DETROIT (FOX 2) – This wasn’t exactly the neat escape some thieves had in mind when they decided to steal catalytic converters from cars at Giovanni’s Auto Sale on Thursday morning.

Surveillance video shows the suspects (one of them trying to climb into a large white pickup truck, falling to the ground before speeding off).

“Moe, Larry Curly; they’re like the three stooges,” Kola “Sonny” Gjonaj said.

Sonny has owned Giovanni’s on Detroit’s west side for 37 years.

FOX 2: “Do you experience many incidents like this?”

“Rarely, very rarely,” he said.

The poorly planned caper failed from the start. When the three suspects pulled up just before 5 a.m., they immediately crashed their truck into a pole.

Undeterred, they set about opening the door with the Sawzall, the small electric handsaw.

“He cuts open the door” Gjonaj.

They didn’t know that the security guards inside were watching them on camera and looking for Sonny.

“They told me someone hit the post and they cut the fence,” he said. “At that point I told them, don’t intervene, call the police, I’m on my way.”

After pulling into the parking lot, a suspect stopped for a bathroom break before sliding under a Jeep to cut the catalytic converter.

Minutes later, the men were seen arguing outside. Meanwhile, the security guards inside thought they could start entering the building.

At this point the guards confronted them and a comical “escape” ensued.

The suspects forgot the gun they brought. Less than a minute later, the suspects returned to retrieve the firearm, which had fallen to the ground while fleeing.

Gjonaj has watched this video many times and can’t stop laughing.

“It’s funny, it’s something you might see on TV,” he said. “There is nothing here worth injuring anyone, including the thieves – thank God no one was injured.”

Of course there is some damage – pillar – door – and the catalytic converter is missing.

“Who cares, it’s fine,” he said.

Gjonaj says if the police can’t find these men first, they may come back for something more productive.

“They could have said, ‘I need a job,’ and we would have paid them good money,” he said. “Instead of doing this, come and ask me for a job, I will give you a job.”

After all, he says he needs guys with motivation to get up early, work on cars and do some repairs.

“We will start by fixing this first,” he said.