Philadelphia car dealership has over half its cars stolen in a few days
Christopher Tremoglie
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A new used car dealership in Philadelphia had quite the first week! The company went through most of its inventory just a few days after it opened! It was something the owners never expected. And it was also because the cars were stolen, not sold. As a result, the brand-new dealership might have to go out of business because of the thefts, WPVI reported. It’s a scathing indictment of the horrific criminal world that has swallowed the city.
The cars were stolen from City Motors of Philadelphia sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, according to reports. The company had 11 vehicles on its lot, but thieves made off with seven of them. They tried to steal an eighth car but were unable to do so, according to WPVI. The thieves also stole the cars’ titles.
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“If we don’t recover the cars, we probably won’t survive it,” Nathan Kriegler, co-owner of City Motors of Philadelphia, told WPVI. “It could be the start and the end all in the same week.”
Car thefts in Philadelphia have skyrocketed in recent years. The city set a record for carjackings in 2022, and the disturbing trend continued in 2023. Pertaining to just regular vehicle thefts, as of June 2023, data showed that vehicle thefts “have nearly doubled from this point last year,” including more than 9,000 already stolen by that point, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
Local law enforcement authorities are investigating the incident. So far, three of the cars have been located. However, the rest of the investigation might be tricky because there wasn’t any security footage to use in the investigation. Since the dealership was so new, there weren’t any security cameras at the location. They were due to be installed on Wednesday – the day after the cars were stolen. It’s a series of unfortunate events that might cause the company to close its doors just a few days after opening them.
“We called our insurance company today, and unfortunately, we only have liability insurance for the vehicles,” Kriegler said. “So, if we don’t get the cars back, we have no coverage for the vehicles whatsoever.”
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Kriegler questioned whether it was wise to start a business in Philadelphia in the first place. In hindsight, it was something he probably would not have done. It’s just one of the many fallouts from the city’s Democratic leadership letting criminals run wild. And if they don’t do something about it soon, more companies will think the same things as Kriegler.
“I think if I had the choice all over, I would not come to Philadelphia,” said Kriegler. “I think a lot of people are feeling that way.”