While the criminals involved in this thievery ring were bright enough to pull their plot off, they weren’t smart enough to keep out of the limelight.
According to local news affiliate CBS 4, a group of Texas thieves conned their way into stealing a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Acura NSX, Dodge Challenger Hellcat, Ford F-150, Nissan Armada and an Acura MDX. Yes, six cars. How’d they do it? The thieves’ ring leader, Mark Mitchell, entered dealerships stating he had inherited $5 million and promised to wire funds for the vehicle purchase in a few days. Most dealership officials fell for it since Mitchell often rolled up in the previously-stolen Acura NSX.
The group then took each of the high-performance cars, including the 2012 Camaro, to a local drag strip for some fun. After some seriously terrible launches at the ‘strip, their crimes caught up to them and spectator video provided further evidence.
One dealership was approached by Mitchell after he explained his inheritance story and promised to wire the cash. The transfer never came through, and the excuses began to flow in. Mitchell claimed his accountant stole $2.4 million from him, he said he had ended up in the hospital and he even faked his own death.
“He literally faked his death and had his wife call people and tell them that he had a heart attack and died so that’s why he couldn’t end up paying,” Shawn Bryan of Superstar Motors said.
The four thieves have been arrested following all of the shenanigans, but Superstar Motors did pull a fast one on Mitchell before justice was served. The dealer said Mitchell had earned a complimentary detail of his latest purchase, and Bryan instructed his crew members to take the stolen car back.
“I had my guys grab it and put it in the back and put it inside and locked it and of course we never saw the guy after that. He was gone [and] that was that,” he said. Dealership vigilantes? That’s pretty awesome.
Comments
These types of vermin need to be eradicated.
Isn’t “conmen” a sexist term? Shouldn’t it have been written “conperson” as to not to stereotype any specific sex.
This is 2017, Sean, not 1987.
Absolutely nowhere in this story did I use the phrase “con men” to describe the criminals if you read carefully enough. So, I truly don’t understand, nor can I fathom, why individuals love to spin content in a political fashion. We’re here to talk about cars first and foremost. Save this commentary for MSNBC, Fox, CNN—pick your poison.
Thanks for reading,
-Sean
Con artist is used more often
The guy had to be joking. No one person could be so stupid as MSNBC CNN WAPO etc.