Couple's SUV stolen, repaired by thief
LIVINGSTON, Texas – A family's stolen SUV was returned to them with repairs, thanks to a thief.
Shane Peters' silver 2004 Dodge Durango has deer damage, one missing window and the engine starts with tools instead of keys; still, Peters and his wife, Chelsea, see a beautiful thing.
"I'm very happy we got it back," Peters said.
The Durango is Peters' only ride to work but it broke down in Cleveland on Highway 59 near Midline Road in June.
Unable to buy a tow, Shane left his Durango until he could afford to move it. However, a thief beat him to it.
On Sunday, Chelsea and her grandmother, on their way to the grocery store, saw a silver Durango with familiar dents on the driver's side leaving an Exxon gas station in Cleveland.
"I was shocked," Chelsea said. "Shock was all I could feel. You don't expect to get something back that's been gone for a month."
They followed it, while on the phone with police giving turn by turn directions, for several miles. Near the Coldspring exit in north Cleveland, Chelsea got her husband's Durango back and with it she noticed several changes.
"(The thief) did fix what was wrong with it and why it was left on the side of the road," Chelsea said.
The thief fixed the SUV's drive shaft, installed three new wheels and also dumped drugs in the center console.
"There were like 30 little, bitty baggies," Peters said.
Police tracked down the thief and the SUV and took the meth; but not the bill for damage done to the steering column. Peters is not sure how much repairs will cost, he's just glad to have back his ride to work.