- Shaquille O’Neal’s custom 2025 Range Rover vanished during transport.
- The transport company claims a hack caused an organized vehicle theft.
- A $10,000 reward is offered for the stolen SUV’s recovery information.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is no stranger to special cars, and that’s putting it mildly. For a man who stands at 7’1″, fitting comfortably behind the wheel of a regular vehicle isn’t exactly an option. Most cars simply don’t accommodate him, so he often commissions extensive modifications to make them his own.
Now, one of those cars, a $180,000 Range Rover customized to suit his size, has gone missing, and police suspect it may have fallen prey to a yet another sophisticated transport scam. We’ve covered many stories like this, where thieves pose as legitimate carriers, collect the vehicle, and disappear without a trace.
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In Shaq’s case, the luxury SUV was in Dahlonega, Georgia, awaiting transport to a local college football game.
“The vehicle was there to have modifications done to the front seat area, to move it back some,” explained Sheriff Stacy Jarrard to the Dahlonega Nugget. “And then the towing company picked up the vehicle on October 20th to take it on to the next location.” From that point on, the car just vanished.
According to Jarrard, “The location it was taken to was apparently in Atlanta. We have leads on people of interest out of this location. And we have search warrants.”
How Did It Happen?
While it’s currently unclear how close police are to finding their suspect(s), this type of crime is all too common. We’ve reported on several examples of high-end supercars or exotic luxury cars that go missing during transport.
According to CBS News, the company tasked with handling logistics is Effortless Motors. It’s worked with Shaq several times in the past, and is blaming the transportation company.
“This time, we set up transport, and transport claimed they were hacked and don’t know who picked up the vehicle,” said a spokesperson. . The transporter in question, First Line Trucking LLC out of Texas, allegedly failed to report the supposed hack until after the SUV had disappeared.
More: Shaq’s New Ride Is This Stunning Lucid Air Coupe
The custom Range Rover, while not cheap, was valued relatively reasonably given its modifications and its connection to the former NBA superstar.
“He was hopeful to get the vehicle back,” said Jarrard. “And he was really hopeful that someone would be held accountable for the theft and was going to jail. And we’ll do everything we can possibly do to make that happen.”
