logo
Rolls-Royce Cullinan Rented, Then Used As Bank Robbery Getaway Car

Rolls-Royce Cullinan Rented, Then Used As Bank Robbery Getaway Car

Yahoo19-03-2025

Flashy getaway cars are usually the stuff of movies, but according to a report from Fox 2 Detroit, someone in Michigan paid $1,750 per day to rent a Rolls-Royce Cullinan — and then used the super-luxury SUV in a string of bank robberies, eventually leading police on a chase before abandoning the vehicle.
The Rolls-Royce was rented from Dream Luxury Car Rentals in Southfield, Michigan last week for the cost of $1750 per day, according to the local news outlet; shortly after the SUV was rented, a crime spree began, with the Rolls-Royce being used in several robberies at banks in Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties.
Fox 2 Detroit says police eventually spotted the driver of the Cullinan and began a pursuit, with the suspect eventually ditching the SUV and fleeing on foot. Police are reportedly still searching for the suspect, and the investigation has been turned over to the FBI; the Cullinan has been recovered, but suffered approximately $15,000 in damages... which, on a vehicle like this, probably amounts to a scuffed wheel.
But Sam Zahar, owner of Dream Luxury Car Rentals, told Fox 2 Detroit that he only discovered what his Rolls-Royce had been up to when he saw a video from local news of a Cullinan being towed — a Cullinan that Zahar said he immediately recognized as his own.
As it turns out, this reportedly is not the first time Zahar has found his vehicles in this type of situation: a couple of months ago, he says, someone rented a car from him and used it to rob a mail truck. Despite this, Zahar seems to have a good attitude about the luck of his business: even though his vehicles have occasionally wound up connected to crimes.
'We put a lot of smiles on peoples faces," a smiling Zahar said to Fox 2 Detroit.
You Might Also Like
You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox
Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners
The Man Who Signs Every Car

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Vance Boelter's Friend Reveals More Details About Assassination Suspect
Vance Boelter's Friend Reveals More Details About Assassination Suspect

Newsweek

time32 minutes ago

  • Newsweek

Vance Boelter's Friend Reveals More Details About Assassination Suspect

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A friend of Vance Boelter, a suspect in the assassination of Minnesota Democratic state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband on Saturday, has revealed his last message to him before the shooting. Boelter, 57, who was identified by police as a suspect in the shooting on Saturday, reportedly rented a room in the same Minneapolis home as David Carlson, and sent his friend a cryptic text message at 6 a.m. on the day of the incident. Boelter's listed address is in Green Isle, Minnesota, an hour's drive away. Newsweek has contacted the Minnesota State Patrol and Minneapolis Police Department for comment via email. Why It Matters Hortman and her husband, Mark, were pronounced dead Saturday morning after a gunman posing as law enforcement arrived at their home in the early hours and shot them both. The shooter, who remains at large, had targeted the home of another Democratic lawmaker, state Senator John Hoffman, shortly before the attack on the Hortmans. Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot multiple times and have undergone surgery. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the shooting "a politically motivated assassination." What To Know Sitting on the porch of the house that he had shared with Boelter, Carlson read aloud a text message that he received from the suspect at 6 a.m. on Saturday. The text message, which Carlson read to reporters, said: "David and Ron, I love you guys. I made some choices, and you guys don't know anything about this, but I'm going to be gone for a while. "May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn't gone this way. "I don't want to say anything more, I don't want to say anything more and implicate you in any way, because you guys don't know anything about this. But I love you guys and I'm sorry for all the trouble he has caused." A poster released by the FBI for Vance Boelter, a suspect in the shooting of Minnesota lawmakers on Saturday. A poster released by the FBI for Vance Boelter, a suspect in the shooting of Minnesota lawmakers on Saturday. FBI Carlson said that he had known Boelter since fourth grade, and that he was a loving person who did not seem like the type to carry out an assassination. "He was a loving caring guy, he loved his family, he loved his friends. He loved God. I don't know why he did what he did. It's not Vance, no one will believe this, no one that grew up with him, he had lots of friends, trust me. I wish I could have been there to stop him." Carlson told KARE 11that Boelter voted for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, and that he was a "strong supporter." However, Carlson said that Boelter had not talked about politics recently, and that he had not given his friends any indication he had an interest in state-level politics or Minnesota lawmakers. There is no indication he is affiliated with a political party. Minnesota State Patrol said they had found "No Kings" flyers in Boelter's car, which refers to the thousands of demonstrations that took place throughout the United States on Saturday in protest of President Donald Trump's policies—in response, further protests across the state were canceled Multiple groups carried out demonstrations against Trump's administration and a military parade in Washington D.C. on Saturday, which was also the president's 79th birthday. Minnesota Flags at Half-Mast Walz announced that the flags on all state buildings would fly at half-mast to honor Hortman. Walz said on Saturday: "Minnesota's flags will fly at half-staff in honor and remembrance of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. She woke up every morning determined to make Minnesota a better place, and she will be greatly missed." What People Are Saying Minnesota Governor Tim Walz wrote in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter: "Today Minnesota lost a great leader, and I lost a friend. A formidable public servant and a fixture of the state capital, Melissa Hortman woke up every day determined to make our state a better place. "She served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, and tirelessness. Minnesota's thoughts are with her loved ones, and my prayers are with Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who were shot and wounded and are being treated." What Happens Next The FBI announced on Saturday they are offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Boelter. "Anyone with information about these shootings or Boelter's location should call the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension tip line at 877-996-6222 or email The public is asked to call 911 immediately if they see Boelter. Do not approach him."

Democrat Michigan AG Asked FBI to Raid Protesters' Homes — But Won't Tell Students Why
Democrat Michigan AG Asked FBI to Raid Protesters' Homes — But Won't Tell Students Why

The Intercept

timean hour ago

  • The Intercept

Democrat Michigan AG Asked FBI to Raid Protesters' Homes — But Won't Tell Students Why

On the morning of April 23, around 7 a.m., the FBI, along with other local and state police, battered down the doors of four residences across Ann Arbor, Canton, and Ypsilanti, Michigan. The homes belonged to pro-Palestine student organizers at University of Michigan. The raids were the latest move by the University of Michigan and the state against student organizers following the protest encampments last spring. The school has seen particularly harsh repression of campus protests against Israel's war on Gaza. While no arrests were made, all electronics were seized into FBI custody and at least two DNA samples were collected, according to local attorneys representing the subjects of the raids. The warrants were from Attorney General Dana Nessel's office and signed by a judge in the 45th District Court in the small town of Oak Point, Michigan, but attorneys also say they have yet to see probable cause for the search and seizures. Nessel, a Democrat, still has not unsealed and shared the affidavits for the warrants with lawyers or the residents they raided. 'These raids were very much seen as an escalation by the state attorney general.' 'These raids were very much seen as an escalation by the state attorney general, who's expressed quite a bit of an extreme reaction against the students' activism on the University of Michigan campus,' said John Philo, executive and legal director of the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice, the group representing the targets of the raids. 'In terms of probable cause for the warrants, it's entirely unknown at the moment. The search warrants were issued based on a complaint and the judge has ordered for the affidavit to be suppressed. It's a terribly unusual thing.' Nessel, who asked the FBI to carry out the raids, has positioned herself publicly as one of President Donald Trump's biggest opponents. She also has extensive personal, political, and financial ties to the University of Michigan, which bypassed local prosecutors by enlisting Nessel to crack down on pro-Palestine protesters. According to Philo and Liz Jacob, also of the Sugar Law Center, the FBI presented warrants in Ann Arbor and Canton before entering the premises, but refused to show any at the Ypsilanti residence. 'Folks were shocked, especially to see that the FBI was executing an attorney general warrant,' Jacob told The Intercept in an interview. 'I've never seen that in my experience, and we have not seen that in Michigan around pro-Palestine protests or on any other protests, to my knowledge.' Following the raids, officials denied any connection to the students' political protest, claiming the FBI was becoming involved in a 'vandalism investigation.' In its official press release following the raids, Nessel's office claimed the 12 'coordinated' vandalism incidents that occurred across the state — including graffiti that read 'Free Palestine' — totaled to damages of $100,000. Student organizers have cast doubt on Nessel's denial that the raids were not related to their pro-Palestine protest. 'This is about the occupation and the genocide of Palestinians, and the fact that the state does not care about Americans in any way,' said Ira, a Muslim organizer with TAHRIR, a coalition that advocates against the University of Michigan's complicity in the genocide against Palestinians, who asked to use only their first name for fear of retaliation from the school. 'It's not just about us being targeted right now. All of these people — not just the Trump administration, but these Democrats — who are claiming to fight for Americans are the ones who are attacking and repressing us.' Last October, Nessel filed felony criminal trespass charges against seven student protesters who were arrested last May at a University of Michigan encampment. Those charges were dropped in May, just before a judge was to decide whether or not to disqualify Nessel over alleged bias. Nessel cited 'legal delays and controversies surrounding the case' as to why she dropped the charges. Local organizers, however, fear that the FBI raids are only a stepping stone to something bigger — and that the dropping of the charges is only a temporary relief. Affidavits are typically sealed in cases when there is a confidential informant working with law enforcement who could be compromised. Philo said this would be difficult to understand in this case, especially considering that none of the students raided have any prior criminal activity or pending criminal charges or accusations against them. For what has been alleged, the warrants appeared to be an extreme measure for a vandalism investigation, according to both Sugar Law Center and student organizers who spoke with The Intercept. 'The scope and scale of what is alleged does not seem to warrant three law enforcement agencies descending on the homes of students, who by all calculations and known facts, have been accused of a crime in the past,' said Philo, who describes his clients as 'pretty diligent and responsible students.' The attorney general's raid executed a 'shotgun approach' to further chill protest in solidarity with Palestine, he said. 'To do this in that context with the FBI, state troopers, and local law enforcement,' he said, 'sends a clear message that this is well beyond trying to determine who committed spray painting incidents.' Read our complete coverage While it may be considered unusual for the FBI to become involved in a vandalism investigation, it is not uncommon for the FBI to join forces with local and state law enforcement agencies to work in a joint terrorism task force context, said Mike German, who worked as a special agent in the FBI for six years and is now a fellow at the Brennan Center's liberty and national security program. 'In that context, it's not uncommon for a situation — where a person is alleged to have violated some state law — for them to use the state authorities to pursue that angle of investigation while also gathering evidence for a future terrorism investigation,' he explains. While German does not have any specific information about the Michigan cases, he says this does follow a pattern aligned with the government's increased surveillance of citizens coupled with the FBI's lax approach to far-right violence. He added that the raids in Michigan appear to be part of a broader escalation and expansion of power of the FBI since the September 11 attacks, particularly with the passing of more and more domestic terrorism statutes at federal and state levels. Just having increased powers, German said, created a motivation for using them. 'It has created an insatiable appetite for information,' he said. 'Anywhere that they can get data and information to put into their databases, they'll take those opportunities.'

Reported threat at Sea-Tac Airport closes two runways, suspect in custody
Reported threat at Sea-Tac Airport closes two runways, suspect in custody

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Reported threat at Sea-Tac Airport closes two runways, suspect in custody

Police and fire departments of the Port of Seattle are investigating a reported threat made aboard an aircraft on a runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Saturday. According to a Port of Seattle travel alert, police and firefighters arrived to investigate the incident — which involved an aircraft on the 16R/34L runway — around 1:00 p.m. Saturday. According to a Saturday afternoon statement released by port spokesperson Chris Guizlo, Seattle Police learned of a threat made by a passenger to Alaska Airlines flight 2123 departing to Walla Walla. According to the statement, flight crew followed protocol to taxi the aircraft to the outboard runway furthest from the terminal as police arrived to investigate. As a result, two runways were closed around 1:16 p.m. and passengers on the flight were deplaned and put through a security screening around 1:34 p.m. Passengers, baggage and the aircraft were cleared through K9 inspection, and no suspicious items were found, according to the statement. According to the statement, a suspect was taken into custody. Further investigation found 'made a flippant remark regarding a bomb' to the flight crew. All such remarks are taken seriously and investigated, according to the Port of Seattle statement. The FBI and port police are reviewing the incident and will work with prosecutors to decide whether to pursue charges, according to the statement. As of 1:58 p.m., Port of Seattle updated their travel alert to state all passengers have been deplaned and the center runway had been reopened. According to the statement, the aircraft was cleared by 3 p.m. and towed back to the terminal, and runway 16R/34L was reopened by 3:15 p.m. At 3:19 p.m., the Port of Seattle issued another update announcing that the airport would return to normal operations. Travelers are advised to monitor their airlines for further information on their specific flights. Editor's note: This story has been updated to include new information about the nature of the aircraft incident.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store