These unforgettable car theft attempts fell apart almost instantly, leaving suspects embarrassed and police with unusual stories.
Car thieves often spend time planning every detail, from bypassing security systems to mapping out escape routes. But sometimes even the most carefully imagined plan falls apart for the simplest reasons. Here are several car theft attempts in the U.S. that ended in spectacular fashion.
A man walked into Auto Boulevard in San Antonio, Texas, claiming he wanted to test-drive an Infiniti G37.
While the sales manager stepped away to look for additional vehicle options, the suspect jumped into the Infiniti and drove off. The plan unraveled almost immediately after investigators discovered the suspect had been recorded by multiple security cameras—and had accidentally left behind his real passport.
Most car thieves avoid vehicles that are impossible to miss, but that wasn't the case here.
Thieves stole a heavily modified Japspeed JZ1 Subaru Impreza drift car directly from an auto show. With its extremely low ride height and eye-catching custom graphics, the car stood out everywhere it went. Police tracked it down just a few hours later.
Eric McFall won a beautifully restored 1975 Chevrolet El Camino, but the classic immediately attracted unwanted attention.
After four separate theft attempts, the former wrestler decided to keep watch himself. It didn't take long before another suspect showed up. McFall restrained the would-be thief with an arm lock until nearby residents and police arrived.
During Independence Day celebrations, parade vehicles are sometimes transformed into elaborate rolling floats.
One thief decided to steal one of them. Police recovered it only hours later after the suspect reportedly attempted to sell the oversized parade vehicle for scrap metal.
A group of thieves came up with a plan to steal a brand-new Ford GT directly from a dealership.
The scheme covered nearly every detail—except one. They didn't have enough experience driving a high-performance supercar. Before they could even leave the dealership, they lost control and crashed the Ford GT.
After police stopped a stolen vehicle, the suspect appeared to surrender peacefully.
Moments before being handcuffed, however, he suddenly jumped into the officer's Ford Crown Victoria patrol car in an attempt to escape. The getaway lasted only seconds because the cruiser had no keys inside.
One Corvette owner in the U.S. received an alert that someone had entered his car.
When he rushed to the garage, he found the would-be thief unable to drive away. The suspect reportedly didn't know how to operate the Corvette's manual transmission, ending the theft attempt before it even began.