1,000-HP Dodge Challenger SEMA Build Stolen, Rammed Into Police Car Days Ahead of Show
The Mopar has since been recovered and will still go on display, which is even more impressive after you see footage of the incident.
The Las Vegas Convention Center is currently filling up with millions of dollars worth of custom vehicles ahead of the annual SEMA show, but as usual, this year's edition of the event isn't without its drama. On Thursday, a 1,000-horsepower Dodge Challenger that was slated to debut at the aftermarket auto spectacle was reported stolen to Nevada Highway Patrol. This led to an investigation of the theft and, eventually, capturing the man who did it on camera—however, even after the perpetrator collided with a police car while driving the high-powered muscle car, he remains on the run.
Built by Quintin Brothers Auto and Performance out of Vermont, this Challenger was destined for the ProCharger booth at SEMA. It was reportedly sitting in a box trailer connected to a Ford F-250, which was located in an overflow lot at Main Street Station Casino.
An NHP Trooper spotted the stolen Challenger in a parking garage at the Rio Hotel and Casino, but before he could exit his patrol car, the Challenger reversed into him and fled the scene. Luckily, the officer was uninjured, and you can see the harrowing footage via dashcam footage and security video.
The grey Mopar was then abandoned and discovered at The Boulevard Mall. Police are still searching for the crook, but the car has been returned and will still be displayed at this week's SEMA show—damage and all.
In an interview with local news outlet News3LV, Cole Quintin is quoted saying, "We were in shock, we couldn't imagine that anything like this could ever happen. It looks like they were living in the thing, but they only had it for about 11 hours."
As for the burglar, NHP put out a description of the man so citizens can keep an eye out for him. He's said to be a Hispanic male, heavyset, who has a goatee and is under six feet tall. He was last seen wearing a red San Francisco 49ers football jersey with khaki shorts.
h/t: Speed Society