Thieves Smash Dealership Key Box, Steal Six Vehicles Valued At $250,000

A Sacramento area dealership is still working with police to figure out just what happened when thieves hit their store and stole vehicles worth a combined $250,000.

At Mercedes of Rocklin in Rocklin, California, six vehicles were stolen just after their delivery to the store. At approximately 5:30 a.m. Dec. 28, the Mercedes vehicles valued at a combined quarter million dollars disappeared off the dealership lot they were delivered to overnight.

As KCRA reports, the thieves broke into the lockbox where the transport truck driver dropped off the keys and a team of thieves made off with the high-end machines. A cleaning crew working in the dealership early in the morning reported the theft to police.

Thanks to GPS tracking two of the stolen vehicles were found by police within a mile of the dealership the same day, while a third was tracked down in Oakland. The other three vehicles have vanished. Mercedes of Rocklin general manager Chris Roth spoke to KCRA about the theft saying he assumed the thieves used a big crowbar to pry open the key box. Roth also noted that his store will change its policy when it comes to overnight deliveries, move the drop box to a more secure location and add more security cameras around the lot.

One of the questions raised in this story is who is responsible for the vehicles, which may be subject to insurance claim? They were delivered to the store, but were stolen before they were signed for? What jurisdiction does that fall under in your experience? What is the policy at your store when it comes to dealership key drop boxes and overnight deliveries and have you ever had any major problems?