Technology Is Not Idiot-Proof

Here is one of those charming little cautionary tales that illustrates, yet again, that even the smartest, most sophisticated technology is no match against an idiot.

The Berlin police department was really proud of its brand new $150,000 BMW squad car. It boasted of high-tech surveillance equipment and sophisticated electronic locks and immobilizers, guaranteed to make it virtually theft-proof. So what happened? Just a few days after it was put into service, the car was stolen.

No, the thief did not employ some state-of-the-art technology to defeat the protection devices. He simply got in the car and drove away. Turns out that the two policemen assigned to the car, jumped out to chase a joy-rider on foot, after he had abandoned a stolen car. Very conscientious of them, I’m sure. The only problem was they forgot to lock the doors and left the key in the ignition. It is not known whether they succeeded in catching the perp, but when they got back, their expensive BMW was missing.

I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when these gentlemen made a report to their superiors.