UPDATE:
WREG continues to press for answers about this incident and found out the following today. We contacted the towing company a1 Xclusive Auto to find out why the tow truck driver left Pope’s keys in her unlocked car, even though the business was closed over the weekend.
The person who answered the phone said “I can’t talk to you,” and hung up.
WREG contacted AAA to find out what happened to its customer’s car, this is their response:
“At the request of our member (Diana Pope) late Friday evening, we arranged for our independent service provider to pick up the member’s vehicle and drop it off at the repair facility. We have reached out to our independent service provider who towed the vehicle, the repair facility and the police to begin to determine what occurred after it was dropped off at that location. When we know more about the facts surrounding this incident we will provide them” (Megan Cooper of AAA)
WREG-TV will continue to investigate this story until there is a resolution.
ORIGINAL STORY BELOW:
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A University of Memphis law student says her car was stolen when it was supposed to get fixed.
It’s a bizarre story that leaves Diana Pope in a bind.
Late Friday night, her 1999 Ford Taurus broke down at the airport. She says she called AAA and they told her to leave a key under a mat and a tow truck driver would take it to a repair shop.
Police records say the car was dropped off at J and L Auto Services. But because it was a weekend the business was closed and apparently the keys to Pope’s car were never placed in a drop box.
Here’s where things get strange.
Police say video surveillance shows a man, who was not affiliated with the business, attempting to work on the car in the parking lot throughout the weekend.
“When the place was not open on Saturday and Sunday, this person was, like, literally sleeping inside of my car,” Pope said.
And then Monday morning came and the business opened. The man approached employees to help jumpstart the vehicle.
“They came to the door at 7 a.m. and they asked them to jump my car, handed them the keys without any identification and they jumped the car, even though it was already fixed, and that person drove off with my car,” Pope said.
J and L Auto Services said, while they feel bad for Pope, they were never actually in possession of the vehicle and didn’t even know it had been parked on their lot because they were never notified.
Pope said while she understands the person who stole her car might’ve been in need, now she’s facing her own uphill battle.
She said insurance does not cover the theft.
“It puts me in a lot of hurt. That was a gift from my grandparents, and I’m out of luck as a graduate student, and need to find a car,” Pope said.
The car is a 1999 red Ford Taurus, plate number D911UT.
