What is there to be said about car thieves that doesn’t include an expletive-laced diatribe regarding a person’s willingness to steal the property of another? We hate car thieves, but especially classic car thieves who target specific individuals and their old cars, many of which end up overseas in some dictator’s car collection.
The most recent case of a classic car theft comes from Charlotte, North Carolina. The Charlotte Observer reports that last month a group of bold thieves stole five cars from a private storage lot, among them a one-of-800 1969 Boss 429 Mustang.
Valued at between $150,000 and $200,000, this rare Boss Mustang is probably the prize of the collection. A neighbor called the owner to report that the storage unit’s door was open, and the owner arrived to find five vehicles, including a BMW 5-series and the white ‘69 Boss Mustang, were missing. The theft may have happened as much as a month ago.
While you would think that selling such a rare car might be difficult, the truth is that because of VIN-swapping it has never been easier to ship a car overseas. Many of these vehicles end up in the hands of unscrupulous investors who drive a black market for authentic American muscle. We’re sad to say it, but the chances of ever recovering this rare Boss 429 Mustang are slim to none.