Fun_People Archive
11 Dec
ULOTD: Missing your Mercedes?

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From: Peter Langston <psl>
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 97 00:53:27 -0800
To: Fun_People
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Subject: ULOTD: Missing your Mercedes?

Forwarded-by: Nev Dull <nev@bostic.com>
Forwarded-by: glen mccready <glen@qnx.com>
Forwarded-by: Chris Sherwood <chrisshe@microsoft.com>

Car Thefts -- from Alexander Forbes Communications Division, South Africa

Although crime seems to be the best paid profession in South Africa at the
moment, it is still not as sophisticated as in some of the other parts of
the world.

A Gentleman based in Bogota, Colombia, tells the story of a fellow American
whose new Mercedes Benz was stolen off the street.  The next day, he
received a phone call demanding a $10,000 ransom.  On the advice of his
insurers, he paid up, and the robbers duly left his car where he could find
it.

The next day they phoned again, saying that because he had paid so promptly,
his car was "insured" against theft for a full year.  A week later, however,
his Merc was gone again.  The same thieves phoned to demand $10,000.  "But
it's not fair," protested the victim, "you stole my car before and promised
it wouldn't happen again for 12 months."  After first protesting that this
was impossible, the caller promised to check, and the victim could hear
computer keys over the phone.  Finally, the caller was back on the line,
full of apologies, and told the victim where his Merc could be found.

When he got there the American found not only his car, but also a bottle of
French Champagne on the front seat, as well as a card apologizing for the
mistake and the inconvenience.

© 1997 Peter Langston