Thieves seem to be able to sniff out valuable cars no matter where they’re kept. That might sound a little paranoid, and it probably is, but we’ve seen them break into residential garages, dealerships, auction lots, and supposedly secure facilities to get vehicles they want. Add to the list a dealership’s underground garage in Los Angeles.
Suspect tries bossing an Arkansas trooper around.
A prized 1951 Oldsmobile Rocket 98 went missing from an underground parking garage on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Owner Frank Corrente, who’s been dealing in high-end collectible cars, many of them owned by celebrities, told ABC7 he discovered the theft when he was showing a different vehicle to a client in the garage.
Unfortunately, surveillance cameras weren’t working at the time of the theft, so Corrente has no idea how the thieves stole his Olds. He kept it locked and we assume the garage has fairly good security, so it’s possible whoever boosted it has skills and experience.
Corrente usually concentrates on acquiring classic Cadillacs, but the ’51 Rocket 98 was just so “pretty” he had to get it. The dealer was holding onto the ride until he could find someone who just absolutely loved it.
He claims the classic is only worth about $25,000 so it’s not incredibly valuable. We wonder if the thief realized they couldn’t stolen another vehicle in the garage and had something worth far more? Many criminals aren’t exactly smart and we don’t think they keep up with the collector car market.
We have no idea what kind of security Corrente had in place, but this is a great reminder to add some aftermarket devices to your ride, whether classic or modern, like an alarm and kill switch. A GPS tracker is also a great idea.
Image via ABC7
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