A customised $180,000 Range Rover for NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal was stolen in Georgia earlier this month, and law enforcement is actively searching for it.
The Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office in northeast Georgia reported that investigators believe the SUV was stolen from a local fabrication business and transported to the metro Atlanta area last week. The vehicle was intended to be delivered to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for O’Neal’s use during a Louisiana State University game, but it never arrived, according to CBS News Atlanta.
Investigators have identified multiple potential suspects and have obtained several search warrants.
“Investigators have confirmed that the vehicle was transported from a local fabrication business under false pretenses
and is believed to have been taken to the Atlanta metropolitan area,” the agency said in its statement. “Multiple search warrants have been obtained and executed with assistance from telecommunications and vehicle telematics providers. These warrants are intended to assist in locating both the stolen vehicle and the individuals responsible.”
A spokesperson for Effortless Motors, a California-based company that customised the car and has worked with O’Neal since 2023, informed CBS News Atlanta that FirstLine Trucking LLC, responsible for transporting the car, reported that their system was hacked.
The car was being customised to accommodate O’Neal’s 7’1″ height, among other modifications.
Effortless Motors is offering a $10,000 reward for any information that could assist investigators in locating the vehicle, as reported by news outlets.
“We take the security and trust of our clients extremely seriously,” said a spokesperson for Effortless Motors. “This was a highly coordinated criminal act targeting the transport company’s network. We are working closely with law enforcement and federal investigators to recover the vehicle and ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
With AP Inputs
