If there’s one thing the rise of social media has made infinitely better, it’s the ability for us to share warnings and advice with each other on an unprecedented scale.
One simple warning can now reach millions of people in a single day, which is in part the reason for this particular article.
Over the years there have been no end of tricks and sneaky tactics employed by people intent on scamming others.
Well, there’s now a new one to watch out for, if reports are to be believed. It involves a plastic water bottle, your car tire, and the potential theft of your car itself …
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News agencies in multiple countries are covering this most dastardly of schemes, proving that it’s rapidly spreading around the world.
It was first reported in Limpopo, South Africa, but quickly spread online after a YouTube channel in Mexico issued a “warning” over criminals attempting to steal vehicles. Unfortunately, the video ended up doing harm as well as good, simultaneously teaching other would-be thugs how to swindle someone out of their car.
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The scam goes like this: first, the criminals target a parked and unattended car, placing a water battle in the crevice between one of the tires and its wheel well. After the driver fails to spot the bottle, he or she will get in and start the engine.
No sooner have they got their vehicle moving than does the bottle crack and break as the tire goes round. This, of course, produces an alarming noise for the driver, who more often than not gets out of their car to inspect the noise.
Since they only expect to be out momentarily, it’s all too easy for said driver to leave the keys in the ignition, thus leaving the car at the mercy of anyone who wishes to jump in and drive away.
It’s as simple as that: driver gets out, driver gets distracted, thieves jump into car, car drives off. In some cases the criminals aren’t actually stealing the car, but rather valuable contents inside. Either way, the driver is robbed of something he or she has worked hard for …
Watch the video below to see a tutorial on the trick. It’s in Spanish, but the video itself tells all you need to know.
Though this horrible trick began half a world away, it’s spreading rapidly, and could all too easily end up on your very street. Please remember to always be vigilant when you suspect something might be wrong. Check your tire wells before getting into your car if you think for one moment that someone might have been messing with it.
Criminals can be crafty and clever – as has been proven in abundance throughout the course of history. Through transparency, vigilance, and communication we can foil them, however. No one deserves to fall victim to such a trick!
Please help us spread this message far and wide by sharing this article on Facebook!
You never know, you could prevent a crime in the future!
