8:53 am, September 6, 2023
The UK’s automotive industry is awash with interesting stories and ever-changing news which keeps all of us here at Car Dealer busy throughout the year.
However, sometimes there are headlines from other parts of the world that we think are just too good for our readers to miss out on.
That is why, in order to keep everyone up to date with the latest goings on from all four corners of the globe, we publish a regular round-up of stories from other parts of the world.
In the past we have brought you tales of Russian hackers, major frauds and even dealer kidnappings but here is latest our summary of what’s been going on around the world of late…
American car salesman accused of stealing illicit photos from customer’s phone
- Oregon, USA
A US car salesman could be facing time behind bars after he was accused of stealing nude photographs from a female customer’s phone.
John Litman has been charged with voyeurism, telephone harassment, and unauthorised use of property, following an incident at the Boardman car dealership where he works.
The salesman is accused of asking the 24-year-old customer for her phone password in order to connect the device to a vehicle she was viewing.
However, unbeknownst to her, he is then said to have sent himself a folder which included pictures of the woman wearing lingerie or nothing at all.
He also deleted the six images and two videos from the customer’s device in an apparent effort to cover his tracks.
The dealer has pleaded not guilty to the above charges and entered no plea to a further charge of pandering obscenity.
He has been released on a $7,500 bond and is currently awaiting a future court hearing.
Source: WFMJ
Showroom for flying cars opens in Germany
- Munich, Germany
The Back to the Future-style dream of flying cars for the masses may have moved a step closer with the opening of a new showroom in Germany.
Car maker PAL-V has opened its first dealership in the country, selling its experimental, but road legal vehicle which is just as comfortable in the sky as it is on the motorway.
Bosses say the showroom will serve as a platform for potential buyers, investors, and enthusiasts to ‘witness first hand the sophisticated craftsmanship and unparalleled technology behind PAL-V’s flying car’.
Robert Dingemanse, CEO of PAL-V, said: ‘We believe that the future of transportation lies in the skies, and with our showroom now open in Munich, we are one step closer to turning this belief into a widespread reality.
‘Flying cars are no longer a distant dream; they are here, they are real, and they are ready to revolutionise the way we travel.’
Source: PAL-V
US dealer boss goes viral over six pack claim
- Arizona, USA
There are no doubt countless car salesmen across the UK who feel like they could do with shifting a few pounds after a summer of indulgence.
However, none would last long working for one dealership boss from Arizonda, who has gone viral for claiming he fires any employee who does not have a six pack.
Andy Elliott, 43, claims that the policy is just one of the ‘high standards’ he demands from employees who he says need to ‘step up’ in order to remain employed.
The dealer, who also works as a professional sales trainer, said: ‘Six-pack or you’re fired – that’s what I tell my entire team. If you don’t have a six-pack, you don’t work for us.’
The clip has been shared the world over, with several experts slamming the ‘unrealistic’ demands placed on workers.
One fitness trainer wrote: ‘This is a terrible mindset just from a fitness perspective.
It’s a very small percentage of the population that can even achieve this, plus the quality of life sucks. Lots of people with six-packs are in actual horrible health!’
- Arizona, USA
Source: Daily Mail
Russian car salesman jailed for sending money overseas
- Moscow, Russia
A former executive at one of Russia’s biggest dealer groups has been jailed for illegally sending money overseas.
Anatoly Kairo worked as director of business development at Rolf when he was part of a group which sent large sums of money abroad using forged documents.
The group, which included the company’s founder, are said to have purchased shares in a Rolf subsidiary at an inflated price.
Prosecutors say that the money for these shares was transferred illegally to the account of a Cypriot company in an Austrian bank using faked paperwork.
Kairo, an Austrian citizen, was jailed for eight-and-a-half-years for his role in the scheme but has previously suggested the case was politically motivated.
Petrov has in the past criticised his experience of doing business in Russia and the country’s media has since accused him of being a Ukrainian citizen.
He denied all the charges against him.
Source: Reuters
Thief steals Lexus by smashing through window of New York dealership
- New York, USA
This is the moment a car thief in Cicero, New York escaped a Lexus showroom with a brand new car after smashing his way out of the dealership.
CCTV footage shows the crook using a 2023 Lexus RC350 to plough through a showroom window, leaving glass strewn over the floor.
Meanwhile, on the same night, a Dodge Challenger and a Jeep Grand Wagoneer were also stolen following break-ins at nearby dealerships.
Police say the Lexus and Dodge were found the following morning, a short distance away in neighbouring Syracuse but the search for the Jeep remains ongoing.
Officers believe that six people broke into the dealerships and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
Source: Syracuse.com
