A California family’s routine trip to a car wash turned into a six-figure nightmare when a thief climbed into their BMW X5 and drove away in seconds. Surveillance footage captured the theft as the SUV sat unattended at a Dublin business.
The vehicle, reportedly purchased for more than $100,000, disappeared Saturday afternoon, October 17, shortly after a family member dropped it off at Autopia Car Wash on Dublin Boulevard.
J.R. Ibarra told KTVU FOX 2 that his nephew had brought the SUV to the business and was waiting nearby when someone approached the vehicle, opened the driver’s door, and drove away without attracting attention.
The keys had been left inside, something Ibarra described as a normal part of the car wash process. But the business offered a different explanation of its preferred procedure, raising questions about how customers should handle their vehicles while waiting for service.
Gone in Seconds
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The surveillance footage shows the person approaching the unattended BMW, opening its door, and driving away. There was no apparent confrontation or struggle to enter the SUV.
Ibarra said his wife had purchased the BMW X5 for his mother-in-law. The reported purchase price exceeded $100,000, making the theft especially costly for the family.
He explained that his nephew had been sitting in the customer waiting area after dropping off the vehicle. Leaving the keys inside seemed routine because employees needed to move customers’ cars through the washing process.
The person responsible took advantage of a brief period when nobody was watching the SUV.
Car Wash Responds
Autopia Car Wash owner Burges Kerawalla provided a statement to KTVU on Sunday, October 18, explaining that the business prefers customers to remain with their vehicles until an attendant arrives.
However, customers are also permitted to leave their keys inside for convenience.
Kerawalla said the business had prioritized customers and their vehicles throughout its 30 years of operation. He also confirmed that Autopia was cooperating with police and communicating with the vehicle’s owner.
Ibarra described the theft as particularly surprising because customers had become accustomed to leaving their keys inside their cars at the location.
He said the familiar employees and comfortable environment had contributed to customers’ sense of security. The family had not expected someone to simply walk up and take their SUV.
Police Seek Suspect
Dublin police are searching for the person who stole the BMW.
Ibarra told KTVU that employees described a distinctive tattoo depicting an Aztec calendar on the person’s stomach. He hopes that detail might help someone recognize the suspect.
The family is also urging other drivers to reconsider leaving their keys unattended, even at businesses where doing so has become routine.
The incident illustrates how quickly an unattended vehicle can disappear when its keys are accessible, even while its driver is only a short distance away.
As of KTVU’s October 19 report, the suspect had not been located. Police were asking anyone with information about the theft or the person shown in the surveillance footage to come forward.