A routine truck sale on a quiet Seattle street turned into a real-life chase scene this week, after what looked like a standard test drive ended with the sellers watching their own pickup vanish down the road.
How the theft unfolded
Carol and Vladimir Skrivanic had put a “For Sale” sign on their Ford pickup and were expecting the usual calls and meetups. Instead, they say a would-be buyer answered their ad, came for a look, then used the test drive as a getaway. During the supposed drive, the person opened the passenger door, climbed in, and took off with the truck.
Vladimir later spotted the pickup and decided to follow. He says the driver crashed into two other vehicles and then rammed his Subaru during the encounter. While he dealt with the damage, the couple’s son jumped online and posted about the stolen truck in a neighborhood group. Neighbors began sending in tips, which helped direct authorities to the vehicle. Officers eventually found the truck parked and empty, and the owners say the thieves had tried to cover their tracks by painting and buffing some of the damaged panels.
The suspect has not yet been caught. The family is now working with their insurance company to get both the truck and the Subaru repaired. The case is one of more than 2,000 vehicle thefts Seattle police have logged so far this year, after thefts hit a high point in 2023 with nearly 9,000 reports, according to KING 5…