It’s no secret Dodge Challengers and Chargers are highly sought after by car thieves nationwide. The hotter the model and bigger the engine, the more likely someone is going to pinch these high-horsepower muscle cars when the owners aren’t looking. With the recent rash of vehicle thefts, many drivers have taken great measures in securing their Dodge Challenger SRT® Demons, SRT Hellcat Redeyes, SRT Hellcats and Scat Packs by locking up their prized machines away from prying eyes when not in use. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always deter the most hardened criminals looking to score a free ride.
Before last week’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas, there was an incident that involved the theft of a modified Dodge Challenger Scat Pak right from inside an enclosed trailer in an overflow parking lot near the Las Vegas Convention Center. Actually, the thief stole the whole truck and trailer to get the Challenger.
Talk about misguided guts and determination.
When the Challenger was reported stolen, the Nevada Highway Patrol spotted the Scat Pack in downtown Las Vegas. They followed the suspect and cornered him in a parking structure, but that still didn’t impede his attempts to break the gauntlet laid down by the authorities. The thief mashed the gas, rammed a Police Ford Explorer, and took off through the Las Vegas streets. The next day, deputies spotted the car and soon a chase ensued that involved no less that 14 police cruisers. Eventually, the beat-up Challenger Scat Pack was recovered by police after the thief abandoned it off the Las Vegas Strip. Once the investigation was complete, which included dusting for fingerprints and collecting evidence, the police released the Challenger Scat Pak back to its rightful owner – albeit in rough shape with battered and bruised sheet metal and front fascia, an interior strewn with fast food wrappers, and even a baby seat belonging to the suspect. Maybe he took his young-ins through the drive-thru while eluding the Las Vegas Police and Nevada Highway Patrol in his 110-mile journey through Sin City. Regardless, the Quintin Brothers were just happy to get the Challenger back before the opening of the SEMA Show.
And regarding the suspect, he was apprehended the next day.
The tricked-out Challenger, built by Quintin Brothers Auto and Performance, was just one of the many highly customized cars slated to be on display in various manufacturer’s booths throughout the show. Quintin Brothers had modified the Scat Pack 392 HEMI® engine from the factory 485 horsepower to over 700 with the installation of ProCharger supercharger and other engine mods under the Shaker hood. The exterior had carbon fiber bodywork and a high-end audio system. The Quintin Brothers invested over $200,000 and just about 1,000 hours in labor to build the custom Challenger Scat Pack.
Instead of the car missing the SEMA Show altogether, the decision was made by the Quintin Brothers to debut the Challenger Scat Pack with all of its carnage complete with police tape, at the SEMA Show. According to the Quintin Brothers, the stolen Challenger drew more attention at SEMA than they could’ve imagined due to the national and local media coverage over the theft and recovery of their prized Challenger.
In the meantime, the Quintin Brothers will display the Challenger at few other shows and events before going back to their shop in Vermont to get it rebuilt and fixed up to all its pre-stolen glory. Look for this recent Grand Theft Auto candidate to be back on the SEMA Show floor next year looking better than ever.
In the meantime, check out these images showing more scars and damage the Challenger Scat Pack endured during its wild adventures in Vegas!
