Police Recover Stolen Cars and Suspects, Mine Included

[minirottie]

Got a call this afternoon from the cops asking if I'd had my car stolen, what was the model, etc. Cop proceeds to tell me they found 7 stolen cars and a group of people with them. One of the suspects had my Quik Trip Quick Start card (a "credit" card that just authorizes the gas pump to let you pump without pre-paying or entering a credit card) in his pocket. Funny I called QT this morning to cancel it when I realized people could gas and go with it, and I'd be on the hook for it.

Cop calls back about 45 minutes later and confirms one of the recovered cars was mine. The Explorer I'd seen driving away behind mine yesterday was also stolen.

One news station came to interview me to potentially air on the 10PM news. I have a good friend who is a good friend with a local anchor and she told her about mine being one of the cars (I know the anchor too). The reporter from the station said he'd heard my car was one of the 2 in the chase described in the first link (I have the Sequoia)

A couple of local stories:

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/Omaha_Police_Search_Neighborhood_135932173.html

http://www.ketv.com/news/30039824/detail.html

I'm thankful my car was found. I appreciate the work by the police, and now I wait to see the condition my car is in..if my carseats are still there, etc. Hoping it's minimal. They found my car less than 2 miles from my house

 

[chellb1234]

that is great news!!! my car stoken back in college. I didn't even know it was stolen, when the cops called me at 3am and said we're just calling to let you know your car has been recovered, i was like "what?" they were like it was stolen and recovered lol...i had no clue, it had all happened in one night while i slept...the stupid kids that did it took it out for a joy ride, used it to steal a whole bunch of stereos and then "dropped" it off at a sherriff's house...the sheriff woke up with lights shining in his bedroom window, he went out saw the car running with the door open and called his guys over. the cops called me and i came to go pick up it. the windows were bashed in and they used my emergency blanket to sit on so they wouldn't cut them selves while they drove around. they ripped my sun visors off and my rearview mirror and drove it through corn fields. i had to get new shocks and get it realigned as well as new windows and such. My school bag was in there too and they threw that out the window in some corn field (never recovered it) the only reason i know this is because while i was "recovering" my car the cop heard over his radio that another cop pulled over some kids for speeding and found 15 stolen stereos, my cop was like, ya wanna go and see if your stereo is there? i was like sure why not...so we drove over there, found my stereo and the kids who stole my car. lucky i guess, but they were all under 18,

 

[Sheila]

Kristen, assuming your Sequoia was the only Sequoia stolen, at least you know it's drivable! It was found "near" the accident scene & definitely wasn't the one that was driven into a fence. Hopefully they were caught before they had time to really steal much from the car. Congrats girl. And I hope you don't have to buy a new carseat. You should bake some goodies & take them up to the PD as a THANK YOU for a job well done.

 

[minirottie]

You should bake some goodies & take them up to the PD as a THANK YOU for a job well done.

I considered that...but I wondered if the cops who found my car are based out of the same place where I'll pick my keys up? Maybe I'll ask when I go get my keys today

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

that is great news!!! my car stoken back in college. I didn't even know it was stolen, <snip for brevity>...so we drove over there, found my stereo and the kids who stole my car. lucky i guess, but they were all under 18,

Too bad they weren't over 18. They'd have gotten new jobs in manufacturing, because they'd be making license plates.

 

[Sheila]

If it's like the agencies that I've worked with or worked for here in TX, you'll go to the PD to get a release form (proving that you have the right to the vehicle), then to the wrecker company that towed the vehicle to pick up the keys & the vehicle. So don't just have someone drop you off at the PD. You may need a ride to where the car is being stored. In TX, you have to show them your (valid) Driver's License, proof of ownership and proof of car insurance to get the release form. Not sure what the rules are in Omaha.

 

[wadesgirl]

Kristen, assuming your Sequoia was the only Sequoia stolen, at least you know it's drivable! It was found "near" the accident scene & definitely wasn't the one that was driven into a fence.

Hopefully they were caught before they had time to really steal much from the car.

Congrats girl. And I hope you don't have to buy a new carseat.

You should bake some goodies & take them up to the PD as a THANK YOU for a job well done.

Just a tip as I was talking to a police officer the other day - while they will take baked goodies, they normally don't eat them because they don't know if someone tampered with them. If you want to take them something, look for something store bought. Or maybe a couple starbucks cards.

 

[NooraK]

Got a call this afternoon from the cops asking if I'd had my car stolen, what was the model, etc. Cop proceeds to tell me they found 7 stolen cars and a group of people with them. One of the suspects had my Quik Trip Quick Start card (a "credit" card that just authorizes the gas pump to let you pump without pre-paying or entering a credit card) in his pocket. Funny I called QT this morning to cancel it when I realized people could gas and go with it, and I'd be on the hook for it.

Cop calls back about 45 minutes later and confirms one of the recovered cars was mine. The Explorer I'd seen driving away behind mine yesterday was also stolen.

One news station came to interview me to potentially air on the 10PM news. I have a good friend who is a good friend with a local anchor and she told her about mine being one of the cars (I know the anchor too). The reporter from the station said he'd heard my car was one of the 2 in the chase described in the first link (I have the Sequoia)

A couple of local stories:

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/Omaha_Police_Search_Neighborhood_135932173.html

http://www.ketv.com/news/30039824/detail.html

I'm thankful my car was found. I appreciate the work by the police, and now I wait to see the condition my car is in..if my carseats are still there, etc. Hoping it's minimal. They found my car less than 2 miles from my house

Sounds like you weren't the only one warming your car up that morning...

 

[Sheila]

Oh, they'll eat anything given to them by a happy victim. Or at least the guys I worked with would. I've seen them shy away from something out of the blue when they don't know who the person is. But a happy victim's not really considered a threat.

 

[minirottie]

If it's like the agencies that I've worked with or worked for here in TX, you'll go to the PD to get a release form (proving that you have the right to the vehicle), then to the wrecker company that towed the vehicle to pick up the keys & the vehicle. So don't just have someone drop you off at the PD. You may need a ride to where the car is being stored. In TX, you have to show them your (valid) Driver's License, proof of ownership and proof of car insurance to get the release form. Not sure what the rules are in Omaha.

I'm going today to unlock my car for them to process inside, and to have it released to me. $93 cash owed But hey, I'm getting the car back right? Very anxious to see what it looks like, and if my carseats are gone, etc.

 

[Sheila]

You have to stand there while they process the inside? Ugh! Sorry girl. You'll probably want to go alone for that. If they are going to fingerprint, it will be a while. Take some wipes to wipe down the fingerprint powder before you drive off so you don't have it everywhere in the car.

 

[NooraK]

I'm going today to unlock my car for them to process inside, and to have it released to me. $93 cash owed But hey, I'm getting the car back right? Very anxious to see what it looks like, and if my carseats are gone, etc.

From the description of the "chase" and that the doors are locked, I'm hoping your carseats will be there. Sounds like your car was caught before they got it back to the apartment complex to do anything with it.

 

[minirottie]

You have to stand there while they process the inside? Ugh! Sorry girl. You'll probably want to go alone for that. If they are going to fingerprint, it will be a while. Take some wipes to wipe down the fingerprint powder before you drive off so you don't have it everywhere in the car.

I'll grab some wipes! John will take me down there since obviously I need a ride. Elijah is thinking this is going to be "cool" but doesn't realize it's likely just a parking lot with a building lol

 

[raebates]

Glad your story had a happy ending.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I'm going today to unlock my car for them to process inside, and to have it released to me. $93 cash owed But hey, I'm getting the car back right? Very anxious to see what it looks like, and if my carseats are gone, etc.

Why do you have to pay anything? The car was stolen for Pete's sake.

 

[minirottie]

Why do you have to pay anything? The car was stolen for Pete's sake.

Standard fee at the impound lot apparently. Covers the tow truck, etc...I don't mind paying it so much...I got my car back

So the thieves smoked in my car and used the ashtray. They hung up an air freshener from the rear view mirror. One carseat is gone, the other still in the back, with my 42lb bag of cat litter. Minor damage where they sideswiped something, so it'll head to the body shop on Tuesday.

 

[Sheila]

I didn't see the missing car seat on your FB wall. Sorry girl!

 

[Brenda.the.chef]

Wow! Such craziness! I'm just glad you got your vehicle back. Hopefully it's not badly damaged. I guess now I'll think twice about leaving my car unattended while warming it up.

 

[wadesgirl]

Standard fee at the impound lot apparently. Covers the tow truck, etc...I don't mind paying it so much...I got my car back

So the thieves smoked in my car and used the ashtray. They hung up an air freshener from the rear view mirror. One carseat is gone, the other still in the back, with my 42lb bag of cat litter. Minor damage where they sideswiped something, so it'll head to the body shop on Tuesday.

At least they had the courtesy to hang an air freshener! Go figure!!

 

[minirottie]

At least they had the courtesy to hang an air freshener! Go figure!!

I know, right??? LOL

FYI, yesterday's Groupon here (and it went into today) was a remote car starter for $99. Guess who bought one???

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

Groupon has car starters!? Oh man, thanks for sharing!EdIT: Not anymore I missed it I guess.

 

[chefheidi2003]

I know, right??? LOL

FYI, yesterday's Groupon here (and it went into today) was a remote car starter for $99. Guess who bought one???

Yeah..my brother was real quick to get one after the girl from work had her car stolen. He works here too..and they are on the same shift..they leave work at midnight.

 

[minirottie]

Groupon has car starters!? Oh man, thanks for sharing!

EdIT: Not anymore I missed it I guess.

I'm sorry I didn't post about it sooner!