In a bizarre series of events last week, two amateur thieves from a small town learned the hard way that crime doesn’t pay, especially when it involves a stolen car and a junkyard. The misadventure began bright and early at 2:45 a.m. when a local truck owner discovered that the catalytic converters had been swiped from his vehicle. What made matters worse was the fact that the converters were hollowed out, making their theft a futile effort.
As the truck owner reported, the thieves—two young men driving a dilapidated police Crown Victoria—were unaware that their escapade had been captured on the neighbor’s security cameras. Instead of involving law enforcement right away, the truck owner decided to take matters into his own hands. After consulting with a friend in code enforcement, he initiated a “nuisance tow” on the notorious vehicle. The Crown Vic was parked illegally, lacking both plates and insurance, with the owner’s last registration dating back to 2011.
The truck owner spotted the unregistered Crown Victoria parked on a quiet street and promptly reported it, receiving the green light from authorities to have it towed. The vehicle was taken to the police station, where a verification of the VIN confirmed it belonged to someone else, as the current owners had purchased it without a title. The police deemed the car worthless and arranged for it to be sent to a junkyard for a “black title,” which is essentially a certificate of destruction.
Meanwhile, the clueless thieves were racing around town, convinced their friends had played a prank by stealing their car. Little did they know that their frantic search would lead them right to the junkyard. Attempting to reclaim their vehicle, one of the thieves distracted the owner while the other made a move to steal it back. Unfortunately for them, the junkyard staff had been briefed on the thieves’ antics and had already cut the driveshaft to foil any plans of escape.
As the thieves stood helplessly by, they witnessed their stolen Crown Victoria being demolished by a crane. Reports described how the remains of the car looked like a child’s toy being torn apart in a fit of curiosity, reduced to nothing more than a bare frame. The two young men were later arrested for their attempted theft, a fitting end to their ill-fated scheme. Although they were released from jail shortly after, their reputations seemed to follow them home, with reports indicating they had not left their trailer since the incident.
Adding to their woes, the truck owner mentioned seeing a beater Jeep Liberty parked in their driveway, also lacking plates. He has indicated plans to work with the authorities to address that potential nuisance as well, ensuring that the thieves’ bad luck continues.
Readers of the story were captivated by the absurdity of the events, with some expressing disbelief at the thieves’ lack of foresight in trying to steal a car that was, in fact, not even functioning. The idea of confronting one’s own criminal folly was not lost on many. While some focused on the sheer luck of the truck owner in having the situation unfold the way it did, others were drawn to the poetic justice of the thieves watching their own stolen vehicle meet a rather definitive end.
As the dust settles on this strange tale, it’s left to wonder what the future holds for the two young men who attempted to turn their fortune around by stealing their own car back, only to find themselves on the wrong side of the law—once again.
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