Car theft thwarted when teens couldn't operate stick shift, police say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Two teenagers’ joyride ended before it began when the car they tried to steal had a stick shift -- which neither knew how to operate, police said.

First, the 15- and 17-year-olds ran up to a woman sitting in her car in a parking garage around 6:20 p.m., opened the doors on the driver and passenger side and yelled for her to get out of the vehicle, Nashville police said.

The woman screamed and honked the car's horn as the teens tried to pull her from it, before they fled on foot. The woman sustained minor injuries, police said.

An hour later, a woman parked her car and started walking into a Kroger grocery store when one of the teens grabbed the car keys from her hand. Both teens got into the vehicle, but after a few seconds got out and starting running, unable to operate a manual transmission.

Officers found the teens shortly after, and they were charged in juvenile court with attempted robbery/carjacking, property theft and attempted vehicle theft, police said.

Cox Media Group