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Craigslist Car Thief Tries to Sell Nissan Back to Its Owner

By

Garth Johnston

Published Jan 4, 2011

Modified Jan 4, 2011

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Sure, I'll take that for a "test drive."

 

By

Garth Johnston

Published Jan 4, 2011

Modified Jan 4, 2011

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24-year-old Valsyl Lazoryshyn might want to rethink that career in crime, if current charges against him are any indication. On December 29 the he allegedly went to check out a 2005 Nissan Maxima he'd seen advertised on Craigslist and instead of buying it he just drove off with it after asking for a test drive. Not the swiftest car swipe we've heard of, but it could be worse. So it's Lazoryshyn's next step that has us worried about his career choice.

You see that night, after he talked to the cops, the owner of the Nissan (who didn't want his name printed out of embarrassment) went online again and found a strikingly similar 2005 Nissan Maxima listed by another seller on Craigslist (maybe this one?). So he did what any totally ashamed 21-year-old would do: he enlisted the help of Shomrim, an Orthodox Jewish anti-crime patrol, and arranged with the Craigslist poster to check out the car.

When Lazoryshyn arrived at the agreed upon meeting spot with the Nissan in question, the cops were called and the perp was nabbed after a short foot chase. Eventually the charges against him were downgraded to petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, both misdemeanors, and he was released on $500 bail.

Tagged

carjackings

craigslist

nypd

shomrim

silly criminals

Garth Johnston

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