very, very strange (but that's ok)

I have my car.

Yeah, it surprises the hell out of me too. Circumstances are very strange. So, let's do this chronologically.

• Saturday - car is stolen. The thief strips the ignition guard off the car.
• Saturday night - the thief drives the car to 13165 S. Western Ave. The thief leaves a new packet (& it's still in the plastic wrap) Mentos on the floor of the car. He also has 2 other 1/2 eaten packs of candy. The thief really loves candy.

He gets out of the car and leaves the flashing lights on. He parks the car at an apartment for the elderly. (they even have a "Caution, elderly crossing at the intersection") An elderly lady, sees the flashing lights and calls the police. No one turns off the flashing lights and so the battery is run down.

• Later Saturday night - The police come out and then call me that they found the car at 113 St. & Western AVe. Later they call a tow truck.

• Sunday - the tow truck driver goes to where my car is. But he drives to the FRONT of the apartment bldg., he doesn't go to the back of the apt. building; therefore, he doesn't see the car. So he reports back that the car has been re-stolen.
• Saturday through Thursday - my car remains parked at the back of the elderly apartment building undisturbed.

• Thursday - The same elderly lady who called the police the first time, calls the police again and asks, "What are you going to do with that vehicle that has been here since Saturday?!?" The police have an officer come out, and he calls me at work to tell me that they found the car. This time they give me a specific address and they make clear that the car is in the BACK of the apt., not the FRONT! I am warned that I must inform the police in Oak Forest that my car is no longer stolen. If I don't let them know, the car will still be considered stolen. I was told that if the police stop me, I will be taken out of my car at gunpoint!
• Thursday afternoon - after getting the news from the police, I immediately go and get the car. I don't want anybody to get the car, tell me something false about the car as they did before, or mess up the car in any way. I spend nearly $40 on a taxi ride from the Loop part of Chicago to the very southern part of Chicago. (The next post will be about the very green taxi driver who drove me there). Lo and behold, I am reunited with my car!!! Before, I see it I refuse to assume I'll find it, because I don't want to get my hopes up.

To my disappointment, all 4 doors of the car are unlocked. The cop puts a report in the front of my car. The car doesn't start. I'm afraid the car will need to be towed and I'll have to spend more money.

I have a nice talk with the very helpful elderly lady. She tells me the whole story. I call AAA and get my car restarted. It feels so good and so odd to be driving my car. "Odd" because I never thought I'd see the car again!!!!!!!!!

• I go to the Oak Forest police station and show them that the car is no longer stolen. The policeman inspecting the car is someone I know who lives in my condo complex.
• My kids share my joy when they see my car. We eat the thief's Mentos. Remember, he never opened the pack up or even took it out of the plastic.

Many questions come from this:

• why didn't the thieves strip the car for parts and make a bunch of money off of it? I ask this because that's what car thieves usually do. I was told by the Oak Forest policeman that he was merely trying to get to Chicago and he figured stealing my car was the best way to do that. (Isn't there easier ways to get to Chicago than stealing a car??!?)
• Why didn't the police try and solve this theft and call me earlier than Thursday to tell me where the car was??

I am perplexed at these very strange circumstances, but very happy and very thankful. I dodged the very unhappy prospect of spending more than $7,000 on another car.