Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Police have recovered a stolen state vehicle that was issued to West Virginia School Building Authority Executive Director Mark Manchin.
The Boone County Sheriff's Department found the Ford Fusion on Tuesday at a home in the Bloomingrose area.
Manchin had reported the vehicle stolen in late April from a hotel parking garage in Charleston. He told Charleston police that he left the vehicle's doors unlocked and the keys under the seat while he went out to dinner.
Surveillance video does not show the car entering or leaving the garage that night, according to a police incident report.
"(The deputies) called me and told me they found my car," Manchin told The Charleston Gazette (http://bit.ly/1pOwBWR). "They said it's a little dinged up, but it's still drivable."
Boone County Chief Deputy Chad Barker told media outlets that deputies went to the home to arrest 51-year-old David Griffy Sr. and 24-year-old Marra Altizer on unrelated petit larceny charges.
Police haven't determined who took the vehicle, Barker said.
In February, Griffy was charged with stealing a pickup truck in Boone County.
"Yeah, he's a major car thief. He's always stealing cars," Barker told the Charleston Daily Mail (http://bit.ly/1yOfHvv). "Very, very capable."
Manchin said he is glad that the vehicle was recovered.
"I tell you what, they're out there, bud," Manchin told the Charleston Daily Mail, referring to car thieves.
The West Virginia Department of Administration already requested a $13,300 check from its insurance company for the car.
The Charleston Gazette first reported the theft.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
