Dumb & Dumber : Carjackers Can't Swipe Stick Shift
06-20-07, 09:37 PM
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Dumb & Dumber : Carjackers Can't Swipe Stick Shift
Carjackers Can't Swipe Stick Shift
Reported By: Kevin Rowson
Web Editor: Michael King
Last Modified: 6/20/2007 3:33:55 PM
Remember the movie "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight?" Now, meet "The Carjacking Crew That Couldn't Drive." A couple of teens jumped a person leaving work at an east Cobb pizzeria. They tried to steal his car, but couldn't.
Bellacino's Pizzeria closes at 9 p.m. That's when one of the employees left work out a back door, where his car was parked. He was approached by two teens armed with a gun, who demanded his wallet and his car keys.
The employee wisely gave both up.
The suspect jumped into the victim's car, but he couldn't get it started, because it didn't have an automatic transmission. It was a standard shift with a clutch pedal.
The victim ran back into the pizzeria and called police. After a few minutes, other employees opened the back door expecting the criminals to be gone.
"And I look out, and the guy's still in his car, trying to start the car, but all he has is the radio on, 'cause you have to keep the clutch down to start the engine," said pizzeria employee J.J. Williamson.
Frustration turned to resignation, and the suspects left the scene in a more conventional way -- they ran. But not fast enough before Cobb police arrested Joshua Johnson, 18, and a juvenile.
"It's a bit comical, but you're right, it's definitely something serious," said Cobb Police Officer Wayne Delk. "Armed robbery, always something serious. There's always a potential for someone to get injured."
Lessons are learned in a relatively crime-free area, said pizzeria owner Terry Neil.
"We'll have the kids park around front at night, even if it means having somebody escort them out here to pull their cars around," said Neil.
And for carjackers?
"I guess if you're gonna steal a car, you should probably know how to drive it first," he said.
Johnson and the juvenile are charged with carjacking and armed robbery.
Reported By: Kevin Rowson
Web Editor: Michael King
Last Modified: 6/20/2007 3:33:55 PM
Remember the movie "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight?" Now, meet "The Carjacking Crew That Couldn't Drive." A couple of teens jumped a person leaving work at an east Cobb pizzeria. They tried to steal his car, but couldn't.
Bellacino's Pizzeria closes at 9 p.m. That's when one of the employees left work out a back door, where his car was parked. He was approached by two teens armed with a gun, who demanded his wallet and his car keys.
The employee wisely gave both up.
The suspect jumped into the victim's car, but he couldn't get it started, because it didn't have an automatic transmission. It was a standard shift with a clutch pedal.
The victim ran back into the pizzeria and called police. After a few minutes, other employees opened the back door expecting the criminals to be gone.
"And I look out, and the guy's still in his car, trying to start the car, but all he has is the radio on, 'cause you have to keep the clutch down to start the engine," said pizzeria employee J.J. Williamson.
Frustration turned to resignation, and the suspects left the scene in a more conventional way -- they ran. But not fast enough before Cobb police arrested Joshua Johnson, 18, and a juvenile.
"It's a bit comical, but you're right, it's definitely something serious," said Cobb Police Officer Wayne Delk. "Armed robbery, always something serious. There's always a potential for someone to get injured."
Lessons are learned in a relatively crime-free area, said pizzeria owner Terry Neil.
"We'll have the kids park around front at night, even if it means having somebody escort them out here to pull their cars around," said Neil.
And for carjackers?
"I guess if you're gonna steal a car, you should probably know how to drive it first," he said.
Johnson and the juvenile are charged with carjacking and armed robbery.
.
06-20-07, 10:04 PM
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Not the first time I've heard of this. Back in college (circa 94-98), some thug tried to carjack a woman at the El Cerrito BART station but didn't get far because he didn't know how to drive a stick. n00b
06-20-07, 10:30 PM
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My story :
More than 10 years ago, when I was driving a Honda Accord coupe, one day, I was lining up at a 7-Eleven/gas station after buying something, when it was my turn to pay, I somehow put my keys(including the car key) on the counter(I think), which I don't even remember why I did, because I usually put my keys in the pocket after locking my car & going into a store.
Anyway, after I paid with credit card, I grabbed my stuff & went out to my car, then realized I didn't have my keys with me anymore. Thinking that I must have left it on the counter when I paid, I went back immediately, but neither the cashier nor anybody standing in line said they saw any keys left there. So I guess it must be someone standing right behind or near me who must have taken them. But it couldn't have been more than a minute after I walked out of the store before I realized I didn't have the keys, but when I went in, they're already gone, & everybody inside said they didn't see them, nor can the store employees find them.
After I while, I finally gave up & decided to call a lock smith to unlock the car door & make me a duplicate so I can drive the car home. I was living in an apartment then, & I had to get the manager to let me into my place.
Weeks gone by & one night, a police knocked on my door & told me someone had tried to drive away with my car in the apartment's garage (which was not gated).
A tenant in the same apartment who happened to be returning to the garage saw a native started my car & trying to drive it away, but apparently had trouble with the stick shift, lost control & rammed my car into a pillar across my parking space. He then gave up & flee, leaving the bunch of keys in the ignition, & the witness called the police immediately.
So I recovered my whole bunch of keys, but that guy somehow managed to locate my car after snatching my keys, & that 7-Eleven store was a few miles away from my apartment. Up to this day, I don't know exactly how he did it except if he followed me home after I had the locksmith unlocked my car, but that can't explain why it was until several weeks later(more than a month I think) that he tried to drive my car away
, he could have done it a lot sooner had he followed me home that same day 
I had to get the front bumper fixed, but luckily the damage was limited to the bumper & not the rest of the vehicle. Unfortunately, that thief was never caught
Anyway, after I paid with credit card, I grabbed my stuff & went out to my car, then realized I didn't have my keys with me anymore. Thinking that I must have left it on the counter when I paid, I went back immediately, but neither the cashier nor anybody standing in line said they saw any keys left there. So I guess it must be someone standing right behind or near me who must have taken them. But it couldn't have been more than a minute after I walked out of the store before I realized I didn't have the keys, but when I went in, they're already gone, & everybody inside said they didn't see them, nor can the store employees find them.
After I while, I finally gave up & decided to call a lock smith to unlock the car door & make me a duplicate so I can drive the car home. I was living in an apartment then, & I had to get the manager to let me into my place.
Weeks gone by & one night, a police knocked on my door & told me someone had tried to drive away with my car in the apartment's garage (which was not gated).
A tenant in the same apartment who happened to be returning to the garage saw a native started my car & trying to drive it away, but apparently had trouble with the stick shift, lost control & rammed my car into a pillar across my parking space. He then gave up & flee, leaving the bunch of keys in the ignition, & the witness called the police immediately.
So I recovered my whole bunch of keys, but that guy somehow managed to locate my car after snatching my keys, & that 7-Eleven store was a few miles away from my apartment. Up to this day, I don't know exactly how he did it except if he followed me home after I had the locksmith unlocked my car, but that can't explain why it was until several weeks later(more than a month I think) that he tried to drive my car away
, he could have done it a lot sooner had he followed me home that same day I had to get the front bumper fixed, but luckily the damage was limited to the bumper & not the rest of the vehicle. Unfortunately, that thief was never caught
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