Man Stealing BMW Asks Victim For Help Getting It In Gear

New Haven Police: Man Stealing BMW Asks Victim For Help Getting It In Gear

http://www.ctnow.com/news/connecticut/new-haven/hc-new-haven-robbery-0423-20120422,0,3082295.story

Police are asking for the public's help in finding a man who allegedly robbed a city resident at gunpoint Saturday night.

Around 8 p.m., officers received a call about a robbery outside Ashe's Barber Shop, 1076 Whalley Ave.

An employee at the shop, Travis Stevens, told police he had just gotten off work and into his BMW when a man approached him with a gun in each hand. The man ordered Stevens from his car and demanded he hand over his valuables.

Stevens gave the man his cell phone, wallet and orange Lebron James sneakers, police said.

After taking the items, the suspect got into the BMW and tried to flee, but could not figure out how to get it into gear, police said. After several failed attempts, he asked Stevens for help.

Police said Stevens remained silent until the man threatened to kill him. Stevens explained how to work the car and the thief sped off, police said.

The suspect is a man whose estimated age wasn't reported. He is about 5-foot-11 and thin. He wore a burgundy hooded sweatshirt and grey or black sweat pants.

It is unclear whether he put on the stolen sneakers. He was armed with two handguns, one black and the other chrome. The car is a blue 2008 BMW 5xi four door sedan, with Connecticut license plate 518-YZX.

The victim wasn't harmed during the robbery.

Should have told him to put it into 5th gear. He'd kill it every time and you could stutter, " I don't know what you are doing wrong!"

this is where owning a saab is the best...

Wow, 5'11" and thin..

That narrows it down a lot.

It'll be a cinch to find him. Just look for a guy with a gun in each hand. You find him, you found your criminal.

Wore a hoodie and wanted LeBron sneakers? How is this news?

It's obviously not a crime... he probably was just going to the store for skittles.

Maybe he was confused by where R is on a manual BMW

J308 wrote: Wore a hoodie and wanted LeBron sneakers? How is this news? It's obviously not a crime... he probably was just going to the store for skittles.

That was a surprising post for this forum.

Joey

I bet it was an auto. The BMW auto is not all that intuitive in those models. Its more of a joystick than conventional selector.

Could a manual transmission now be considered a theft deterrent device? If the owner wasn't there to offer driving tips, would the thief have been able to steal it?

Trans_Maro wrote: Wow, 5'11" and thin.. That narrows it down a lot.

I love how they omitted the race of the suspect in order to be PC.

gamby wrote:

Trans_Maro wrote: Wow, 5'11" and thin.. That narrows it down a lot.

I love how they omitted the race of the suspect in order to be PC.

He was stealing orange Lebron sneakers...I think they just omitted it because it was obvious.

EvanB wrote:

gamby wrote:

Trans_Maro wrote: Wow, 5'11" and thin.. That narrows it down a lot.

I love how they omitted the race of the suspect in order to be PC.

He was stealing orange Lebron sneakers...I think they just omitted it because it was obvious.

Now that's profiling and that's (correct most of the time) wrong

EvanB wrote:

gamby wrote:

Trans_Maro wrote: Wow, 5'11" and thin.. That narrows it down a lot.

I love how they omitted the race of the suspect in order to be PC.

He was stealing orange Lebron sneakers...I think they just omitted it because it was obvious.

Oh, I thought it--I just didn't state the obvious.

drsmooth wrote: Could a manual transmission now be considered a theft deterrent device? If the owner wasn't there to offer driving tips, would the thief have been able to steal it?

I bet a "Three on the tree" would be a good theft deterrent.

Hungary Bill wrote:

drsmooth wrote: Could a manual transmission now be considered a theft deterrent device? If the owner wasn't there to offer driving tips, would the thief have been able to steal it?

I bet a "Three on the tree" would be a good theft deterrent.

so.. an old saab 95 would be damn near unstealable?

My cousin had an 84 Hurst Olds Cutlass with the lighting rod shifters. Thief got it started but couldn't figure out the levers. Found the car in reverse, running, against the fence.

joey48442 wrote:

J308 wrote: Wore a hoodie and wanted LeBron sneakers? How is this news? It's obviously not a crime... he probably was just going to the store for skittles.

That was a surprising post for this forum. Joey

If I'm the only one who saw "hoodie" and "LeBron" in the context of crime and thought about the story that seems to be all over the news, then I'd be surprised.

It is the American way to make jokes about things that don't directly affect us, even if it is in bad taste.

J308 wrote: If I'm the only one who saw "hoodie" and "LeBron" in the context of crime and thought about the story that seems to be all over the news, then I'd be surprised. It is the American way to make jokes about things that don't directly affect us, even if it is in bad taste.

Wow.

mad_machine wrote: this is where owning a saab is the best...

So true.

If you listen quietly, you can hear the panties getting twisted.

drsmooth wrote: Could a manual transmission now be considered a theft deterrent device? If the owner wasn't there to offer driving tips, would the thief have been able to steal it?

Yep. I call it, "The Manual Revolution."

I would never think to give someone shoes when they ask for valuables. Even expensive shoes strike me as something that probably shouldn't have have value second hand.

In reply to MG Bryan:

People shoot each other over shoes in the 'hood. This has happened since the 80's, when the first Air Jordans came out.

N Sperlo wrote:

drsmooth wrote: Could a manual transmission now be considered a theft deterrent device? If the owner wasn't there to offer driving tips, would the thief have been able to steal it?

Yep. I call it, "The Manual Revolution."

Install an old style foot operated starter switch as well.