They Found It!

Yes, we received a call just before midnight from the police department saying that Hannah's car had been found.  It was not far from our house, and the police had pulled over the person driving it because it had expired plates on it (they had switched the plates).  The guy driving bolted and wasn't found.  The passenger was arrested and had been on parole, so the officers told us he would be in jail for at least a year.  In this day and age of over-crowded prisons, I don't know how they can be assured of that, but I digress.

Anyway, we had to look at everything the officers were pulling out of the car to say if it belonged to Hannah or not.  There we stood, not far from a big intersection, at midnight in cold rain saying, "No, Officer, those four shaved keys do not belong to our daughter; neither do the cigarettes, jackets, envelopes with return addresses on them, and other "paraphernalia."  

What was weird was that we did not know that the guy they arrested was in the back of the police car that we were standing next to.  When we pulled up, there was another truck that had been pulled over (for another reason), and Hannah's car was in the middle of the road with the driver's door open.    So, Dave and I stood there in the rain, talking to one another right outside of the car window where the arrested passenger had been placed.  I think the officers should have informed us of that fact, because I can guarantee that had I known he was behind those dark windows two feet away from us, I wouldn't have stood there.  :-o

The funny thing was, a friend of ours thought he saw Hannah's car being driven by someone on a road between the high school which is right near our home on Sunday.  He was behind the car, and he noticed the license plate frame said it was from Modesto, and he noticed the license number.   He said the driver looked like he was David's size, so he assumed since it was so close to our house that the car had been recovered and Dave was driving it.  Well, tonight when we got to her car, sure enough, the license plate frame was from Modesto, and the license had the number he had remembered. The officer also asked how tall Dave was because the guy they had seen running from the car appeared to be about 6'3".  So, our friend had seen Hannah's car on Sunday; it's just that the tall guy driving it wasn't Dave!  :-)  The car has some residual damage from its jaunt around the town with the thieves; there is a cut on the outside of the driver's side door, and the inside smells strongly of cigarette smoke.  

When we arrived home, Dave "febreezed" all the upholstery, and we put an air freshener inside.  Hopefully, the smell will dissipate quickly, although Hannah didn't think she wanted to drive her car tomorrow anyway.  We will be buying the recommended "Club" for her car tomorrow since she owns one of the more frequently stolen cars.  All's well that ends well, except you still feel a little vulnerable knowing the people who stole it had our home address on the registration slip that was in the glove box.  

Just thought I'd update you before I head back to bed.  Thanks for your prayers; the extra set of wheels are so appreciated and needed with our schedules!   Oh, and her car had a full tank of gas!  :D