Woman Scares Off Car Thieves With Her Finger - And Other Recovery Attempts

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Yes, news went viral last week about a woman cleverly recovered her own stolen car which had been missing for five days. It's always a good feeling when the "good guys" get the upper hand on the "bad guys", but was the risky maneuver something we should attempt?

"Kitty Hold-Up"
Photo Credit:
examiner.com

Seeing her own stolen car in a parking lot, the 50 year old woman from Washington (state) went up to the alleged thieves and demanded that they give her the keys. When they refused, she grabbed one of the men and as she did so, stuck her finger in the back of one, saying she would shoot if he didn't turn over the keys! 

While the bluff did work, and the suspects were apprehended by police, it is generally not a good idea to confront suspected thieves. This woman is lucky that her bluff worked for her.

A 2010 story out of the UK ended quite badly when a 42 year old woman who confronted her alleged thief was run over and killed. There are other tragic stories with similar bad endings if you take the time to look, but every now and then you hear stories where car owners fight back to protect their rides.

Meanwhile, right here in Texas, a car thief was stopped while attempting to steal an SUV from in front of a home in an affluent area of San Antonio. This time the gun was real and the consequences were deadly. In January 2013 the two alleged thieves were brought down by the vehicle owner, with one being injured, the other dying from the gunshot he received. No charges were brought against the vehicle owner since he was protecting his property while the crime was being committed.

The bottom line is you need to assess every situation individually. Guy Algar states, "While we don't recommend taking matters into your own hands, sometimes circumstances force us to do so. We always urge you to first contact the police by calling 9-1-1." As we've discussed in our classic car theft prevention series, "Keeping Your Ride Safe", it's always a wise idea to consider how you would react in  various situations, rehearse what you would do and prepare yourself for a variety of potential outcomes in order to ensure your own safety as well.

REFERENCE:
AOL News - Woman Bluffs Car Thieves Into Returning Her Car
KENS5 - Car Thief Killed, Another Wounded At Stone Oak Home
The Telegraph - Woman Killed After Confronting Car Thief

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.