Kidnapping Fail: South Carolina Man’s Alleged Abduction Attempt Foiled Because He Can’t Drive A Stick Shift


A South Carolina man learned the hard way that if you’re going to commit a crime, you’d better be able to drive the getaway car. The unlucky gentleman had an alleged attempted kidnapping foiled because he couldn’t drive a stick shift.

KTRK (Houston) reports 27-year-old Demetric Jerod Nelson broke into the home of a 53-year-old woman in Sumter, South Carolina Tuesday morning and demanded money from her at gunpoint. He then forced her into her car and told her to drive to a location a few miles away.

Demetric Jerod Nelson: Kidnapper who can't drive a stick shift.
Demetric Jerod Nelson:Alleged Kidnapper who can’t drive a stick shift.

At the alleged kidnapper’s destination, Nelson forced the victim into the trunk of her car, then tried to drive away. Fortunately for the victim, the kidnapper was unable to drive a stick shift, so he abandoned the vehicle and took off on foot.

The State reports that the unidentified victim waited for a bit to make sure the coast was clear, then used an emergency latch inside the trunk to free herself. She then flagged down a Sumter Police Department cruiser and got help.

Police K-9 units were unable to locate the alleged bumbling kidnapper. He was, however, arrested hours later with the victim’s car keys still in his pocket.

As of this post, it is not clear if the alleged kidnapper and his victim knew each other. Further, it’s not clear what kind of car the alleged kidnapper tried – and failed – to steal.

Demetric Jerod Nelson is hardly the first bumbling crook whose dastardly crime was foiled by a stick shift. Earlier this year, a California carjacking attempt was ruined, according to this Inquisitr report, when the bumbling crook found himself in a stick shift that he couldn’t drive.

And in a classic viral video from Australia, a carjacker attempts to steal a truck, only managing to get away a few feet because he can’t drive a stick.

In fact, you should probably consider buying a stick shift for your next car purchase; it’s practically a guarantee that no thief, carjacker, or would-be kidnapper will be able to drive it.

Nelson is a career criminal with a long list of felonies under his belt. The would-be kidnapper who can’t drive a stick shift was booked into jail, where he faces charges of kidnapping and armed robbery.

[Images courtesy of: Shutterstock/cloki, WYFF]

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