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Web Users Join Forces to Track and Find Stolen Car

by Will Safer on April 14, 2008 at 09:46 AM

1991 Nissan Skyline GT-R

A Canadian group of car enthusiasts joined forces to conduct what was essentially an "open source" search for a Nissan Skyline GT-R stolen from a specialty dealer in Calgary.

The dealer-owner posted word of the stolen car on a blog for Canadian car fanboys, and the thread got a response that did more than lament the crime. Fellow enthusiasts went into action, with the first one of them spotting the stolen car and actually snapping a photo of the supposed perp, which he posted online. Then other readers in the area reported sightings (it is a unique looking vehicle) and narrowed the search area. Still other readers worked to narrow the search, based on location and description, to a Facebook page the perp maintains.

Finally, one reader drove around the neighborhood where the car had last been seen and, finding it, blocked the vehicle in and called police, while also asking a friend to post a note on the online thread, which the car's owner read. He drove to the spot, called police, and the thief -- an 18-year-old high school student -- was arrested within minutes. The arrest itself was caught on video and, of course, posted on the site.

In all, the car was recovered (with minor damage) within 48 hours, thanks to the online community.

A heartwarming story.

From New York Times.

Tags: breaking stories, BreakingStories, crime, Facebook, Nissan

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