Move over, jewelry thieves: The car dealership inside job

In these troubling economic times... (a friend of mine says that's the new phrase to use, so I'm going with it) jewelry-store heists are so the last Depression. Uh-huh. In the big economic muddle, 21st century version, the thing to do is make off with the thing that really has a "street" value: cars. And what better way to do it than an inside job?

Long the subject of stereotyping and derision for their heartlessness and tendency to do anything for a buck, auto dealership managers and salespeople have nonetheless historically been entrusted with very expensive inventory. Perhaps it's the hierarchical, trust-avoidant structure of your typical dealership, but until now, there were no legends of outlaw car dealership management making off with truckloads of cars worth millions.

Until now.