America's Dumbest Car Theft Attempts That Ended in Total Failure

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.

Left His ID Behind

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.

A Drift Car That Couldn't Blend In

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.

Owner Stops Thief Himself

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.

The Worst Getaway Vehicle

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.

Crashed Before Leaving the Dealership

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.

Couldn't Drive the Patrol Car

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.

Defeated by a Manual Transmission

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.