ST. GEORGE – A stolen truck has been found, albeit not in the condition its owner had hoped.

When Jeremy Woodard woke on the morning of Oct. 28, he had yet to learn that the 2008 Toyota Tundra he left parked in the driveway of his home was gone. Once it was discovered that the truck was missing, Woodard called the police.

The truck was found on Oct. 31, albeit in a manner neither Woodard nor the police expected.

Woodard said the truck was found 100 yards off Highland Drive near the Coral Canyon development. It had also been stripped.

Along with the tires and wheels, Woodard said the seats in the truck’s extended cab had been taken out. The truck’s stereo, amplifier, and speakers were also taken.  Loose items left in the cab had been stolen as well.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve had problems,” Woodard said.

He remarked that the theft of the truck was the third time something had been stolen from his home. The first time, a purse had been stolen. The next incident involved the theft of two bicycles that were later recovered.

Whether or not these incidents are related to the recent truck theft is currently unknown.

Woodard said the best ways for people to avoid future thefts were to be more vigilant and always be on the lookout for suspicious behavior.

The advice is echoed by Police Captain James Van Fleet of the St. George Police Department, who gave similar tips to St. George News readers in an Oct. 29 article. (See previous story here.)

As for the stripped vehicle, Van Fleet described it as being an uncommon occurrence for St. George.

The crime was so particular, Van Fleet said, that the person or persons involved may have known who they could sell Toyota Tundra parts to, or owned a Toyota Tundra. While not a foregone conclusion by any means, Van Fleet said those were among the possible motivations for the selective stripping of the vehicle.

Citing the police report, Van Fleet said the doors on the truck were not locked. If they had been, the theft and resultant stripping might have been avoided.

“Make sure vehicles are secure,” Van Fleet said.

Van Fleet also encouraged people to be careful about leaving items of value sitting in their cars. Either take the items out entirely, or make sure they are not in plain sight of anyone looking into the vehicle from the outside.

He did not link the truck stripping to the possibility of a chop shop in St. George, and said he was aware of any police investigations concerning the matter.

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