Stalled repair: Manitoba farmer left waiting for stolen truck to get fixed

When Clint Sigurdson's 2010 Dodge Ram was stolen from his MacGregor-area farm in early spring, he hoped it would be back to work soon after being recovered.

Instead, it could be autumn before it's back on the road — and that's the best-case scenario, he says.

Sigurdson couldn't get an estimate or inspection with Manitoba Public Insurance until he found a shop that would assess and repair the stolen truck — but no one would take the job.

"I phoned everybody from Winnipeg to Virden," Sigurdson said. "They all gave me the same story — that they don't do theft claims."

Eventually, he found help at Moonlight Autobody in Winkler, Man., just over 100 kilometres from MacGregor. 

The shop says a driveable vehicle takes about eight months to get fixed, and a tow-in takes at least two or three months to be roadworthy.

His months-long wait highlights a growing problem for Manitoba drivers with stolen vehicles — finding a shop to handle an MPI theft claim and make repairs is a slow and often frustrating process.

Some repair shops refuse to take the jobs altogether, citing red tape, safety concerns and poor compensation, mechanic Johnny Vernaus said.

"It's not a money-maker, and it's not an easy job to do. I don't blame people for not taking them," Vernaus said. "There's no upside to it."

Vernaus has been working on MPI claims since 1982. 

MPI requires a lot of paperwork, documenting the damage caused by the theft and an assessment of the time that will be needed for repairs, and the mechanic has to be the middleman between MPI and customers, he said.

For an initial estimate, mechanics are paid for two hours of work, but often it takes double that time or longer, he said.

Right now, his shop is booking repairs of all kinds around six to eight months out, Vernaus said.

They have a large customer base, repairs are held up by the wait for parts, and demand for repairs in general has risen, he said.

Stolen vehicles often take a back seat. Each month, they see 10 to 20 stolen vehicles needing work, and they're usually the most complex and time-consuming jobs.

In Sigurdson's case, the truck cab was covered with mud, grass and dents, the tailgate was smashed, the back window was broken and the radiator was crushed.

It can be hard to find mechanics with the skills and experience to take on the complicated repairs, Vernaus said.

It's also risky, he said. Some vehicles need to be cleaned out, and that can mean removing drugs, needles or stolen goods.

Vernaus wants MPI to pay a surcharge for these repairs to cover storage, administrative work and safety-related costs. Without it, more people will be left waiting for months, he said.

"We have to get paid," Vernaus said. "We have better work than that, so that's why a lot of guys aren't doing that."

MPI spokesperson Tara Seel said stolen vehicles take a financial toll on both customers and the insurer.

She says getting a proper assessment for these types of claims is often time-consuming and it's up to shops to keep customers informed about the status of repairs.

In 2024, 3,141 stolen vehicles were reported to MPI. That's down from highs of 3,509 in 2022 and 3,344 in 2023.

Once a stolen vehicle is recovered by law enforcement, it's sent to an MPI compound. From there, estimators and adjusters look at it and have it towed to a repair shop chosen by a customer, Seel said.

Then the shop assesses the vehicle and submits a report to MPI for approval before repairs begin.

"It depends on shop availability at that point," Seel said. "There's not much we can do to help relieve the capacity, so I know that they're working their best to accommodate Manitobans, but that's really kind of outside of MPI's area." 

When possible, MPI is allowing temporary repairs that make vehicles roadworthy until full repairs can be done.

Meanwhile, Sigurdson said while the truck is not a writeoff, it will be at least five months until it's repaired and back on the farm moving cattle.

Sigurdson wants vehicles returned faster.

"It's just kind of a disruption and a bad time," Sigurdson said. "It's just a waiting game now."