You know what happened next…
A car thief in Joliet, Illinois was arrested March 26 after he stopped to ask a police officer for directions. Since we think car thieves are some of the worst people who take one of your most valuable possessions, causing you headaches with the insurance company, not to mention numerous financial losses and the emotional grief of having a beloved vehicle stolen, we don’t feel sorry for this guy in the least. Actually, we’re always overjoyed to hear about dumb criminals like this, because it gives us hope of outsmarting them.
Another dumb thief accidentally returned the car he stole. Learn more here.
According to a local report, 35 year-old Lafayette Moore of Chicago stole a car from a gas station in Joliet late in the afternoon. After driving for several miles, the man became lost, so he did what so many others do: he asked a Joliet Police officer for directions to Interstate 80.
Apparently, Moore doesn’t know police officers have radios and they get reports of stolen vehicles. Sure enough, the officer realized the car matched the description of the one taken from the gas station, so he chased Moore down and arrested him.
There’s another lesson in this story. Police say Moore was able to steal the vehicle at the gas station with ease since the owner left it running and unlocked while going inside to make a purchase. While that sounds incredibly stupid, people do it. About as bad is when people who have keyless entry/ignition leave the car locked but running as they run in somewhere, because stealing the vehicle is pretty easy at that point. Also, an increasing number of people with said technology just leave their key fob in the cupholder all the time, even when the car is parked outside their house at night.
Lock your doors, don’t leave your car running, and keep your ride secure at night. After all, not all car thieves are as dumb as this guy, so you might not get your vehicle back.
Source: Patch.com
