Clendenin police are searching for an SUV stolen in broad daylight Monday morning. (WCHS/WVAH)
By: Kalea Gunderson | Posted: April 10, 2018 | Source: WCHS/WVAH
CLENDENIN, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — Clendenin police are searching for an SUV they say was stolen in broad daylight Monday morning.
The owner of the vehicle said he was defrosting his car and stepped back inside his home for a moment. But, when he came back out the car was gone.
Kelly Cole is still working on his list of home repair projects, following the devastating flood in June 2016.
“There’s still mud that needs pressure washed, the house still needs pressure washed,” Cole said.
Now, the “to do” at the top of the list is to find his stolen car.
“I would never think being away from your vehicle for 5 minutes that someone would get in it and take off. It blows my mind,” Cole said.
Police say this type of thing is uncommon, but not surprising.
“For someone to go in for just a split second and then to come back out and it be missing, someone could have potentially been watching. It’s very uncommon, but in the world we live in today I don’t see it as a surprise,” Patrolman Marcus Pena said.
But, it was a surprise to the Cole family after losing all four cars in the flood and receiving this one as a gift.
“That car was actually donated to us when they found out we lost four vehicles during the flood…and now it’s gotten stolen,” Cole said.
After reporting it to police, Cole went searching for the car himself. He even passed it on Route 119. Security footage from a Spencer’s Hardware shows the SUV heading toward Elkview, and based on footage from businesses several miles down that road, Cole said the driver may not have made it very far. He’s hopeful the generous donation his family received will be returned.
“It was devastating, but what can you do? You just move on? I would just like to find out who did it,” Cole said.
Police are searching for a dark grey, 2005 Chevy Trail Blazer with silver trim. It has a light blue, 2018 Ocean Lakes sticker above the inspection sticker. The license plate number is 4GC503.
Police said it is illegal to leave your car running while unattended and urge that you always keep it locked.
