It’s like the perfect crime…
Thieves in Washington, D.C. struck yet again, allegedly using stolen tow trucks to steal cars. We’ve seen this tactic used in different cities across the US. Instead of just victimizing the owners of passenger vehicles, these criminals are also targeting tow truck companies while simultaneously giving them a bad reputation.
Learn more about thieves targeting tow trucks here.
According to a local report from Fox 5 DC, a resident of the Deanwood section in Northeast D.C. claims someone used a tow truck to swipe his ride at sometime around 9:30 am on October 11. If you think about it, that kind of crime is pretty brazen since these thieves undoubtedly are operating in plain sight of quite a few people.
Since these suspects are using stolen tow trucks, their efforts to take a car parked on the street or even in a parking lot aren’t treated with suspicion. It’s like the home burglars who dress up as plumbers and drive a plumbing service truck so neighbors won’t assume anything is off as they go in and out of a house.
The man whose car was stolen told a reporter he felt like police weren’t making a connection between his case and reports of thieves using stolen tow trucks before. Police in areas racked by crime, like D.C., have a tough job since victims of car thefts believe theirs is a high-priority case worthy of dedicating diminished resources toward solving. The sad reality is with a slashed budget and workforce, these departments have to concentrate on surging homicides and hope prosecutors don’t just let suspects walk free to potentially murder more.
None of this is to say having your car stolen isn’t a big deal, because it is. This does serve as a reminder that you need to take your own steps to secure your ride, like hiding tracking devices and maybe installing an alarm. None of these are guarantees, but they can help deter theft and allow you to track down your vehicle.
Source: Fox 5 DC
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