My Reality Bites

GLOOMY ECONOMICS OR JUST REVENGE

Pic: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/11/nation/2250160&sec=nation


Torch any cars you like just because you can't own it. Is this the way it should be?

Source from autoblog, People turn to torching cars in bad economy

Vehicle owners behind in their payments and faced with mounting debts have begun taking matches to their cars and trucks in an effort to stop their payments and collect the insurance settlements. Unfortunately, in most cases the attempts backfire (pun intended). According to police, when delinquencies on auto loans rise, owner-involved arson jumps as well. Between 2004 and 2007, "potential owner give-ups" (most of which involve torched vehicles) nearly doubled nationally. Distinguishing between an actual theft-and-burn and an owner-induced arson is the job of investigators who often find such cases easy to crack. For example, recently a pair of Chrysler Pacificas were burned and it just so happens that that particular model was only reported stolen 98 times across the nation this year – the so-called "theft" raised more than a few eyebrows at headquarters. In another case, a Yukon owner claimed his truck was stolen and burned overnight. Police knew that the thief likely had the keys (Yukons are especially difficult to hot-wire) so their focus was immediately turned towards the owner who had conveniently left "two cans of gasoline" in the back. In yet another case, the late-paying owners had significantly lowered their deductible just days before the reported theft. Over their heads in debt, fraudulent owners choose arson because the burned-out vehicle shells are often found immediately by authorities, and the insurance companies settle and disburse payments quickly. That is, assuming they haven't fallen behind on their insurance bills as well! Thanks for the tip, Ben!

Source from thestar:

Arsonists torch eight vehicles in Petaling Jaya

PETALING JAYA: Two men went on a pre-dawn arson spree, torching seven cars and a school bus by throwing Molotov cocktails at them in SS3, SS4, SS5 and Sunway here.
The attacks were believed to have been carried out between 4am and 6.30am yesterday.
Arson damage: A police personnel examining one of the burnt cars in Petaling Jaya yesterday.
The torched cars were a Honda Civic, a Proton Iswara and a Gen2, a Toyota Harrier, an Audi, a Naza Kia and a Toyota Vios.
A witness who declined to be named, said he saw two men in a four-wheel drive vehicle drive past his house.
One of them, who was standing at the back, lit a Molotov cocktail and threw it towards his car.
All eight vehicle owners lodged police reports.
Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamad said police were investigating the possibility of a syndicate “forcing” residents in Kelana Jaya to employ the services of a private security firm.
Under probe: Police personnel examining an oil container found at the scene where several cars were burnt in Petaling Jaya yesterday.
“We will check on these claims and ask the residents there if they have been approached by individuals offering residential patrolling services in the area,” he said when contacted last night.
He added that police were also investigating other possible motives behind the attacks.
It is learnt all vehicles were not broken into.
They were parked outside the owners’ homes and located within a radius of five kilometres.
Sources said similar arson incidents had previously occurred in the district this year.