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Winnipeg homeowner on the hook for damages after stolen car crashed into his fence

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A Winnipeg homeowner says he’ll have to pay for damage to his fence after a stolen car crashed into it.

Feriz Keranovic heard a loud bang last Thursday morning, but didn't realize what had happened until a neighbour called him.

"It was the craziest thing," said Keranovic. "At 6:58 I just brought my dog back in from taking him outside and at 7:02, there was a car sitting on our fence."

The Winnipeg Police Service was called and arrived on scene shortly after. Police said the vehicle that crashed had been stolen.

Manitoba Public Insurance said if the vehicle is stolen at the time of the loss and the driver is not known, there is no coverage available through Autopac for the damage to the property.

"The vehicle’s owner is not legally liable for the actions of/damages caused by the thief/driver. Thieves are not covered under a vehicle owner’s policy," said an MPI spokesperson in an email to CTV News.

Keranovic said the driver took off, which has now left him on the hook for damages.

"If we go through home insurance, it costs us $1,000. Plus, we lose our liability for three, four years and we have to restart for no claims free accidents, so it's just expensive for us, and we did nothing," said Keranovic.

MPI said when a stolen vehicle causes property damage, it may reimburse the property owner their home insurance deductible if police apprehend the thief and if MPI is successful in recovering costs from the responsible individual.

"I hope that MPI can at least hear me and see I didn't do anything. Why am I paying for insurance claims [when] I did nothing?"

Concrete and steel posts, which are meant to protect his fence and property, were also severely damaged.

"Without those, I feel like they would have went right into at least our house or the middle of our yard, so that's definitely a scary, scary thing," said Keranovic.

Police said no arrests have been made at this time and the investigation is ongoing.

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