Car Thief Steals Driver’s Ed Car in New Mexico

A car thief took off in a driver’s ed vehicle in New Mexico this week.

The thief swiped the car, which has “student driver” markings on it, from a parking lot at the Achievement Driving School in Albuquerque late on Wednesday, Sept. 19, or early the next day, school officials said.

Instructors at the school initially thought one of the teachers had it out but later realized it had been stolen.

“We came back, everyone was like, ‘Hey, the blue spark is gone’ and we thought well, one of the other instructors must have taken it,” Eric Strauss, owner of Achievement Driving School, told KOB.

The car was a 2016 light blue Chevy Spark, reported KRQE. It was parked at Achievement’s St. Pius campus parking lot.

Besides the student driver markings and the school’s name, the car is equipped with a special brake that the passenger can use.

“I just don’t know who would steal a driving car to begin with, I mean, who does this?” Strauss told KRQE. “The cars are vital to teaching the kids.”

He said it would take hours just to get the logos from Achievement off the exterior, making the crime that much more puzzling.

“I’m bummed because it’s just a reflection of Albuquerque. I’ve grown up in this community and you’re just thinking, of all things you want to steal, a Chevy Spark with a driving school logo? It’s like, is that what we’ve come to,” Strauss added to KOB.

Anyone who spots the vehicle is being urged to call the police.

Car Thefts in United States

More than 750,000 vehicles were stolen in the United States in 2016, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The most thefts occurred in California, Texas, and Florida; the most commonly stolen vehicles were Honda Accords, Honda Civics, and Chevrolet Silverados.

The agency said most of the thefts were “due to driver error.”

The agency recommended that people make sure to take the keys to their vehicles with them when they park and exit, as opposed to keeping the keys in or on their vehicles; make sure to close and lock all windows and doors; park in well-lit areas; and not leave valuables inside the vehicle, especially where the valuables can be seen from outside the car.

“Some of the most popular vehicle parts or valuable items stolen from vehicles include doors, engines, transmissions, air bags, radios, GPS units, cellphones, iPads, laptops, and purses,” the administration stated.

From NTD.tv