Autoblog

REPORT: Thieves derail James May's bid for toy train record

Chris Shunk — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Toys/Games, UK, Celebrities

Railroad enthusiasts are a pretty passionate bunch. They're not auto enthusiast crazy, but they're close. Top Gear presenter James May fed off that steam-powered energy by working with 400 volunteers to build the longest ever toy train track for his new BBC series James May's Toy Stories. The track was to travel 10 miles from Barnstaple to Bideford, North Devon in the UK, and the Guinness book of World Records was on hand to record the feat for prosperity in the event that it succeeded.

As the Telegraph tells it, the ambitious toy track likely would have been a record setting effort were it not for some vandals who decided to sabotage the attempt. Sections of the track - which were laid with assistance from the British version of the Boy Scouts - were stolen, and two pence coins were dropped on the track to disrupt power and blow the train's battery. The cowardly acts of a few idiots ultimately resulted in James May and his gang of volunteers missing the opportunity to be added to the Guinness Book of World Records, but organizers decided to stay positive and call the event a success due to the fact that all 10 miles of the track were linked at one point.

We're guessing May will get another shot at Guinness with planned stunts like building a life-size Lego house or a life-size Meccano bridge, but it would have been nice if a few jerks didn't ruin the fun of hundreds of toy train ~~geeks~~ aficionados.

[Source: Telegraph | Image: Dave Hogan/Getty]

REPORT: Thieves derail James May's bid for toy train record originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stolen car vandalized, thief complains to cops

Michael Harley — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Cadillac, First Drive, Lifestyle

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.

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Catalytic Converters: Thieves target the pod of precious metal

Michael Harley — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, SUV, Truck

Bulging in the exhaust system like a rabbit deep in the belly of a boa, the catalytic converter cleans engine fumes before they are released into the air. To the inexperienced, the oversized metal cylinder looks rather uninteresting. To a thief, it is a pod of precious metal worth nearly $200 on the black market.

Catalytic converters are loaded with small amounts of precious metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium. When combined with hot exhaust gasses, a chemical reaction detoxifies the pollutants (this all happens without any trip to a Malibu clinic). All the average Joe really needs to know is that every car and truck is supposed to have one.

This low-lying fruit for the criminals hangs within easy reach under many sport-utility vehicles. Sitting taller than your average passenger car, their cats are easy to steal, and often don't even require the vehicle to be lifted for access. According to police, the Toyota 4Runner and Kia Sportage are the running favorites.

Unless it is your normal dwelling, there is no need to sleep underneath your vehicle with a shotgun; innovative consumers have found that spot-welding the catalytic converter to the rest of the exhaust system has proven to be an effective deterrent.

[Source: MSNBC via Winding Road]

Catalytic Converters: Thieves target the pod of precious metal originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Employee steals $1 million from Mercedes dealer

Chris Shunk — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Mercedes-Benz

When easy money is there for the taking, it takes a strong person to walk away. For David Delgado of Mercedes-Benz of Laguna Niguel, the temptation was more than he could bare. Delgado worked for an employer with very little fiscal oversight, and in the end, the service lot attendant helped relieve the dealership of $1.053 million of its precious green-backs. The busy Mercedes dealership, which sells 450 new and used vehicles per month, entrusted Delgado with approving time cards for 27 temp workers at the car wash. Since nobody was watching over Delgado, he was able to work out deals with the workers to let them overcharge for hours worked, in exchange for getting a portion of that money for himself.

The scam worked for over three years before someone reported Delgado, which led to his confession of the crime. Delgado has to pay back all the money the dealership lost, and serve 18 months in federal prison for his felony crime. While it's good to see that justice was served in this situation, it boggles the mind how such a booming dealership could not notice an extra $1 million in car wash labor and not even notice. It's almost as bad as Delgado entrusting 27 people with his secret and thinking nobody would ever feel slighted and turn him in.

[Source: Auto News]

Employee steals $1 million from Mercedes dealer originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BUSTED! Canada's largest chop shop caught with 700 stolen cars

Chris Shunk — Thu, 03 May 2007 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

For years, gearheads have made some extra coin buying junk cars like Mustangs and Chevelles, taking them apart, then selling their still-working parts on resale sites like eBay. This is also what happens in chop houses around the globe, except instead of buying junkers, they simply steal very valuable vehicles, then remove brake rotors, tires, engines, transmissions, airbags, and anything else that can be sold on the black market. Canadian police found themselves the mother lode of all chop shops, and the sheer volume of cars found on the grounds of the 100,000 sq. ft. location was simply staggering.

The scrap yard, just north of Montreal, was littered with luxury SUVs, Jaguars, Mercedes Benz, and other high-end vehicles that were being hocked for their valuable parts. Some of the cars were brand-new, with zero miles on the odometer, and others were stacked one on top of another. Needless to say, the 39 year-old owner of the shifty operation has been detained, and jail time looks like a foregone conclusion due to the overwhelming amount of evidence.

The Canadian police deserve a ton of credit for uncovering this operation, but we wonder why it took "years" to discover and investigate a scrap yard with 700 new cars and luxury SUVs that looks as if it could have been found by playing with Google Earth. The bottom picture is an aerial photo of the crime scene. Amazing!

Thanks for the tip, Derek!

[Source: ctv.ca.]

BUSTED! Canada's largest chop shop caught with 700 stolen cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 May 2007 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Love Hertz: Shelby GT-H rental stolen, man arrested

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 01 May 2007 11:08:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Ford

As devout members of Our Lady of Blowers and Burnouts, most of us can sympathize with someone that rents the Shelby GT-H and then has to return the 'Stang to their local Hertz office. It must be a tough pill to swallow, but at the end of the day, what's the alternative?

For one weary soul in Arizona, the idea of leaving the keys with a pimple-faced teen at the rental counter and then catching a ride with his wife back to his ~~moribund existence~~ house was too much to bear. So he decided to keep the gold and black beauty - for six months.

[Source: StangNet.com via MustangBlog]

Continue reading Love Hertz: Shelby GT-H rental stolen, man arrested

Love Hertz: Shelby GT-H rental stolen, man arrested originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 May 2007 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smoke 'em out: FogSHIELD anti-theft device really is just blowing smoke

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

There used to be a show on Nickelodeon called "What Will They Think of Next?" Today's answer is the FogSHIELD. It's a device meant to keep thieves from even seeing the car they're trying to break into. How? By laying down 2,000 square feet of high-density gas in 15 seconds. The gas won't kill anyone, lasts for 45 minutes, and it even has a minty smell. So if your FogSHIELD ever goes off, look for the guy who smells like candy.

It costs $4,200, it's not exactly tiny, and it weighs 62 pounds, so we're not sure what kind of car you'd put it in. Probably not either of the Porsche 911's in the video. But if we had one, we'd install it just for fun and turn the garage into the Autoblog disco at least once a week.

[Source: FogSHIELD via Netscape]

Smoke 'em out: FogSHIELD anti-theft device really is just blowing smoke originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beach beauties in Moscow lead to boosted cars

John Neff — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 18:55:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

The last thing you expect when exiting your vehicle to witness a group of women stripping down and washing each other on the beach is for someone to jack your car, but that's exactly what dozens of Russian motorists encountered recently in Moscow thanks to a creative group of car thieves. The heist involved three attractive women who would stage their show at Balashikh Beach in Moscow. When hapless drivers would stop and get out of their cars to ogle, a gang of miscreants would swoop in and boost the cars. The girls then exited stage left to a waiting van.

In related news, 25 percent of Russian drivers admit to having had sex while driving, so are we really surprised?

[Source: 4Car]

Beach beauties in Moscow lead to boosted cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Sep 2006 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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