The thief sprinted wildly across the lawn, diving through the open passenger window just as the speeding car fishtailed down the narrow residential block. In his panic, the driver took the corner far too fast on the damp asphalt.
The sedan slid sideways with a horrifying screech of metal, mounting the curb and slamming violently into a concrete streetlight pole. A loud crunch of plastic and steel echoed through the quiet neighborhood. Arthur stepped onto the porch just as a plume of white steam and dark engine smoke began pouring from under the crumpled hood of the sedan.
The driver and passenger doors flew open. Two figures stumbled out into the street, coughing and cursing, before abandoning the wrecked car entirely and fleeing on foot down the dark alleyway. Arthur picked up his phone, dialed 911, and walked slowly down his driveway toward the smoking wreck.