Carjacker was so confused with a third-pedal that he dipped.
According to Daly City, California police, an owner of a 2009 Dodge Challenger still has his muscle car after an attempted carjacking only because his Challenger had a six-speed manual instead of a regular automatic.
Below is a summary of the case facts as posted by Daly City PD.
“On Thursday, 06-04-20 at 8:04 p.m., Officer Aquila was dispatched to the 3100 block of Geneva Avenue on report of a carjacking. The incident occurred on the 500 block of Talbert Street.”
“The 30-year old victim said he parked his 2009 Dodge Challenger and left the vehicle unlocked with the engine running. He and his wife exited the vehicle and went to move another vehicle. The victim saw a blue Honda drive by and went around the block.”
“The victim said the vehicle returned, and he saw a subject get out of the passenger seat and run to get into his vehicle. The victim said he ran up to the vehicle and yelled at the suspect to get out of the vehicle. The victim said it appeared the suspect could not drive a manual transmission and fled when he was confronted.”
Stolen vehicles and burglaries are a real problem in Daly City. So far this year Daly City PD have reported 79 cars stolen including 140 vehicular burglaries.
KTVU’s Henry Lee had a bit of wordplay with the case.
A Tremec TR6060 6-Speed Manual is optional on Dodge Challengers MY 2008 and newer.
Teens and older millennials trying to break into the carjacking scene and failing miserably after encountering a third pedal and a gear shift is not anything new. Google “millennial car thief” and “manual” and you’ll come up with a handful of stories of confused criminals aborting carjacking.
Nashville Police reported on two teens earlier in 2018 cutting a carjacking short in a Kroger parking lot after fumbling around in the driver’s seat, exiting stage right learning they couldn’t even start the car.
A similar story played out in 2019 with two youths in Toronto unable to steal a man’s manual-equipped car near York University. They were bold enough to draw a gun and steal the victim’s belongings but boldness only got them so far when faced with shifting your own gears.
It’s noteworthy to point out in this case that the victim’s Challenger was left running and unlocked. There’s nothing wrong with leaving your car running while you grab something inside but you must lock your doors. It will be a thing, cooling the interior before you fry your buns in traffic, now that summer is just around the corner.
No one drives manual because they’re inherently harder to steal, people drive manuals because they’re more engaging and a lot more fun.
But you have to admit, a bonus is that added level of millennial anti-theft security. As car thieves get younger, the chances of your pride and joy getting jacked grows smaller.
