--- title: "Violent Car Thieves Thwarted Because They Couldn’t Drive a Manual Porsche" description: "Thieves attempted to steal a business owner's Porsche 718 Cayman but failed when they couldn't use a manual transmission." date: "2023-12-03" modified: "2023-12-03" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/violent-car-thieves-thwarted-because-they-couldnt-drive-a-manual-porsche" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Porsche News" tags: - "718 Cayman" - "porsche" - "sports car" --- # Violent Car Thieves Thwarted Because They Couldn’t Drive a Manual Porsche ![]() *Porsche* I'm sure you've all seen the boomer *Facebook* memes of a manual shift knob and a caption that goes something like this: "Millennial anti-theft device." Yes, they're cringy and of course, many Millennials know how to drive stick. However, broken clocks are right twice a day, aren't they? While we don't know if the violent car thieves who recently tried to rob a man in Bethesda, Maryland were Millennials, we do know that the owner's[ manual transmission]() did indeed prevent theft. According to *[Fox 5 DC]()*, Bethesda restaurant owner Myo Maung was leaving his business last Sunday night when three carjackers approached him at gunpoint. After pistol-whipping him and taking his keys, the carjackers attempted to drive away in Maung's [Porsche ]()718. However, since none of them knew how to use a manual transmission, they had to leave the Porsche and flee in their [Nissan](). ![]() **Porsche** In the dashcam video obtained by Fox 5, you can see the three carjackers pull up and stop near the parked Porsche, just as Maung is walking up to it. They then get out and approach him at gunpoint but move offscreen. After they take his keys, they try to start the Porsche but it takes longer than it should, as they likely didn't know how to start it with the clutch pedal. Once they get it started, they stall at least twice, without ever pulling away, before the video ends. Maung claimed to have heard at least one gunshot go off during the attempted robbery but police found no shell casings and there isn't a gunshot in the video. The carjackers got away and police investigators are asking anyone who has any information to speak up. The carjackers' license plate is visible in the video but it might either be a stolen car or a bogus plate. Thankfully Maung is recovering from his injuries and seems to be OK. And on top of that, his Porsche wasn't actually stolen. As cringy as those stick-shift memes can be, it is true that fewer and fewer drivers know how to operate a manual transmission, as automakers phase them out, and Maung's enthusiasm for three pedals just saved his Porsche from theft. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()