Virginia man gives away his BMW at Hooters

[jnelsoninjax]

In another age, loaning your car to complete strangers and telling them to just bring it back the next day would have had a happy ending. Doing it recently at the Hooters restaurant in Fairfax City? Not so much.

A 46-year-old Burke man reported to police that he was inside the Hooters on Route 50 on a Saturday evening last month when a couple came in and asked him for directions. The couple further revealed the heartbreaking development that they were on their way to a wedding when their vehicle broke down, Fairfax City Sgt. Joe Johnson said.

Apparently deeply moved, the Hooters patron ?advised them they could use his car,? a gray 2000 BMW 740iL, Johnson said. He also ?told the unknown subjects to return the car to the parking lot the next day and give the keys to the employees? at Hooters, where he was apparently well known, Johnson said.

After leaving with the car, the couple actually returned later when they were unable to figure out how to open the gas tank, Johnson said. The Hooters patron helpfully showed them. And then off they went to the ?wedding.?

And that?s the last our Hooters patron saw of his BMW.

When the good samaritan returned to Hooters the next day and found that his car had not been returned, he told police that he checked at other area Hooters restaurants, in case it had turned up there. After eight days and no BMW, he flagged down a Fairfax City officer and reported the sad tale.

And here?s the even sadder part: He had left a yellow engagement ring in the car, Johnson said, as well as a laptop computer, DVDs, and clothing. No value was available for the ring. The BMW 740iL originally retailed for at least $62,000, but the car?s Blue Book value now is estimated at about $8,000.

The suspects were described as a white male with curly brown hair, about 5 feet 10, average build, and a white female with long brown hair, about 5 feet 5, average build. That narrows it down to about 40 million people.

Johnson said he was not familiar with any prior use of the ?we-need-to-get-to-a-wedding-can-we-have-your-car scam? before. ?I?ve heard of people using a scam to get money,? Johnson said. ?But no one?s ever said, ?Here?s my car, take it.? That?s a wild one.?

NOTE: The Hooters patron reported his car stolen on June 17, but due to other obligations, I was unable to post this story until now. However, Sgt. Johnson advises that the BMW and the suspects remain at large. If you have any information about the case, call the Fairfax City police at 703-385-7924 or Crime Solvers at 703-591-9477.

Source

[Roadrunna]

What a wally :|

[jnelsoninjax]

UPDATE: BMW ?stolen? from Hooters is found

Fairfax City police Sgt. Joe Johnson reports that It was in the parking lot of the Fair Lakes Promenade shopping center, which is the strip mall just off West Ox Road with the Barnes and Noble, Old Navy and the Macaroni Grill. A Fairfax County officer found the car on Tuesday afternoon, undamaged and unlocked. The keys were in the car, on the seat, Johnson said. And the engagement ring and laptop computer he claimed were inside? Also there, police said.

Fairfax City police inquired of the Commonwealth?s Attorney?s office whether they should pursue a stolen auto investigation, and were told no, Johnson said. This is likely because grand larceny requires proof that the thieves converted the property to their own use, which they didn?t do by abandoning the car at some unknown time. And an ?unauthorized use of a vehicle? charge would require clear terms of use by the owner, and the owner may have had some credibility problems, according to one prosecutor I spoke with who was not connected to the case. And all this is if the police even track down the thieves, which might take some doing for a minor charge.

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[Growled Member]

Well, at least the dummy got lucky and got his car back. That's more than he deserved.

[Ci7]

Well, at least the dummy got lucky and got his car back. That's more than he deserved.

+ his stuffs

[Buttus]

he'll never live that one down! LOL