Mercedes-Benz tried to purloin one of DHL's electric vans and failed, badly

Of all the car companies that we can easily picture planning and executing a heist, Mercedes-Benz isn't exactly one of them, and yet that's exactly what it did when it sent a crew of people under a fake company name to swipe one of DHL's StreetScooter battery electric vehicles, according to Der Spiegel. We're positive that there was much twisting of mustaches and cackling maniacally into the sky involved.

Just for some background, the StreetScooter is an electric postal delivery vehicle built and employed by Deutsche Post DHL. It's actually the most popular electric vehicle in Germany, based on sales and because of that it's easy to see why Mercedes-Benz might be eager to get its hands on one at its volcano lair… er, laboratory. Sorry.

The best part of this whole Teutonic Ocean's 11 thing is that DHL was able to easily track the pilfered StreetScooter back to Daimler's lab in Stuttgart because of course the vehicle was equipped with GPS. Der Spiegel also points out that after it was caught, Mercedes refused to apologize for what was described as a "common practice."

This whole idea of it being a common practice with manufacturers raises a lot of questions about the hijinks that these German automakers are getting up to. Will Porsche start leaving banana peels outside the BMW factory next?

Daimler did not immediately respond to requests for comment.