A customer dropping off a vehicle for repairs gave the keys to a man standing outside the repair shop. Unfortunately, the man was not an employee of the shop and later drove away in the Pontiac Grand Am. The theft wasn’t discovered until the vehicle owner called to check on the progress of the repairs.

Below is the article as it appeared on the Bangor Daily News website.

Man delivering car for repairs inadvertently gives keys to thief

Feb. 07, 2011
By Nok-Noi Ricker, BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — A car that was dropped off for repairs at a local garage Sunday was stolen when the driver gave the keys to a man who did not work at the repair shop, Sgt. Paul Edwards said Monday.

Police are looking for the car thief and are asking for the public’s help in finding him, he said.

The theft occurred around 1 p.m. when a Hudson woman asked her grandfather to drop off her 2001 Silver Pontiac Grand Am four-door at Westgate Gulf on Union Street for repairs.

“The grandfather arrived at [the garage] and walked up to a man standing outside the business,” Edwards said. “The grandfather assumed the man worked for the business and asked if he could take the keys and make sure the mechanic got the work done.”

The thief said he would do that, but then took the car. He is described as a white male, 5 feet 10 inches tall, and was wearing a black puffy jacket Sunday. The Maine license plate number of the stolen Pontiac Grand Am is 107 RU, Edwards said.

To read this article on the Bangor Daily News website, visit http://new.bangordailynews.com/2011/02/07/news/bangor/man-delivering-car-for-repairs-inadvertently-gives-keys-to-thief/.