Holmes Beach Commissioner Marvin Grossman had an unwelcome surprise when he woke April 19 and realized his vehicle was missing.
Grossman called the Holmes Beach Police Department April 19 on discovering his 2003 Lincoln Navigator had been stolen from the driveway at his 84th Street home.
According to a police report by HBPD Officer Joel Pierce, who responded to the call, Grossman said the unlocked vehicle was taken from the driveway between noon April 18 and 7 a.m. April 19 and the spare key had been left in the vehicle.
Shortly after the alert was sent out for the stolen vehicle, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office reported the Navigator was spotted swerving onto Interstate 275 N with a white female driver and male passenger.
The vehicle was found abandoned 57 miles away in Kenneth City at 12:05 p.m. April 19.
HBPD Chief Bill Tokajer contacted Grossman to unlock the Navigator for fingerprint processing and retrieve the vehicle.
“They recovered it within hours,” Grossman said, adding that only a pair of sunglasses was taken from the vehicle. The Navigator had only minor damage.
“I have learned to lock my car,” he said. “They locked it and took the keys with them like I should’ve done.”
As of Islander press time, no suspects had been identified in the theft.
— Kristin Swain