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OREM — A man who apparently tried to use a "for rent" sign to cover up signs of a hit-and-run has been tracked down by police thanks to the trail of oil he left behind.
The owner of the damaged vehicle, Bill Pratt, tried to leave for work at 3 a.m. Thursday, but found his car window smashed in and a "for rent" sign shoved inside the vehicle.
"I had no idea if someone just hated me and slammed (the sign) through my window," he said.
The sign was likely to try and make it look like vandalism, Orem Police Sgt. Craig Martinez said. But the car had actually been sideswiped — and the driver who hit the car left a trail.
"We traced the suspect back to his home by following the nice little oil trail that his car left," Martinez said.
Pratt said he could see the oil trail all the way to the end of the street.
He hit and ran. I'm mad. I want it all just fixed.
–Bill Pratt
The motor oil trail circled around several streets and ended about five blocks away in front of the driver's house, where they found a vehicle with some damage on it. Pratt said he is glad he won't be stuck paying the bill to fix his car.
"He hit and ran. I'm mad. I want it all just fixed," Pratt said.
The man who left the damage and for rent sign has been cited for leaving the scene of an accident.
