During the COVID-19 pandemic, auto theft rates went sky high. The number of stolen cars is slowly dropping again, but in many places it’s still above pre-pandemic levels. With police departments overwhelmed by all the calls, drivers in Detroit and London were forced to steal their own cars back from thieves. But one driver in Memphis, Tennessee discovered just how dangerous it can be to take the law into your own hands.
London couple steals their car back
Mark Simpson (62) and Mia Forbes Pirie (48), woke one morning to find their Jaguar E-Pace stolen from outside their London home. When they called the police, the department said it would respond when it had time. So the couple tracked an Apple AirTag they’d left in the car, found it parked on the street, and called a tow truck to take it home.
Pirie posted a picture of the adventure, tagging her “partner in un-crime” and admitted the morning had been “kind of fun.”
Detroit driver tracks her stolen car down
Carolyn Brown was in for a similar shock when her 2020 Ford Fusion was stolen from in front of her sister’s Detroit apartment. She went to the police station to file a report. The department later admitted, “a vehicle recovery police run is a lower priority.” So when Brown’s infotainment system pinged her with a location, she decided to check it out herself.
She found her car nearby, with two broken windows. It was parked on the street, but not abandoned. Three men were going in and out of the vehicle. She called the police who said ” stay where you are, we’re gonna come check it out.” Brown made the wise decision to not get involved further. But when police never showed, she had to abandon the car to its fate.
Memphis couple shot at by car thieves
A couple in Memphis found out just how dangerous it can be to take the law into your own hands. After his vehicle was stolen at 2 AM on a Friday, a Memphis man got in his other car and drove around his neighborhood. Sure enough, he spotted the stolen car. He returned home to get his wife and keys, planning to reclaim the stolen car. But things didn’t go according to plan…