You can’t accuse Randy Unger of giving up easily. The 26-year-old stole the same pickup truck twice in less than a month. And even though he got caught the first time and even indicted for the crime, that didn’t stop him from pursuing his dream car.
The dream vehicle in question was a 1997 green Mazda truck, nearly as old as Unger. Thanks to a sharp-eyed Portsmouth Police Officer, it’s now back with it’s the rightful owner. Let’s break down what happened.
Sharp-Eyed Officer
Officer Timothy Stewart and Lt. Michael Hamilton of the Portsmouth Police Department were driving on Kendall Avenue just after 7:30 pm on Saturday night. Stewart spotted a dark green truck with front-end damage that he recognized as reported stolen earlier in the day.
Coincidentally, Stewart and Lt. Hamilton had discussed the case earlier in the day. Lt. Hamilton thought it likely that Randy Unger was the man behind the theft. Unger stole the vehicle from a Kendall Avenue parking lot back on May 20. He was indicted for stealing the vehicle on June 6.
Stewart turned on the overhead lights of the police cruiser and made a U-turn to follow the truck. The vehicle sped up and pulled into the parking lot of the Speedway at Gallia and Kendall.
By the time Stewart followed and got out of the car, the driver had rolled up onto the sidewalk near the retaining wall and left the vehicle. Other officers showed up in the area to search for the suspect while Stewart and Hamilton checked the surveillance video at Speedway.
That Truck Looks Familiar
Officer Kyle Galloway spotted Unger in the parking lot of Save-A-Lot. Unger had fresh scrapes on his legs and appeared to have run through brush.
Galloway read Unger his rights. Unger not only admitted that he took the vehicle but be also confessed that he knew how to start the truck using any old tool because he’d stolen that same truck earlier.
He explained he’d recognized the vehicle while walking around the East End and decided to take it again. The truck’s rightful owner was notified. He came to the scene and picked up his vehicle.
Unger was once again arrested for stealing the truck. He’s once again charged with grand theft and currently sitting in the Scioto County Jail.