Thief Takes Jeep Trackhawk, Unaware That His Crazy Police Pursuit Is Being Recorded | Carscoops

      The suspect reportedly damaged the engine during the pursuit, and police apprehended him shortly thereafter.

       15 hours ago

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       by Stephen Rivers

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      Thieves took a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk without realizing it had a functioning dashcam.

      The original owner retrieved the dashcam footage and shared it online for everyone to view.

      Although he got his vehicle back, the owner mentioned that the thief likely ruined his modified V8 engine.

      Individuals whose vehicles have been stolen likely experience a flurry of thoughts following the crime. Where is my car? What is the thief doing with it? Are the police searching for it? However, for the owner of a stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with a powerful Hellcat supercharged V8 engine, there was no need for speculation. Thanks to the dashcam and tracking devices installed in the SUV, he witnessed the entire incident, including a high-speed police chase, firsthand.

      The description accompanying the video indicates that the uploader is the vehicle's previous owner. They provided various details about the incident, including how the theft occurred, how they tracked the vehicle, and their conclusions about what transpired. Let’s begin with the initial theft, which took place well before the chase.

      Reportedly, the thieves broke into the Jeep at least a day before they drove off with it. The owner first noticed the rear window had been broken, and a neighbor confirmed that the vandalism occurred the day prior. Just a few hours after discovering the damage, he heard the engine start and rushed outside, only to see his Jeep exiting the parking lot.

      Without hesitation, he promptly hopped into another car to pursue it. During this time, he activated the Jeep’s onboard tracker. While at a gas station, he attempted to intercept the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, but the tracking feature malfunctioned. However, he was able to trigger the alarm and keep the lights flashing.

      The tracker enabled him to inform officers from various departments about the Jeep’s exact location. Around the 23-minute mark in the video, officers catch up to it and initiate the chase. It quickly becomes evident that the driver accelerates and begins to overtake other vehicles at a rapid pace. However, this advantage doesn't last long; soon after the chase commences, the driver pulls over to the side of the road, repeatedly claiming that the car shut down.

      The Aftermath and Engine Failure Theory

      “Upon reviewing the dashcam footage, I realized that the high-speed police chase – reaching speeds over 120 mph – likely caused severe engine failure, which ultimately ended the pursuit. The supercharged V8, which delivers over 800 horsepower [Ed. note: it's rated at 707 hp in stock form], had been running low on fuel due to the thief's neglect to refuel, which probably resulted in fuel starvation at elevated RPMs, destroying the engine. This is merely my theory,” states the video uploader.

      Although the owner did regain possession of his Jeep, the engine was irreparable. Ultimately, he submitted the damaged Trackhawk to his insurance company in exchange for a settlement.