Stolen Dodge Challenger Used In Other Car Theft

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So many times, when video footage of a car theft is shared online, people naively remark about how police only need to get the plate number for the vehicle the thieves arrived in. They’re of course assuming car thieves drive their own ride when they go out to boost vehicles. But as a release from Memphis Police Department demonstrates, what’s often used are other stolen cars.

See just how fast a Cadillac CT5-V was caught going on the highway.

According to a police, a maroon Dodge Challenger was stolen from a Hyundai dealership on May 30. It was captured on surveillance footage backing into the parking spot next to a Nissan Maxima at the Memphis Jewish Community Center on June 1.

As the muscle car sat there, the passenger door opened and a man crouch-walks over to the Nissan, breaking a back window before climbing inside. He then reprograms the Maxima’s ignition before it and the Challenger drive off.

While the Maxima was later recovered, the Dodge is still apparently in the hands of the thieves.

It’s possible the Nissan was used to steal other cars and became worthless as the thieves got better rides. Whatever happened, this perfectly illustrates how car theft begets even more car theft in a city.

Since criminals don’t want to use their own vehicle to go out thieving, if they even own one or have a driver’s license, they need stolen cars before they go out looking for other rides to swipe.

The same thing goes for violent offenses like drive-by shootings, armed robberies, home invasions, etc. Most criminals use a stolen car to commit other crimes, so car theft literally helps fuel crime in a city.

This is why we have turned so much attention to car theft. It’s a problem that affects everyone, even if your vehicle hasn’t been stolen.

Image via Memphis Police Department/Facebook

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