Police Not Fooled by Thieves Disguising Stolen Lexus as a Nissan
Turns out, you can’t simply swap out some emblems and expect people to think your stolen Lexus is actually a Nissan Altima.
It’s not exactly a secret that criminals aren’t usually the sharpest tools in the shed. That’s partly why “dumb crime” stories are so popular – they’re always happening, and they’re always hilarious. But two dim-witted crooks in California might have taken the cake with their recent attempt at concealing the identity of a stolen Lexus.
The Daily Republic reports that two men went to pretty extreme lengths to make their stolen Lexus look like a Nissan Altima. First, they affixed an Arizona license plate registered to a Nissan over the Lexus’ California plate. Next, the thieves attached a Nissan Vehicle Identification Number dash placard and a door jam-mounted manufacturing sticker.
When the officer noticed that the ‘Nissan’ looked an awful lot like a Lexus, he confronted the driver.
In terms of appearance, the men installed Nissan emblems, a front grille, and “Altima” letter decals on the Lexus. All of which didn’t fool the local police. In fact, those visual changes are what caused a Vacaville, California, police officer to do a double take when he cruised by the oddity in a Kohl’s parking lot.
When the officer noticed that the “Nissan” looked an awful lot like a Lexus, he confronted the driver. That’s when they noticed the old plate of the stolen Lexus sitting right underneath the new plate. The two enterprising thieves were promptly arrested and booked.
Now, their failed attempt will live in infamy as just another dumb criminal story. The funny thing is, for all their efforts, they forgot one basic detail. After all, who has ever confused a Lexus with a Nissan?
