In yet another indication that thieves may boast more skill and luck than overall intelligence, a 22-year-old Somers, Connecticut, resident in possession of a stolen Cadillac STS complained to authorities that someone had broken the window on "his" car. Of course, it took the police just a few minutes to determine that there were some serious holes in the thief's story, and maybe more than a small bit of air inside the young man's head.

Although the self-proclaimed "victim" was in possession of the Caddy's keys, there was no supporting documentation proving ownership, or that he was in the process of purchasing the vehicle from an Avis rental agency, as he claimed. In fact, just how the shady character expected to make those payments on a $50,000 car was in question -- his "employment" was all arranged through a local temp agency. Long story short, the rental agency just so happened to be missing one Cadillac STS, and it didn't take them long to press charges.

Instead of sitting behind the wheel of America's finest luxury marque, the vandal finds himself sitting in jail today, unable to post bail of just $3,500... it may be time to call the agency for another temp position. Thanks for the tip, Keith!

[Source: Courant]

Stolen car vandalized, thief complains to cops originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The current fine for using a mobile phone while driving in the UK is £60 and three points on your license. If you are caught driving unsafely while using a mobile phone or typing directions in the navi, the fine jumps to £2,500. Now, after a review by the Crown Prosecution Service which looked at types of bad driving and penalties, a new charge of "dangerous driving" has been added. That charge would require the driver to be doing something likely to kill or seriously endanger somebody, while fiddling with a device like a phone or MP3 player. If that was found, then the driver could spend two years in jail.

The finding of dangerous driving will be up to the prosecutor to prove and a jury to issue. However, it gives the courts a step between a fine and a 14-year sentence, which is the punishment for the more serious offense of death by dangerous driving. Its value as a deterrent is, of course, being debated. Some say the risk of 2 years in the pokey might finally get people to pay attention behind the wheel. Others say that enforcement of the current laws is so lax that people won't likely pay attention to this one. Any way you care to look at it, though, the UK is the last place you want to be swapping photos and trying to find the right playlist at the wheel.

[Source: This is London]

Texting while driving in the UK could get you 2 years in jail originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Chung Mong-koo, the man who turned Hyundai around after the Southeast Asian financial meltdown in 1997, has been given a 3-year suspended sentence by an appeals court for embezzlement and breach of public trust. Chung was arrested in April for having a hand in setting up nearly $74 million in slush funds to pay for political favors.

After he was arrested, he was freed on $1 million bail to continue running Hyundai. The group, or chaebol -- the Korean word for powerful, family-controlled conglomerates -- is a strong driver of the Korean economy. Chung has no clear successor at the company (his son runs Kia), and many were worried about the effect such a rudderless ship would have. Chung also gave a little more than $1 million to charity after his arrest, and made a public apology. According to the presiding judge, though, it was the potential "ripple effects" of Chung's absence at Hyundai that guided the decision. Oh, and the fact that he asked around, and "ordinary people leaned toward a suspended sentence." The sentence is suspended for five years.

Thanks for the tip, Thomas!

[Source: Financial Post]

Hyundai chairman receives suspended sentence originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Driving a manual shift automobile is a bit like riding a bike in that most people only have to learn once. For two young men, learning how to drive a car the old-fashioned way never happened at all. As a result, when they tried to carjack a ride with a manual tranny, they didn't know what to do with the mysterious third pedal or the wiggly stick. When faced with this situation, most people would throw in the towel and find a victim with an automatic, but the mother of 18 year-old Joshua Johnson didn't raise a quitter. Johnson and his juvenile cohort tried in vain for several minutes to start the car before deciding to run. By then, however, the police were within arm's reach, and the two boneheads were caught. Since a firearm was involved in the crime, Johnson is facing a lengthy stay behind bars. We don't think they have driver's training in most jails, so that lesson will have to wait a long time.

[Source: 11 Live]

Thanks for the tip, Phil!

Crooks who can't drive stick get caught originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Jun 2007 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Paris sentenced to the pen for violating probation originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 May 2007 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hyundai Chairman sentenced to 3 years in jail originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Feb 2007 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Kind of auto-related... particularly since Busta Rhymes loves his Maybach so much. He loves it so much, in fact, that he's willing to beat somebody over it. Busta could be in some deep doo-doo after kicking a teenager multiple times in the face. The teen, Roberto LeBron from New York, spit and accidentally hit Busta's car as he drove down the street. Busta pulled the car over, got out and asked the kid whether he spit on the car. LeBron admitted that he spit on the rapper's car, but claimed it was an accident. One of Busta's people then hit the teen in the face, and Busta finished the job with a few swift kicks to the face, causing a concussion and a split lip. He was arrested for his alleged conduct after his concert at Randalls Island.

Moral of the story: No matter how much you like your car, it's easier to pack some Kleenex than bear the consequences of going gestapo on some poor kid with bad etiquette.

Over a Maybach... originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Aug 2006 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.