So my friend in Minnesota comes out of the grocery store just in time to see a tow truck getting ready to lift his brand new Accord. He confronts the guy who says "I just got a call to pickup a silver Honda or Hyundai that won't start." No further information. 10 minutes later and he would have came out to find his sh*t missing.

Obviously a mistake, tow truck driver takes off.

Do they tow cars without the owner being present? The driver and truck appeared to be legit, was this an attempted theft? Should he have called the police?

It wasn't a flatbed, how do they tow cars without getting inside to release the brake/put the car in neutral? He parks out in the open parking lot (like most of us) so they were going to lift the front wheels. How do you do this with the parking brake engaged?

I'm interested in protecting my vehicle from these sort of "misunderstandings", use the parking brake at all time? Motion sensor alarm?

 

I'd be skeptical... did you get a description of the guy? How abotu grocery store cameras? Call the cops. Get the phone number on the truck. Like Gary's Towing... (888)555-6666 or soemthing... I'd say it was an attempted theft. Its NOT paranoia when everyone really is out to get you.

 

Did the guy give the callers name? Did he just leave the lot or did he actually start looking for the correct car? That's pretty ballsie if it wasn't legit.

 

Attempted auto theft. Definitely. It's the simplest way to steal a car what-with all the modern anti-theft devices.

 

He'd have to use a slim jim to get in, release the brake and kick it in neutral. If he didn't do this, they dolly the wheels so not to ruin the drivetrain and brakes. If this wasn't done, it was a theft for parts - plain and simple. These tricks were the norm here in DC a few years back with big$$ cars and cars with serious alarm systems.

Call the cops and hope for the best!!!!

 

that guy is definatly trying to steal your car--i cannot count how many times that has happened around my way--it is soo easy to do cause noone thinks nothing of it and most alarms will shut off after being lifted to a certain degree due to the mercury shift---my buddy told me a story where a guy was doing that and he had two magnetic banners on the side posing as a tow truck driver---its the easiet scam in the world-----hope u find his ass--good luck---

 

Umm... Parking brake locks only the back wheels, so if it is a standard car, you can still hitch the car from the back...

I agree, something is really fishy about the guy...normally if you call a tow truck, you hang around, not just call him to pick up the car and take it somewhere...

 

kensteele!
you, the most conservative, honest person on this board, and you didn't know right away that was a theft attempt??

i find that odd....

 

No, I think it was attempted theft, too. Even though my friend says the tow truck drove around the lot a few times, like he was looking around. I said to him "...the driver must have thought he convinced you and finished it off with a drive around the lot before he went looking for his next target."

Unfortunately my friend didn't get any info, so it's over now. I'm just posting here to see if there is anything we can proactively do to prevent something like this with our CLs. I mean, 10 minutes later, and his 3-month old Accord is stolen!

My advise to him, next time, dial 911 from you cellphone and let the police decide. Thanks for the comments guys, all signs point to attempted theft.

When I first moved to Minneapolis in the late 80's, I lived in the surburbs there, and crime was very low. When I left two years ago, crime was terrible. Sorry Fotis. It's not Chicago, Miami, or St. Louis, but it's terrible there. Now that I live in the suburbs in Kansas (not Kansas City), I seem to be losing it, just a bit.