Owning a Dodge vehicle powered by the vaunted Hellcat engine is a pride. Whether on the streets or in parking areas, Hellcat vehicles are truly eye-catching. However, owners may think twice about parking their Dodge Hellcats in garages at the Orlando International Airport. According to a report by WKMG News 6, these vehicles have been the apple in the eyes of wrong persons – thieves.
Stolen Vehicles All Powered By Hellcat Mill
Citing Orlando police, WKMG News 6 said that just recently, thieves have taken two Dodge Chargers, a Dodge Challenger and a Jeep Cherokee Trackhawk from parking garages at OIA. Interestingly, all of these vehicles were powered by the overpowered Hellcat engine. Thieves drove three of these Hellcat vehicles from OIA’s A-side garage and another one from the airport’s B-side garage.
Victims include Joshua Murillo, whose black-and-red 2016 Dodge Charger Hellcat was one of the stolen vehicle. He parked his Charger Hellcat at level 7 row E of the A-side garage. Gabriel Perez-Ocana and his wife had just been enjoying their white 2015 SRT Challenger for a year when thieves took it away. Both could not believe what happened since they thought these garages were all secured.
Victims Disparage Airport Garage Security
The A and B-side garages are the most expensive parking areas in the airport as they are facilities’ main garages. As per News 6, all of the victims said they did not mind shelling out the extra money because they thought they were paying for security. In contrary, seven vehicles have already fallen victim to thieves this year alone, WKMG News 6 cited an airport spokesperson.
Police reports indicated that OIA contractor ABM Parking Services confirmed that the exit tollbooth records showed three of the Hellcat vehicles exited from the garages on Oct. 4, which is one or two days before their owners returned to collect them. Interestingly, while there is video showing the cars exiting the toll plaza, there is none of the break-ins in the garages. While shattered glass on the ground suggests the windows of the vehicles were broken, the thieves were not caught in the act by cameras.
“Who is going to walk into a parking lot at the airport and steal cars?” Murillo could only ask WKMG News 6 after his beloved Hellcat was stolen.
Stolen Because They Are Hellcat Vehicles
Police detectives believe that these Dodge and Jeep vehicles were targeted simply because they have a Hellcat engine under their hood. Boasting more than 700 hp of massive output, the Hellcat engine transforms any Dodge or Jeep into a high-performance vehicle. Hellcat vehicles are high in demand, hence the thievery.
Source: WKMG News 6