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Man Steals Chinese Food Delivery Car, Makes Deliveries

By Deanne Katz, Esq. on November 13, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Stealing a delivery car seems like the perfect way to make a quick getaway, but a Connecticut man who stole a delivery car on Friday got caught -- for making deliveries.

Keith Hinds was arrested for reportedly stealing a Chinese food delivery car when the driver left the car idling outside a middle school. The driver called his boss to report it stolen, since he was still on his delivery route, the Associated Press reports.

But when the restaurant called customers to let them know their food had been stolen with the car, at least one customer reported that the food had already been delivered.

The only explanation was that Hinds was making the deliveries. He may be a car thief, but hey, he's not going to make people go without their Chinese take-out.

Stealing a food delivery truck and then making the deliveries is a pretty ingenious way to make some cash, since Hinds allegedly collected the money for the orders. But he made a crucial mistake in his plan.

It doesn't count as a getaway if the police know where you're heading.

Since Hinds had made a few deliveries, police scouted out the addresses of other customers who'd called for delivery, reports the New York Daily News. Their hunch that Hinds would keep making deliveries was rewarded when he rolled up to a customer's home in the stolen car.

Hinds was charged with larceny for stealing the car and taking money that belonged to the restaurant.

When he was arrested, police allegedly found marijuana in Hinds' possession. So now he also faces drug charges.

Even though Hinds didn't forcibly take money from any customers, he could still be in trouble for accepting the cash. Taking someone else's preoperty without permission is generally considered theft, even if you don't have to use force to get it.

Accepting someone else's property, like payment, when you don't intend to give it to the owner is almost the same as taking the money from the person's wallet, according to the law.

It's nice that Hinds made the deliveries, but it seems unlikely the restaurant will thank him for it. He's currently being held on $5,000 bail, the AP reports.

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