Watch CBS News

Thieves Strip Car Parts Right From Woodland Dealership's Lot

WOODLAND (CBS13) - Car thieves in Woodland went right to the source over the weekend, stealing parts from vehicles parked on a dealership lot.

The manager of Hoblit Dodge thinks the crooks have been casing the cars for some time. And -- talk about risky -- this dealership is on Main Street, but that didn't stop the suspects from stripping down a car parked right in the front row.

"Took our Charger SRT 8," manager Bill Bertucci said on Monday. "They broke the steering wheel somehow, enough to pull it out here and then push it with another vehicle."

He showed CBS13 the surveillance video from late Sunday night. One guy clearly was in a hurry pushing the car by hand. Then, the suspects' SUV steered the sedan to a secluded area in the dealership's lot.

It was stripped clean just out of view of the security cameras.

"They knew what they were doing because they disconnected the battery so maybe the manufacturer's alarm wouldn't go off," Bertucci said.

The thieves ripped the doors and side panels off the Dodge and gutted the electronics too, from the stereo to the navigation system.

"Bumper from the quarter panel, both doors," he said.

A Chevy was targeted too. A back window was broken out and two doors taken.

Bertucci says they've been hit by vandals before, but nothing like this. From start to finish, the strip-down took two hours right in the parking lot -- a dealership turned into a chop shop.

"It's right on Main Street," Bertucci said. "It's pretty bold to strip it right there."

Surveillance video offers a glimpse of the getaway vehicle, but despite multiple angles, the license plate number can't be made out.

Employees think it's either a Ford Edge or -- coincidentally -- a Ford Escape.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.