Customers say Jacksonville auto shop shut down, kept their property

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When you drop your property off at a business for repairs, you expect you’re going to get it back.

But frustrated customers tell Action News Jax a Jacksonville auto shop is keeping their property behind locked doors.

H&M Parts Warehouse has been repairing engines in Riverside since 1945.

But customers said its gates have been locked for weeks, with their property inside.

James Britton said he dropped off a 1940 Ford flathead motor for repairs.

Britton said the car belongs to his friend’s father, who is a Vietnam veteran.

“This is the only place in Jacksonville that can work on it,” said Britton. “It’s probably worth about $4,000 to $5,000.”

Mark Gentle said he dropped off a cylinder head for repairs weeks ago.

“I kept calling and calling. I couldn’t get ahold of anybody. I’ve been showing up every day,” said Gentle.

H&M Parts Warehouse’s registration with the Florida Department of State shows it’s been inactive since September 2016.

Those documents list Alan Buchheit as the company’s president.

Action News Jax sent Buchheit a Facebook message asking for his side of the story.

When we didn’t hear back, we stopped by his home. No one came to the door.

We also sent a message to the business’s email address and Facebook page.

We have yet to receive a response.

“We’d just like to get our parts back,” said Gentle.

“If he would just unlock the gate and just give us our parts, no harm, no foul,” said Britton.

If the gate isn’t unlocked soon, Britton said, he may take the matter to court as a last resort.

Cox Media Group