A Maryland man was over the moon when his parents bought him a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 as his graduation gift. He, however, was heartbroken to learn that it had been stolen while it was parked outside his home. After a roller coaster of emotions, he was able to get his $80,000 car back.
As initially reported by NBC4, the incident occurred on Monday, May 25. At around 3 a.m., Mimi Arnett heard her recently gifted son’s 2023 Camaro start and drive away from the family’s Brickyard neighborhood in Prince George’s County.
Mimi didn’t think much of it at first. However, when she found her son sleeping, she knew something had gone terribly wrong.
The truth is that someone, who is yet to be identified, had taken the Camaro from a parking space just outside their home. Surveillance footage shared by a neighbor confirmed this, to the family’s dismay.
An Expensive Gift, Taken
Tragically, it had been only months since Mimi’s son got to enjoy the $80,000 vehicle. Reportedly, it was a gift for graduating from the University of Maryland in January. A follow-up report by NBC4 even specified that it was the man’s third graduate degree.
“He said, ‘Mommy, my blessing from you would be a Camaro ZL1,'” Mimi told the outlet. “I said, ‘You know what, I’m gonna make it happen since you’re such a good kid, and me and his dad did just that.”
So, when Mimi came across the shattered glass where the Camaro used to be, she felt devastated, but mostly angry. Unfortunately for her, a 2023 Camaro is one of the most stolen vehicles across the country. Reportedly, a faulty key fob is the most common exploit, although how exactly the alleged thieves were able to take the Maryland man’s car is still unknown.
A Phone Call, Happiness Restored
Mimi, still angry, perhaps thought she would never see the Camaro again. However, about a day later, things took a turn for the better.
According to her, someone had seen her story on the news, as well as the Camaro. Then, that individual noticed a familiar sight on a street in Adelphi, about 13 minutes away, and immediately called the police.
It was, in fact, Mimi’s son’s 2023 Camaro, which had been abandoned. She was excited, to say the least, and also shocked. After all, the vehicle, other than the broken window, was intact.
“I was in shock that it was so close to home, and I was also shocked about how quickly they were able to find it,” she added.
Neighborhood Issues, Suspects at Large
Unfortunately, this is not the first time a car has been stolen from Mimi’s neighborhood. According to residents, multiple break-ins have occurred in the past few months.
One neighbor said that his sister’s vehicle had been stolen. According to him, the theft didn’t appear to be handled by amateurs.
“It’s professionals,” the man said. “Because it doesn’t really take them that long to kind of get into the car, get over the security system, and just drive off.”
And while the Arnetts are glad that the 2023 Camaro is back home, no information regarding the thieves is available at the time. The Prince George’s County Police Department has not issued a statement regarding the matter or whether an investigation is ongoing.