Current Events > Thief stole elderly couple's van every night and returned it in the morning

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://abc13.com/burglary-car-theft-man-stole-and-returned-it-steals-returns/5122598/

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man is accused of stealing an elderly couple's car in the middle of the night - while they were asleep - and returning it before they woke up.

Police said the man used the couple's van as a getaway car in other vehicle break-ins.

Beverly Havard, who lived in the Pinehurst neighborhood for 40 years, said she misplaced her spare key and started noticing changes with her vehicle.

"The seat was pulled back and the mirrors were adjusted," Beverly said.

She said she started tracking her vehicle's mileage, which was also changing.

"I said, 'Somebody's driving my car and bringing it back. I know I'm not crazy,' Beverly said.
Friday night, authorities arrested Michael Armando Lopez after they caught him in the Harvard's car.

Deputies said when they tried to stop him, he sped off and crashed into a pole.

Glad they caught the guy. That's crazy. Sucks that he crashed their van before getting arrested, though.

I know stories like this are supposed to be funny, but its kind of depressing when you think about it.

The fact that he kept bringing it back shows that deep down hes probably a decent person who turned to criminal activity out of desperation.

this is weirdly kinda wholesome.

dude sucks at GTA crashed into a pole lmao

That's kind of really funny because they probably told their kids/the cops and they were all "OK so, what, you think someone is just taking your van every night and returning it the next day? You know that's crazy right?"

*exactly that happened* LMAO

electricbugs2 posted...

I know stories like this are supposed to be funny, but its kind of depressing when you think about it.

The fact that he kept bringing it back shows that deep down hes probably a decent person who turned to criminal activity out of desperation.

Or he thought he would be able to hoodwink the old people and keep getting away with his shit longer if they never noticed what was going on.

If he just straight up stole the thing and kept it, the fuzz would be on the trail much quicker.

electricbugs2 posted...

I know stories like this are supposed to be funny, but its kind of depressing when you think about it.

The fact that he kept bringing it back shows that deep down hes probably a decent person who turned to criminal activity out of desperation.

Or he's just trying to cover his tracks, or shift blame.

I hope he at least put gas in it

CableZL posted...

"I said, 'Somebody's driving my car and bringing it back. I know I'm not crazy,' Beverly said.

lmao >_>

electricbugs2 posted...

I know stories like this are supposed to be funny, but its kind of depressing when you think about it.

The fact that he kept bringing it back shows that deep down hes probably a decent person who turned to criminal activity out of desperation.

Or he's a thief that steals from people and deserves to be arrested and was taking advantage of the ignorance of old people to keep his gravy train going.

He was probably using the van to smuggle or run contraband of some kind. A lot of stolen vehicles are used for stuff like that.

so after all that, he ended up crashing their car just before being caught?

the part where he crashes the car at the end

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/4c984ff2.jpg

Thud posted...

Lmfao

This seems way more risky than just stealing it and stashing it somewhere until you need it.

Thud posted...

That's kind of really funny because they probably told their kids/the cops and they were all "OK so, what, you think someone is just taking your van every night and returning it the next day? You know that's crazy right?"

*exactly that happened* LMAO

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/3/3b83b848.jpg

electricbugs2 posted...

I know stories like this are supposed to be funny, but its kind of depressing when you think about it.

The fact that he kept bringing it back shows that deep down hes probably a decent person who turned to criminal activity out of desperation.

...What? No, that's not probable at all, or else he'd have only done it like, once or twice. What it likely means is that he wanted to keep being able to steal, and just.. Never returning the van would have meant they would have notified the police, and he would have been caught quicker. He wasn't returning it out of the goodness of his heart, he was returning it to cover his tracks and prolong the amount of time that he could continue to steal.

StealThisSheen posted...

...What? No, that's not probable at all, or else he'd have only done it like, once or twice. What it likely means is that he wanted to keep being able to steal, and just.. Never returning the van would have meant they would have notified the police, and he would have been caught quicker. He wasn't returning it out of the goodness of his heart, he was returning it to cover his tracks and prolong the amount of time that he could continue to steal.

Not to mention, returning it means he doesn't have to steal (or buy) the gas.

Feel bad for the elderly couple. Like they need to deal with their van all smashed up.

a-c-a-b posted...

This seems way more risky than just stealing it and stashing it somewhere until you need it.

Maybe. If he steals it and never returns it, they notify the police immediately, and he's more likely to get caught while using it. That's a guaranteed way to make using the van a "one and done" situation. By returning it, there was a chance they don't actually notice for awhile, and if he knew they were elderly, he probably figured he could get away with it for awhile.

StealThisSheen posted...

Maybe. If he steals it and never returns it, they notify the police immediately, and he's more likely to get caught while using it. That's a guaranteed way to make using the van a "one and done" situation. By returning it, there was a chance they don't actually notice for awhile, and if he knew they were elderly, he probably figured he could get away with it for awhile.

There's also neighbours to consider. Unless the old couple lived somewhere rural, it was only a matter of time before someone saw him taking it or returning it.

That's actually hilarious, the old lady thinking she was going crazy had me laughing hard. glad it had a good ending though.

Imagine their kids "mom, you're being crazy"

a-c-a-b posted...

There's also neighbours to consider. Unless the old couple lived somewhere rural, it was only a matter of time before someone saw him taking it or returning it.

"A matter of time" still has more potential than "They'll notify police in the morning if I don't return it," though. This thief banked on a theory that apparently did him good for atleast multiple days. He just pushed his luck too far.

Also, as a neighbor, if I saw a stranger take my neighbor's vehicle, but then they... Returned the vehicle, I'd probably assume it was a family member, over a thief, unless I knew them so well to say, for example, that they don't have family or anything. The news story implies he had the spare key, so it's not like he was breaking in or anything immediately suspect.

BucketCat posted...

this is weirdly kinda wholesome.

Not really considering all of the shady stuff he did do and what criminals are likely to steal other people's cars for. You'd have to be a idiot to find something like this wholesome.

electricbugs2 posted...

I know stories like this are supposed to be funny, but its kind of depressing when you think about it.

The fact that he kept bringing it back shows that deep down hes probably a decent person who turned to criminal activity out of desperation.

Not necessarily. For example he could have kept returning it because in his head he was less likely to be caught.

Criminals more specifically the ones bad at it, don't tend to think their plans through. Even when they think they did.

Or

Every night a van from another Earth in the multiverse switches places with my van. An Earth where she is instead a middleaged Hispanic man.

Thud posted...

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/4c984ff2.jpg

LMAO

The courtious crook