High School Teen Scams $122,000 BMW
 

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey...7048395190.xml


Teen in custody, $122,000 BMW missing

Jersey City youth accused of swindling Ohio dealer out of luxury car


Thursday, February 12, 2004


BY MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JERSEY JOURNAL

A Jersey City high school student is in custody after allegedly conning an Ohio car dealership into shipping him a $122,000 BMW and delivering it to him at Dickinson High School, officials said yesterday.

"I don't think we have ever had one like this. It's unique," Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Gregory Tomczak said.


The boy, who was not identified, was 16 when he allegedly phoned Midwestern Auto Group in Dublin, Ohio, in early January to order the flashy, 12-cylinder BMW 760il, according to police reports.

He told the salesperson he would wire the money for the car, and would have his bank call the dealership to confirm the transaction once it went through, authorities said.

The dealership mailed the paperwork to the boy's home in Jersey City and he filled it out and sent it back, according to police reports. A few days later, the boy allegedly called the dealership pretending to be a bank official and "confirmed" the nonexistent transfer of $122,000, reports said.

The boy turned 17 on Jan. 13, and like a late birthday present, the shiny new sports car was delivered to his school two weeks later, reports said.

Apparently satisfied, the boy ordered a second BMW from the dealership that same day, reports said.

Also on Jan. 27, the Ohio dealership got a report from its own bank, informing it that the car payment never came through, officials said.

The dealership called the Dublin Police Department and reported the car stolen.

The boy drove the car for a couple of days, but, believing a second free car was on its way, decided to sell it. On Jan. 29, he went to the Best Price Motor Co. on Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City, allegedly offering to sell the $122,000 car for about $75,000.

A representative of the dealership said he was interested, but could not make a deal with a minor.

The boy let him make copies of the car's Ohio title and his own Dickinson student ID card, saying he would return with his uncle, reports said.

After he left, the salesperson called the Ohio dealership and was informed the car was stolen, reports said.

The Jersey City Police Department's Auto Theft Unit got involved and after speaking to Dublin police, set up surveillance at the boy's home to try to spot the BMW, reports said.

After two days of seeing no sign of the vehicle, police said they knocked on the door of the boy's home and spoke to his mother and explained the situation. The mother cooperated with police, calling her son and asking him to come home; police arrested him when he arrived, reports said.

With the boy in custody, police learned they were no closer to recovering the BMW. The boy said he sold the car for $40,000 to a used car dealer in North Carolina, who drove up to Jersey City and drove back south in the car, reports said.

The Jersey City Police Department's Juvenile Bureau charged the boy with theft by deception. He remains in the county youth house in Secaucus.

Neither the $40,000 nor the BMW have been recovered.

Representatives of Midwestern Auto Group and Best Price Motor Co. each confirmed the alleged scam, but refused to comment on it.


If a dealership is willing to ship a car to someone without verifying that they were paid, they deserve to lose it.

stupid

why are they calling a 760 a sports car? ;)

jikes if he'd been a little more careful, he could probably have gotten away with it... Silly, silly representatives...

Anyway, the kid should find a job which involves alot of social engineering, he has a knack for it :D

Have you ever driven a 7 series BMW? As the proud owner of one I can tell you it handles like a sports car...

Especially a 12 cylinder model.

it's a sport sedan. Nothing that large is a sports car ;)

it's a sports/performance/luxury sedan that makes my heart go flutter

bad move on the kid's side.. gave out too much info and got a little too greedy.

with today's computer systems... he was done before he even started.

how'd he ever register the vehicle? get insurance?

could he sell it on the black market? sure... that's about it.

This kind of worries me actually. I have issues when I call someplace and just identify myself by name, and they give me information that could be construed as private. I prefer better security than that.

The dealership deserved this. It was absolutely stupid to do business in this way. It isn't like it is hard to check out their accounts online.

Unfortunately, but if the dealership was that dumb not to look into it further, then they should be out. He stole the car, yes, but no. If the dealer would have just looked at his bank before he sent the thing, then this wouldn't have happened. Then as dumb as the kid was, he got stupid.

With a little training, this kid would be great at sales. A little rough around the edges perhaps, not to mention a bit greedy, but all in all, seems like a very bright kid.

The dealership should be out of a vehicle for being stupid enough to get juped by a 17 year old. Hahahaha!!!

lol genius kid :-P sucks he got caught though hmmp

what th'. . .

because they were stupid, it's OK that someone stole from them?

Gee, I guess if a girl wears a short skirt and walks down an alley after dark she deserves to get raped.

The dealership didn't deserve it. Could have done more to prevent it maybe, but they don't deserve it.

Wow let it go without seeing the money first. The phone call was priceless yeah this is "Rip You Off Bank" money is on the way ship the car please. Damn that is some kid. Going to be in alot of trouble.

Make us proud fellow Jerseyan. Seriously, what was he thinking when he asked for another? Did he think they would fall for it twice?

I wonder... shouldn't red flags be going up when you see a 17 year old kid driving a nice BMW like that? Is this some sort of rich neighborhood?

Couldn't be farther from a rich neighborhood. Jersey City is rough to put it mildly.

Wow. Now that's a scam. I would sell for, say, 75000, say I sold it for 40000, and hide the rest.

Sums up my thoughts on the dealer and kid alike.

Exactly.

that's a new one for sure, definately too greedy, what a fool.
he couldn't have thought he would get a way with.

seems like they gave him the car.. kinda sounds like the kids from where i grew up... their parents just gave them cars.. but they didn't get fined :(

Wow! nice :D

well you guys say sucks he got caught... he coulda sold it for 80k... maybe hell get some time in joovy(sp) and maybe a fine for the 40k he said he sold it for, thus giving him a good head start in life... once hes out he could move down to mexico with his 40k and live like a king in paradise

got to give some credit to the kid.. he's not all stupid

This kid is my new hero. He stole from the rich, super-conglomerate corporation and was able to profit from it. It's just too bad he didn't wait until he was older, though.

If he did this and he was on his own (ie: didn't have to go to school or answer to his parents), he could have driven the car far, far away and sold it. Not been caught, not been found out. With that money, he could have started a new life, kept on making deals, etc.

When he gets out of prison, he's going to be in very high demand.

yeah you have to give it to this kid; it was pretty damn smart...until his ass got a little to cocky. But yeah this sounds like it's right out of a movie; I wouldn't be surprised if there WILL be a movie based on this; lol. Catch Me If You Can 2; lmaooooo

The dealership just boned this so hardcore. They were so happy to be making the profit on the car at sticker price that I doubt anyone gave it a second thought in the dealership. Props to the kid hope he doesn't get set <i>too</i> far up the river.

That is pretty awesome. He has to be a God in that school after that prank. Also, I can not believe that the dealership feel for that. What idiots?

Re: High School Teen Scams $122,000 BMW
 

Dealers. Serves 'em right for believing it. HAhaha. Too bad that kid was so god damned greedy to try to get another one.

By the way: WHERE ARE THE PARENTS IN THIS STORY? WTF??????

Dad: Hey son, nice car.
Son: Thanks dad, I bought it with the money I saved from delivering newspapers.
Dad: Atta boy.