Here's a sad update the story of Angel Hess, the hipster/hippie whose raggedy truck "Purple 53" once haunted Williamsburg: He's stuck in Colorado, where he says he's been scammed by a childhood friend who "hijacked" his truck.

Hess has always been something of a freeloader, but no one (to our knowledge) has accused him of dishonesty or criminal behavior. Which makes it sad that he's reportedly been taken advantage of.

In a mass email, Hess said a friend he hadn't seen for 15 years convinced him to drive to Colorado, totaling Hess' new motorcycle in the process and almost abandoning Hess in New Mexico. Then, over the course of several months in Colorado, the friend fixed and sold of the motorcyle; allegedly funneled Hess' "old jewelry and gold and gems" to a friend; then had the truck towed to a salvage yard, which is demanding ransom.

These guys are professional scam artists and all have big criminal background and drug histories. The salvage yard we believe are also friends of these guys and they're demanding loads of money too. All my belongings are still inside the vehicle. The salvage place wants to bargain with me if I give them the vehicle title they will let me have my stuff back.

We obviously haven't verified any of this; needless to say, if true it's rather tragic. Particularly because who on Earth would want that stanky truck or this hippie's meagre remaining possessions?? Talk about your petty theft.

Full email follows.

(Top pic via Purple53.com.)