DRIVERS have been warned over an airport car theft scheme with vehicles disappearing from parking lots.
Three different types of car are seemingly being targeted in a crime wave that’s affected multiple travel hubs across the country.
A number of cars are being targetted at airports across the country – with luxury vehicles high particuarly at risk[/caption]
A raid in Dallas was able to track down a stolen Corvette and Lamborghini[/caption]
More than 200 cars have been stolen at Denver’s airport and more than 300 at Atlanta’s[/caption]
According to a recent report by CBS News, the trend has reached the New York City area, with new data showing a spike of car thefts at Port Authority parking lots.
23 cars have been taken from the region’s airports compared to 15 last year, although the problem is nationwide with more than 200 cars stolen at Denver‘s airport and more than 300 at Atlanta’s.
Port Authority Chief Security Officer Greg Ehrie said: “Over the holidays, when more people are traveling, it makes it a juicier target for car theft.
“Lock your car, no valuables in sight and if you see something, please say something.
“It’s a crime that can happen quickly. They can dispose of a car quickly, especially when you’re near major cities.
“More often than now, this is not just an opportunity crime. These are advanced rings who are really thinking and focused on certain vehicles.”
Authorities added that along with cars with valuables inside, luxury cars are being targeted – with Corvettes and Lamborghinis seized during a raid outside Dallas.
Rental car lots are also getting hit, with Federal prosecutors in St. Louis announcing guilty pleas from eight men who rented and stole more than $1 million worth of luxury cars using stolen identities.
“They identified 23 real-life victims whose identities had been stolen to steal or attempt to steal these rental cars, using their names to book these reservations,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow.
Ehrie says his team is working to stop those kinds of crimes before they happen, with the number of cars being stolen dropping due to security efforts.
He added: “Through technology, through intelligence, through proactive policing.”
BURNED UP
This comes as a woman was left stunned when she left her car at an airport and returned to find it had melted – leaving her without a vehicle for weeks.
The Jacksonville International Airport caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage and left multiple car owners awaiting some sort of compensation and explanation.
Tracey Casteel was one of those drivers and is still struggling for information on her set of wheels.
She was told by the valet company SP+ when she returned to the garage on May 19 that they were unable to get her car – and that she had to take a Lyft or Uber.
She later found out it had melted after seeing it on the news.
“It’s like when I watch my cat chase her tail. It’s just you’re going in circles, only you’re hitting brick walls everywhere you go,” said Casteel.
She says she contacted the airport when the fire first happened, but added: “I did the little online thing of putting in your car and everything, but everything tells you if you’re valet parked that you have to talk to the valet folks.
“I have attempted to reach the airport through social media and different things like that. I’ve gotten no response from the airport.”
As she’s struggling to get to her car, it also means her insurance can’t help her out.
Since the incident, she’s been forced to pay for a rental while she tries to get some answers from the airport or the valet company.
Would you suffer through the DMV for a loved one?
More than half of Americans would suffer through going to the DMV (53%) for the sake of their loved ones, according to new research.
To understand how far people are willing to go to help others, a recent survey of 2,000 U.S. adults explored the concept of loyalty in terms of friends, family and even brands.
The DMV’s line is not the only sacrifice. Two in five Americans said they’d happily donate an organ to their family and friends, showcasing the depth of loyalty in interpersonal relationships.
According to the results, Americans would also act as a reference for an apartment or job (62%).
Partners (35%) and best friends (27%) were ranked as the top two most likely people respondents would start a business with.
And if $100,000 were to suddenly fall in their lap 82% of respondents are even likely to share their winnings with family and friends.
Conducted by Talker Research for Circle K’s Inner Circle Rewards Program, results also found that brands and businesses also pull a similar type of loyalty.
Almost three in five (57%) have certain items or services where they prefer one brand over another, including shoes (52%), technology, such as phones or computers (51%), hair products (50%) and clothing (44%).
Seven in 10 (71%) have loyalty to their grocery store, and 59% feel loyal to certain restaurants and food services, while others prefer certain gas stations (39%) and convenience stores (27%).
In fact, the average American has remained loyal to their favorite brands and products for 13 years, while 35% indicated that two decades have passed.
Nearly three-quarters (74%) even agreed that they can tell the difference between the same products made by different brands.
“Loyalty is fundamental to our relationships with family, friends, businesses and brands. The more loyalty you give, the more you get — and it deserves to be recognized,” said Rick Rasor, Vice President of Loyalty at Circle K.
“That is why we are dedicated to rewarding customers for continually making us a part of their daily life.”
