LAS VEGAS (CN) - A married couple's belongings were stolen from a Penske moving van because the trucks are easy to open and start with almost any key, the couple claims in Clark County Court.
Colton and Nicole Brauer say they were moving from Alabama to Las Vegas in March 2009, and had rented a 26-foot moving van from Penske. They say they loaded all their belongings into the van and drove it across-country.
When they arrived in Las Vegas six days later, they say they parked the van in front of Nicole Brauer's mother's house.
They discovered early the next morning that the van was gone.
They say the van was found a few days later in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, and nearly all of their stuff was either gone or destroyed.
They say they took the van to a Penske location to swap the van with another so that they could haul their remaining belongings.
That's when they say a Penske employee told the Bauers that the "theft of Penske vans was not uncommon because it is well known that practically any key that could fit into the ignition switch could open and start a Penske's van," the lawsuit states.
The Bauers say they then tried to open and start their replacement with keys from their personal king.
"To their amazement, they found that any key on their key ring that could into the ignition switch could in fact open and start the replacement van," the lawsuit states.
They say they later found another Penske van "and asked the possessor if they could attempt to open their van." The Brauers say the van opened with their personal keys.
Plaintiffs seek at least $50,000 in compensatory and punitive damages for negligence.
They are represented by D. Kevin DeGraw.
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.
Additional Reads
-
Alaska, Hawaiian Airlines April 17, 2024 -
-
Contributor-Test-Post-2024-04-12 April 12, 2024 -
