Man Attempted to Purchase 3 BMWs Using Altered Bank Transfers | Carscoops

      The 23-year-old was apprehended and confessed to having already secured a buyer for one of the BMWs he intended to steal.

      A 23-year-old sent counterfeit bank transfer screenshots to a dealer and then drove away with the vehicle.

      He was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison, with 21 months suspended.

      His defense claimed he suffered from ADHD and autism, but he was still sentenced.

      For many individuals, the ability to purchase an expensive BMW demands years of dedication, financial responsibility, and perhaps some optimistic thinking. However, for others, the path to luxury hinges more on deception than on savings. Time and again, we witness scammers who forge documents in an effort to seem credible, only to be caught by law enforcement.

      This was the case in Ireland recently when a 23-year-old man attempted (and ultimately failed) to illegally obtain not just one, but three BMWs.

      Callum Kearney first expressed interest in acquiring two BMWs from Ashford Motors, one listed at €89,950 (approximately $97,000 at current exchange rates) and the other at €54,950 (around $59,300). His grand scheme involved photoshopping several screenshots to create the illusion that he had transferred funds to the dealership, intending to leave with the cars.

      Unfortunately for Kearney, the dealership was not deceived by his ruse, and since they did not receive any payment, he did not get the cars.

      Undeterred by his initial setback, the 23-year-old made another attempt six days later at a different dealership, CMC Car Sales. He targeted a €28,950 (~$31,200) BMW this time, sending forged screenshots of a pending transaction before taking the car for a test drive. He did not return; instead, he replaced the license plates with fake ones and kept the vehicle for himself.

      Before long, authorities located the stolen BMW at a house where it was parked. There, they found Kearney, who provided them with a false name and claimed he had owned the car for “three or four years.” Unsurprisingly, the officers were not convinced. They quickly arrested him, and according to RTE, he admitted to the crime. He also disclosed that he had intended to sell part of the car’s engine for €15,000 (~$16,200) and had prepared a buyer for one of the BMWs he previously tried to steal.

      Earlier this month, Kearney received a sentence of three years in prison, with 21 months suspended. His defense team argued that he has a strong passion for cars and has been diagnosed with ADHD and autism, while also emphasizing his difficult upbringing, which included experiences of domestic abuse.