Thanks for your kind words of advice fellas.
Been looking at planning and shunting work online.
Both of these are worth a look from my point of view.
Tomorrow is the beginning of a new week.
Let’s see what it brings.
The alternative is change for a job where you know there’s not going to be any nights out.
I have just received a call from Essex Police.
They basically said there is nothing they can do.
The crime scene didn’t give up any clues and as I thought, all cc to cameras a point inwards at properties. No council cc to on the estate at all.
A painful lesson learnt and please think where you will be parking.
Don’t become another statistic like me.
What an awful situation to find yourself in. But as others have said and you are no doubt well aware your fatal mistake was getting out. In these situations I start the engine up, put all the lights on and normally that’s enough to make anyone scarper. I’d never get out, personal safety is my top priority. You’ll probably never have a relaxing night out again now, you’ll always be on edge. Instead of retraining why not just go on day work? Is that a possibility in your current job? Retraining for another job and leaving the industry does seem a bit like you’re throwing out the baby with the bath water
Sorry to read your story, puts the willies up ya. 
Don’t retrain for owt just go onto day’s if poss and maybe after a year or so do the odd night out and see how it goes mate 
Take care 
WE AINT SECURITY GUARDS!!! 
If someone is skulking around, I’d actually drive off and find another place
Retraining is probably a knee jerk reaction.
They have day work at our place but I’m not sure it’s what I want.
The idea of the nights out were to get away from them
Reading between the lines, it seems you are aware of the short term psychological impact this has had on you. As it would on any one of us. We all have our stories, so won’t bore with mine, but although your co are keeping you local for now, how can they expect you to go back to doing the same routine once you are able? Have they decided on extra security for you? Does your vehicle have a personal alarm button? Have they made any recommendations for your personal security?
If somebody had walked into their offices and done the same to one of them, I suspect the response might be more sympathetic?
Janos:
Reading between the lines, it seems you are aware of the short term psychological impact this has had on you. As it would on any one of us. We all have our stories, so won’t bore with mine, but although your co are keeping you local for now, how can they expect you to go back to doing the same routine once you are able? Have they decided on extra security for you? Does your vehicle have a personal alarm button? Have they made any recommendations for your personal security?
If somebody had walked into their offices and done the same to one of them, I suspect the response might be more sympathetic?
I can see exactly what you’re saying.
At the end of the day I’m just a bum on a seat.
The only recommendations they’ve come up with is secure parking.
But how secure is secure?
If they want it they’ll get it no matter where it’s left or parked.
I’ll plod on the best I can but it would be interesting to see what they’d put in place had it happened to them.
Just consider it a lesson learned. You were very brave to get out and confront them. Don’t even think about taking a beating for your bosses diesel in future though. If they can’t implement some security, at the very least get a cheap motion sensor alarm and put it on the back of the cab when you stop out. A cat might set it off…but if the scumbags come back, they will too.
■■■■ Star well I’ve been told I’ve the body of a God.
Ok ok yes I might have been told a God like Buda but hell it’s still a God 
Sorry to hear about what happened makes you realise how vulnerable you are at times as well as how times have changed.
With regard to Essex police the assailants could have left a name and address and the police would still have done nothing ,Essex police are useless as are the East of England ambulance service who unfortunately let you down badly also. In Essex we are used to these two so called emergency services being a total waste of time. Fortunately you can still rely on the fire brigade.
I hope you get your confidence back soon, and hopefully over time will be able to put it to the back of your mind.
All the best.
Amamdada.
Thanks for your post.
I was forming an opinion but didn’t dream they’d be as bad as that.
I did get a call from them today thanking me about reporting the crime!
The police pay someone to do this■■?
Mind boggles at times.
I know you’ve said it and others have mentioned it but getting out was a big mistake, no way I’d be getting out. That liquid in your face may have been the diesel they stole. One hopes the flicking of a lighter wasn’t them trying to set you on fire as they were caught in the act. Too bad they aren’t bright enough to know how liquid burns, diesel vapours won’t ignite until about 50 or so degrees.
As for retraining, I’m currently on my way to getting a private pilots license with a view in the future to aim for commercial aviation.
DJC:
I know you’ve said it and others have mentioned it but getting out was a big mistake, no way I’d be getting out. That liquid in your face may have been the diesel they stole. One hopes the flicking of a lighter wasn’t them trying to set you on fire as they were caught in the act. Too bad they aren’t bright enough to know how liquid burns, diesel vapours won’t ignite until about 50 or so degrees.
.
Just for a moment let’s give those arse holes perceived credit for the intelligence to know it would not ignite, as it’s scary to think that on the other hand, that if they were totally thick enough to think it would have the same devastating effect on the guy’s face as petrol, …it is even more scarier to think that they were prepared to inflict that level of suffering and violence on an innocent driver. 
Sorry to hear about your ordeal Steve, no doubt that will take a bit of getting over too.
I have noticed signs going up on various laybys warning of fuel thieves, & I know someone (driver ) who was target near Lutterworth a few months back, they fled after syphoned most of it. Driver said never get out , it’s not worth loosing your life over 2- 300 quid’s worth of diesel.
I hope you get over the trawmer soon.
robroy:
DJC:
I know you’ve said it and others have mentioned it but getting out was a big mistake, no way I’d be getting out. That liquid in your face may have been the diesel they stole. One hopes the flicking of a lighter wasn’t them trying to set you on fire as they were caught in the act. Too bad they aren’t bright enough to know how liquid burns, diesel vapours won’t ignite until about 50 or so degrees.
.Just for a moment let’s give those arse holes perceived credit for the intelligence to know it would not ignite, as it’s scary to think that on the other hand, that if they were totally thick enough to think it would have the same devastating effect on the guy’s face as petrol, …it is even more scarier to think that they were prepared to inflict that level of suffering and violence on an innocent driver.
Yes it is quite frightening.
Some retraining ideas are scuba diving instructor, travel the world ,staying at resorts or liveaboard diving trips.
Bodyguard to VIP,s.
Commercial diver, although the big bucks are gone now.
Chauffeur .
Going back to your experience, they could have thrown corrosive acid.
Travel rep for a holiday firm, you won’t get rich but food and board is free.
Pimpdaddy:
I would retrain to be a train driver:)
The idea of doing that appeals less and less to me everytime I think of it.
I imagine i’d find it fantastic at first. But 10 years or so later… going up and down the same tracks everyday tedium would surely set in and i’d be well and truly trapped. I’d have built a lifestyle based on my 50K a year earnings and 35 hour week, i’d be bored ■■■■■■■■ of the job but know for a fact i’ll never earn anywhere near what I am for the hours anywhere else. So I just plod on bored out of my tree to retirement.
That’s if i’m not out on my ear within the next decade or so when the computers take over & the unions make a hash of it.
It’s a dead end job just like truck driving. At least the wages & hours driving trucks make moving on relatively accessible.
I believe train driving pays very well. There are a variety of routes that you learn rather than the same every day. It used to be the case that you and your family got free train travel anywhere in the country, not sure if that is still the case.
What about coach driving?