Auto Shop Workers Use Forklift to Dangle Car Thief Suspect 20 Feet Off the Ground

Whoops! Sometimes, it takes an embarrassing situation to steer someone away from a life of crime and back towards a more productive path. If this one wasn’t at least a little bit awkward, we’re not exactly sure what would qualify.

In this extraordinary story, we witness a scene that could easily be mistaken for a Hollywood production. However, I assure you, it’s a real-life event that unfolded at an auto shop.

The owners of this auto shop often use a forklift to move cars around. However, on one fateful day, as they were relocating a vehicle, they made a startling discovery—someone was inside the car, and it seemed like this individual might be up to no good, possibly attempting to steal the vehicle or maybe make off with some parts.

Upon making this unexpected find, the auto shop owners made a bold decision. They hoisted the car into the air, suspending it about 20 feet off the ground, with the alleged intruder trapped inside. It’s unclear if he was locked in the vehicle or just afraid to make the jump but in either case he was most certainly trapped and left to wait the situation out to see what would happen. The plan was to keep the car elevated until the police arrived, allowing the authorities to handle the situation and that’s precisely what they did.

When the police arrived and resolved the situation, 26-year-old Alexander Funk found himself in a precarious position, both literally and legally. He was charged with trespassing and possession of criminal tools. Body camera footage captured the arrest, and it seems the local law enforcement found the story quite amusing. After all, it’s not every day that officers arrive at a scene to find a potential suspect neatly delivered to them on a silver platter, already detained.