Car thieves, they were. Mechanics, they were not.
A 1986 Pontiac Firebird was stolen from the Amoco service station at 1701 W. Algonquin Rd., earlier this week. But the offenders didn`t get very far. The car, which had been towed in for repairs the day before, conked out on them a short distance away, authorities said.
”Whoever stole it drove about a mile and a half and the car probably broke down,” said Bill Roscop, crime prevention officer with the Mt. Prospect police. ”Smart crooks, huh? Steal a car that`s in for service.”
Figuring it was simply an abandoned vehicle, the Illinois State Police recovered the Firebird later Monday from the Elmhurst exit of the Northwest Tollway, authorities said.
Mt. Prospect authorities received a stolen-vehicle call from the service station at 1:17 p.m. Monday, Roscop said.
Later that day, service station employees went over to the police pound and towed the car back again, said station manager Tony LoBosco.