How a Thief Successfully Stole Her Toyota Twice from the Same Dealership | Carscoops

      The police have recovered the stolen RAV4 on both occasions, but the situation highlights a concerning lack of security that must be addressed.

      A Toyota RAV4 was taken from an Atlanta dealership twice within 24 hours. Security camera footage captured the suspect wandering the service area before taking the vehicle. The dealership is currently under scrutiny after receiving numerous complaints from customers.

      When you drop your car off at a service station, you anticipate it will be serviced or repaired, not stolen. However, for one unfortunate RAV4 owner in Atlanta, this was the reality, occurring not once, but twice at the same Toyota dealership.

      Eula Archie, a longtime customer of Stone Mountain Toyota in Georgia, who has purchased four cars from the dealership, recently brought in her RAV4 to address a continuous battery drainage issue. The following day, she received a shocking call from the police informing her that her SUV had been discovered abandoned on Stone Mountain Parkway, near the Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary.

      It didn’t take long for investigators to determine how the RAV4 was stolen. Surveillance footage revealed an unidentified man wearing a disposable mask stealing the vehicle from the service area. Evidently, this wasn’t his first attempt.

      He was also seen on camera searching through other unlocked cars on the lot. It was discovered that he had entered the building through an unlocked door, helped himself to some snacks in the employee break room, and then located the keys to Eula’s RAV4. There were no alarms or warnings; he simply drove away with the vehicle.

      Second Theft

      Although the police recovered the SUV (thankfully undamaged) and brought it back to the dealership, this was not the last uninvited escapade for Eula’s RAV4. The very next day, the same thief reappeared, still with the keys in hand, and stole the SUV once again.

      Once more, the police found it abandoned, leading to another call for Eula. She was understandably shocked. “I just couldn’t believe it. I still think I’m dreaming. Those people let someone come on the lot and take it twice,” she stated. To make matters worse, the dealership did not provide any explanation or apology for the ordeal.

      A Gwinnett County police officer remarked on the situation, saying, “I’ve had vehicles get stolen, but I’ve never seen this much incompetence.”

      The Mystery of the Thief’s Taste

      The RAV4 in question is a refreshed fourth-generation model, manufactured between 2016 and 2018. In an interview with Atlanta News First, Eula expressed her disbelief that her SUV was chosen over all the newer vehicles on the lot. “Out of all those brand-new, beautiful cars on the lot, somebody was after mine. Why? I don’t understand.”

      It’s certainly a valid question. However, considering the dealership's service area, one has to ponder the thief’s preferences in cars. For instance, a Toyota GR Supra was parked right next to Eula’s RAV4. So, what could be the reason? Perhaps he preferred a more understated, easily overlooked vehicle. Or maybe he simply couldn’t locate the keys for the Supra. Regardless, the dealership’s lack of security was glaring.

      Atlanta News First has revealed that Stone Mountain Toyota is already under investigation, as the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division has received 20 complaints regarding the dealership over the past two years. When reporters sought a response, the dealership's manager declined to comment on Eula’s incident or the ongoing investigation.