH PARKING LOT OF THE EMERALD SQUARE MALL IN NORTH ATTLEBORO IS THE LAST PLACE ANYONE SAW JESS AND JOSH MCHALE’S RV. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE LOT IS NOW EMPTY. BUT THAT WASN’T ALWAYS THE CASE UNTIL A SHORT TIME AGO. THIS LOT WAS USED BY PETE’S RV CENTER, JUST UP THE ROAD IN PLAINVILLE TO STORE RVS. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THESE IMAGES FROM GOOGLE MAPS, WE HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WOULD BE HERE ON THIS LOT. UNSECURED, AND WE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT TWICE IF WE’D HAD KNOWN IT WAS GOING TO BE UP HERE DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE MICHAEL SPENT ALMOST $24,000 TO BUY THIS 33 FOOT JAYCO RV, WHICH BECAME MUCH MORE THAN A VACATION HOME. IT WAS THEIR ONLY HOME FOR NEARLY A YEAR AS THEY PACKED UP THEIR KIDS AND TOURED THE LOWER 48. WHEN WE REALIZED THE KIDS WEREN’T GOING TO GO BACK AND HAVE A NORMAL SCHOOL YEAR DURING THAT LATE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR, UM, WE DECIDED TO FULFILL THAT DREAM AND GO CROSS COUNTRY LIKE ANY VEHICLE, THE RV NEEDS SERVICE FROM TIME TO TIME. SO LAST FALL THEY TOOK IT TO PETE’S RV, WHICH IS WHERE THEY ORIGINALLY BOUGHT IT AND AUTHORIZED JAYCO DEALER. THEY WERE SCHEDULED TO PICK IT UP IN MID JANUARY, BUT AT THE LAST MINUTE WERE ASKED TO POSTPONE AND THEN A FEW HOURS LATER THEY GOT A PHONE CALL. NO ONE. ONCE WE GOT A PHONE CALL, I GOT A PHONE CALL ABOUT 130 THAT DAY AND THEY SAID, ACTUALLY, WE CAN’T FIND IT. THAT’S RIGHT, THEIR CAMPER WAS MISSING. POSSIBLY STOLEN. COMPLETE SHOCK, TOTAL PANIC. I WE ABSOLUTELY LOVED THAT CAMPER. WE HAD A TON OF EXPERIENCES IN IT AND I DIDN’T REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT WAS GONE. THE MICHAEL SAY PETE’S TOLD THEM THEY BELIEVE IT WAS STORED IN THIS LOT AT THE MALL, ALTHOUGH THEIR STORAGE SYSTEM ISN’T EXACTLY CLEAR. THEY DON’T HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE OTHER THAN HANDWRITTEN NOTES ABOUT WHERE UNITS ARE, AND THEY MADE IT SOUND LIKE THEY FREQUENTLY MISPLACE THEM. THE MCHALE’S ASKED PETE’S TO ASSIST IN FILING A POLICE REPORT FOR THE STOLEN RV, WHICH HAPPENED SEVERAL DAYS LATER. BUT THEN THEY SAY THE COMPANY ESSENTIALLY HIT THE ROAD, LEAVING THEM ON THEIR OWN. JESS POSTED A NEGATIVE REVIEW, WHICH GOT THEM ON THE PHONE WITH THE PETE’S EXECUTIVE, TODD MCGINNIS. IT WENT SOUTH QUICKLY. UM, THEY DID NOT WANT TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. THE COMPANY DID AGREE TO FILE A CLAIM WITH THEIR INSURANCE, WHICH SHOULD BE THE FIRST STEP, BUT THE CLAIM WAS DENIED AND THEY DON’T HAVE COVERAGE. THEY ACTUALLY SAID TO US, IF WE EXPECTED THE UNIT TO BE STORED IN A SECURE LOCATION, WE SHOULDN’T HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THEM. SO THE MCHALE’S TURNED TO US. THEY’LL ALSO NEED TO TURN TO THEIR OWN INSURANCE POLICY VEHICLE THEFT IS COVERED THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE, AND IT’S NOT MANDATORY IN MASSACHUSETTS, BUT IS GOOD TO HAVE AS IT COVERS THINGS NOT CONNECTED WITH THE CRASH. THEN IT WILL BE UP TO THE MCHALE’S INSURANCE TO POTENTIALLY TRY TO GET REIMBURSED FROM PETE’S, BUT AN INSURANCE PAYOUT WON’T MAKE THIS COUPLE WHOLE. THEY’LL HAVE TO PAY THEIR THOUSAND DOLLAR DEDUCTIBLE. THE HIGHER PRICE FOR A COMPARABLE RV NOW, AND THEY COULD FACE HIGHER INSURANCE RATES FOR HAVING SUCH A LARGE LOSS. S PETE’S RV TURNED DOWN MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR COMMENT, AND THEY WOULD NOT ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR INSURANCE COVERAGE OR OFFERING COMPENSATION TO THE MCHALE’S. BUT AFTER I CONTACTED THEM, THEY DID START NEGOTIATING WITH JOSH AND JESS.

The last thing you expect when you drop your vehicle off for service is for it to wind up stolen. And then, for the dealership to essentially shrug their shoulders, saying it's your problem. That's exactly what a Massachusetts couple says happened to them. When they couldn't get any compensation, they turned to NewsCenter 5 for help. The south parking lot of the Emerald Square Mall in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, is the last place anyone saw Jess and Josh McHale's recreational vehicle. The lot is now empty, but that wasn't always the case. Until a short time ago, the lot was used by Pete's RV Center just up the road in Plainville to store RVs, including the McHale's. "We had no idea that it would be here on this lot unsecured," said Josh McHale. "We would've thought twice if we'd have known it was going to be up here.""There's no gates, there's no cameras," said Jess McHale. "There's nothing."During the pandemic, the McHales spent almost $24,000 to buy a 33-foot Jayco RV, which became much more than a vacation home. It was their only home for nearly a year, as they packed up their kids and toured the lower 48."When we realized the kids weren't going to go back and have a normal school year during that school year, we decided to fulfill that dream and go cross country," said Jess. The family has now visited every state except Alaska and Hawaii.Like any vehicle, an RV needs service from time to time. Last fall, they took it to Pete's RV, which is an authorized Jayco dealer and where they originally bought it. They were scheduled to pick it up in mid-January, but at the last minute Pete's asked them to postpone. The McHales say a few hours later, they got a phone call no one wants."I got a phone call about 1:30 that day, and they said, 'Actually, we can't find it,’" said Jess McHale.Their camper was missing, presumably stolen."Complete shock, total panic," she said. "We absolutely loved that camper. We had a ton of experiences in it, and I didn't really believe that it was gone."The McHales say Pete's told them they believe it was stored in the south parking lot at Emerald Square, although their storage system was less than clear."They don't have a system in place other than handwritten notes about where units are," Josh said. "And they made it sound like they frequently misplaced them, always seemed to find them."The McHales asked Pete's to assist in filing a police report for the stolen RV, which happened several days later. Then, they say the company essentially hit the road, leaving them on their own. Jess McHale posted a negative review online, which got them on the phone with a Pete's executive.The conversation "went south quickly," said Josh McHale. "They did not want to take any responsibility for this."The company did agree to file a claim with their insurance — which should be the first step in cases like this. But the claim was denied."They don't have coverage," Jess said. "They actually said to us, if we expected the unit to be stored in a secure location, we shouldn't have brought it to them."That's when the McHales turned to NewsCenter 5. And unfortunately, they'll also need to turn to their own insurance policy.Vehicle theft is covered through comprehensive insurance. It's not mandatory in Massachusetts, but is good to have as it covers things not connected with a crash. Once the McHale's insurance issues a payout for the lost RV under their policy, it could then try to get reimbursement from Pete's or its insurance company through a process known as subrogation.But an insurance payout still won't make the McHales whole. They'll have to pay their $1,000 deductible, the higher price for a comparable RV now, and they could face higher insurance rates moving forward for having such a large loss.Pete's RV turned down multiple requests for comment, and wouldn't answer questions about the company's insurance coverage or offering compensation to Josh and Jess McHale. But after NewsCenter 5 contacted them, they did finally start negotiating with the couple, although any settlement was not disclosed.

NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, Mass. —

The last thing you expect when you drop your vehicle off for service is for it to wind up stolen. And then, for the dealership to essentially shrug their shoulders, saying it's your problem.

That's exactly what a Massachusetts couple says happened to them. When they couldn't get any compensation, they turned to NewsCenter 5 for help.

The south parking lot of the Emerald Square Mall in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, is the last place anyone saw Jess and Josh McHale's recreational vehicle. The lot is now empty, but that wasn't always the case. Until a short time ago, the lot was used by Pete's RV Center just up the road in Plainville to store RVs, including the McHale's.

"We had no idea that it would be here on this lot unsecured," said Josh McHale. "We would've thought twice if we'd have known it was going to be up here."

"There's no gates, there's no cameras," said Jess McHale. "There's nothing."

During the pandemic, the McHales spent almost $24,000 to buy a 33-foot Jayco RV, which became much more than a vacation home. It was their only home for nearly a year, as they packed up their kids and toured the lower 48.

"When we realized the kids weren't going to go back and have a normal school year during that [2020-2021] school year, we decided to fulfill that dream and go cross country," said Jess. The family has now visited every state except Alaska and Hawaii.

Like any vehicle, an RV needs service from time to time. Last fall, they took it to Pete's RV, which is an authorized Jayco dealer and where they originally bought it. They were scheduled to pick it up in mid-January, but at the last minute Pete's asked them to postpone. The McHales say a few hours later, they got a phone call no one wants.

"I got a phone call about 1:30 that day, and they said, 'Actually, we can't find it,’" said Jess McHale.

Their camper was missing, presumably stolen.

"Complete shock, total panic," she said. "We absolutely loved that camper. We had a ton of experiences in it, and I didn't really believe that it was gone."

The McHales say Pete's told them they believe it was stored in the south parking lot at Emerald Square, although their storage system was less than clear.

"They don't have a system in place other than handwritten notes about where units are," Josh said. "And they made it sound like they frequently misplaced them, [but] always seemed to find them."

The McHales asked Pete's to assist in filing a police report for the stolen RV, which happened several days later. Then, they say the company essentially hit the road, leaving them on their own. Jess McHale posted a negative review online, which got them on the phone with a Pete's executive.

The conversation "went south quickly," said Josh McHale. "They did not want to take any responsibility for this."

The company did agree to file a claim with their insurance — which should be the first step in cases like this. But the claim was denied.

"They don't have coverage," Jess said. "They actually said to us, if we expected the unit to be stored in a secure location, we shouldn't have brought it to them."

That's when the McHales turned to NewsCenter 5. And unfortunately, they'll also need to turn to their own insurance policy.

Vehicle theft is covered through comprehensive insurance. It's not mandatory in Massachusetts, but is good to have as it covers things not connected with a crash. Once the McHale's insurance issues a payout for the lost RV under their policy, it could then try to get reimbursement from Pete's or its insurance company through a process known as subrogation.

But an insurance payout still won't make the McHales whole. They'll have to pay their $1,000 deductible, the higher price for a comparable RV now, and they could face higher insurance rates moving forward for having such a large loss.

Pete's RV turned down multiple requests for comment, and wouldn't answer questions about the company's insurance coverage or offering compensation to Josh and Jess McHale. But after NewsCenter 5 contacted them, they did finally start negotiating with the couple, although any settlement was not disclosed.

Mass. couple says dealer won't take responsibility after vehicle presumably stolen

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