14 February 2012

Car theft the easy way

| johnboy
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ACT Policing has warned car owners to take precautions to protect their property after a thief posed as a potential buyer, then brazenly stole the vehicle from the driveway when the owner went inside to fetch some log books.

Police are investigating an incident in which a Banks man had posted his HSV Club Sport for sale in a popular online forum, and last week was phoned by the offender to make an appointment to view the car.

The offender failed to show at the appointed time, then arrived at the victim’s residence unannounced around 6.50pm yesterday (Monday, February 13) asking to view the car.

The victim agreed, backed the car out onto the driveway and left the engine idling. When the thief asked to see the car’s logbooks and the victim went inside the house to fetch the documents, the thief drove the car away.

The car is described as a red 2004-model HSV Club Sport with ACT registration. It has not yet been recovered.

The offender is described as Caucasian, with a slim build, 24-25 years old, with short black hair and slightly unshaven. He was wearing work boots, a T-shirt and shorts.

ACT Policing’s Crime Prevention team Sergeant Chris Meagher said that car theft was often a crime of opportunity, so owners should ensure they take careful steps not to offer one.

“In this case, the owner’s only mistake was a simple one: being too trusting of someone whom he thought was a genuine potential buyer. People offering anything for sale privately, particularly from their own home, should be wary and to take the appropriate steps to ensure thieves are not offered opportunities,” Sergeant Meagher said.

[Courtesy ACT Policing]

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