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Man Drives Wrong Car Home From Store; Owner Believed It Was Stolen
January 16, 2011
When a man thought his car was stolen was from a Bratt store Saturday, it was no laughing matter. But in the end, everyone, including the man that had taken the car, had a few laughs.
About noon Saturday, a North Escambia resident reported that his Chevrolet Impala had been stolen from the Bratt Crossroads store at Highway 4 and Highway 99. He told Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies that he had left the keys in the vehicle when he went inside the business. When he came out, his car was gone.
Deputies that arrived to investigate noticed that there was a vehicle in the parking lot of the small store but no customers inside. They ran the tag number on the champagne-colored station wagon and found that it belonged to a man who lived nearby in Bratt. The Sheriff’s Office dispatcher called the man to see if he knew the whereabouts of his vehicle.
The man’s wife looked out the window of her residence and told the dispatcher, “Oh Lord, he’s driven the wrong car home.”
The elderly man returned the Impala to its rightful owner at the store. He told deputies that he was colorblind and did not notice that he had gotten into the wrong vehicle. He did tell deputies that he thought it was odd that someone had put his seat all the way back.
Comments
36 Responses to “Man Drives Wrong Car Home From Store; Owner Believed It Was Stolen”
Toooo funny!! Reminds me of the time my husband droppped me off at Piggly Wiggly to get groceries while he went and got gas.I came out of the store later and waitied and waited and waited for him to come back.Finally borrowed a phone and called him to see where he was.He was at home.Forgot all about coming back and picking me up.At least that’s what HE said!
WOW! Funny stories! That is most of them. I think most of us have stories that this has happened to. Maybe the man may not need to be driving, or just maybe he just made a mistake like we all have. I have seen it happen to old and young alike. However, all those talking about someone moving their car in Walmart. One of my daughter had my van at Wal Mart, had a front parking spot. Her sister happen to come to Wal Mart also, and one happen to have the extra keys to the van and moved the van on the other side of the parking lot. When her sister came out and the van was not where she had parked it. Her sisters was laughing and she was mad. That happened several years ago, and still gets mad abou it.
So, how does this happen? Your key fits into someone else’s car and you are able to drive it off? That is crazy…I thought cars had different key fits. I guess you learn something new everyday.
Funny stories. I was surprised to read so many of the same mishaps.
Ok, I have to chime in. I drive a very popular colored SUV and twice I have tried to get in the wong vehicle one time a man was walking out and started laughing. He said “I seen that”.
But NOTHING beats one day my hubby took my truck to Walmart. After shopping and buying a new back wiper blade he came out, took the old blade off, put the new one on and pressed the button to unlock the truck. It was then that he realized he put it on the wrong truck. So, he took the new one off and put the old one back on, went 2 cars down and put it on the right one 
Back in the 60’s my Dad drove our 1964 white Impala home from the airport after being away for several days on a business trip. Later, that evening he as he was taking us out to dinner my Mom noticed the chrome “dealer logo” was not the the place where we bought our car and checked the registration, sure enough my Dad had driven the wrong car home. We went directly to the airport and found our identical car in the next row over, our keys fit both cars! My Mom left a note for the other owner explaining what happened, but, we never heard from them.
I have enjoyed reading all of these stories. It’s nice to be able to read enlighten stories in a world of no good news aynmore. Thanks to everyonee! I to have
Been guilty of doing the same things more than one time myself.
Those that think the elderly is the only ones this happens to are sadly mistaken. When I was very young, another young lady and I went to Gayfers in Mobile shopping. When we started to the car we could not find it. We looked the entire parking lot over and came to conclusion someone had stolen although I had the keys. We went back in, a security guard was called and they began looking everywhere. Finally, the guard came back laughing and told me it was on the other side of the store. We laughed all the way home. I have attempted to get in a number of cars with my keyless entry that didn’t work, have gone and looked inside and quickly determined it was not mine but I never tell anyone. I too am glad I live in a neighborhood that we have trustworthy neighbors who make mistakes.
Right after I got out of the military I was living in a very large cuty and went shopping at a huge mall. When I finished up shopping I came back to the garage I had parked in and put my key in the door of the car and unlocked it got in and started the engine. I looked over my shoulder to back out and saw all kinds of kids stuff in the back seat. Ihad no kids. I shut the car off locked it back and went to find mine which was about 4 cars down. It was the same make model and color. I awaited until th owner came out and approached him and told him what had happend. He chuckled and suggested he try his key in my car and sure enough it worked. I was concerned enough to call Ford motor company to see if there were other reports like this and was informed yes there was and although they are few and far between it does happen. They also went on to explain there are only so many key patterns tha can be used but the probability of this happening was almost slim to none. So that was my one and only experience like this.
I am glad the two men had a good laugh and all turned out well. For those of you who suggest the guy should not be driving it could happen you just as easy.
HE DOES NOT NEED TO BE DRIVING………..!!!!!!!!
After reading all the comments it’s good to get a laugh out of a story and know I am not the only one that is crazy! I drive a very popular silver car and when I walk out of WalMart the only way I know which one is mine is to start hitting my key fob to make the lights blink! Glad this was a story with a good ending!
I must agree, it is a good story with a good ending. I too have been guilty of putting my key in the wrong car door and grabbing at the wrong door handle, and yes when I realized that I was at the wrong vehicle I had to look around and make sure nobody was watching, LOL.
gott2sayit: I must say your brother in law’s ooops is hysterical. I could just imagine the LEO’s face when your brother in law told him nevermind, I drove my wifes car instead of my truck….. Of course, I imagine your sister (?) got a lot of mileage out of picking on him for not remembering which vehicle he drove to the store!!! I know my husband would still get picked on for that kind of ooops!!!
REGARDING:
“Someone ALWAYS moves my car when I go to Walmart!!!!”
Sneaky little devils aren’t they?
I’ve seen days at the mall when those same little devils must have moved the car to the opposite side of the mall from where I was SURE I left it. At least when everybody else goes home, it’s easy to find.
David in a world with moving cars
my dad was following me out of a store and was a little too far behind, he has bad eyesight ( do not worry, i drive him around) and he went to another vehicle to get in it, same color suburban as my pickup with camper truck, he tried to open door when it did’t and he did not see me he knew he was at wrong vehicle, and small town or not, never leave keys in a vehicle, a young child could decide to go on a joy ride and get in a wreck and guess who’s at fault…..
luvin life,
it can happen not to just the elderly. I am 35 amd I have tried to open a car that looked just like mine. Same make and model is a honest mistake as in your case.
Someone ALWAYS moves my car when I go to Walmart!!!!
I took my car (Chevy Impala, what a coincidence) to Simoniz to be cleaned and when I noticed the person raising the flag for me indicating the completetion of the cleaning an elderly gentleman walked ahead of me and proceeded to get tin my car. I said that is my car. He just had looked at me confused, looked at the inside of my car a few seconds and said oh,I’m sorry and got out. I am soooo glad I was outside watching out after my car. I noticed when he left my car he got into another car which was white (as is mine). I just hope it was the right one. I want to think we need to review the license renewal for the elderly but one day we will all be there, but by the grace of God go I.
I took my dad to Barnhills yesterday and drove in my car. I came out before he did and sat in the car to wait for him. It took him forever to come out and I was beginning to worry about him. When he finally arrived, he let me know that he had got in the wrong car and was waiting on me. I’m glad that the owners of the car didn’t come out and find the ooops occupent sitting inside.
Thisis the way it is in small town america. Not too long ago I was working close by my barn,I noticed my truck missing. In a couple hours one of my neighbors came by and said I surely appreciate you loaning me your truck. Mine broke down and I needed some tools. Thanks again he said and by the way I filled the gas tank.
Some people are just so negative. Be thankful you live in a community that this kind of story is what is making the front page for your area. Might there be other problems, sure, and for all you know, they are already being looked into. It must be a good Saturday in the neighborhood if this is front page.
Haha… something similar happened to me. Ran into a motel lobby to see if they had any rooms available. Came out, jumped back into the driver’s seat and began telling my wife what they had and how much…. noticed a weird looking purse between the seats…. and suddenly wife says in strange voice.. “EXCUSE ME???”. OOOPS, NOT MY WIFE. A vehicle, same make and model had pulled up right behind my vehicle and I had jumped back into the wrong one.
Luckily, made my hasty apologies and evacuated the vehicle before I had to make any explanations to an angry husband.
This just seems like a delightful story about a simple mistake, but an impala and a station wagon have a lot more differences than just the color. This coould be early signs of something else. I don’t mean to sound like the voice of doome, but reality is… I’m just saying.
i think that this scenario demonstrated some very sharp detective work from the SO…they put two and two together pretty quick….glad that we can laugh about it now!…
Oh my! Thanks for the heads up. This is something that I can definitely see myself doing. What a great laugh!
but what if somebody else needs your car?
I was in a store in Atmore when I looked out the door to see my pickup leaving. I ran out the door after my truck and caught it at a red light. When I jumped in the truck it scared the holy heck out of the man. It was an elderly man who had gotten into my pickup thinking it was his . When I saw what a piece of junk his pickup was I told my wife that it was time for me to get a new pickup.
Bad move.
Never leave your keys in the car.
Never leave your car unlocked.
I hope he learned a lesson from this !
In regards to “Mary”. You obviously DON’T live in a small town or communtiy. I do and alway will leave my keys in my car when I go into the Crossroads Store!!! Oops to them!
He mistaked an Impala for a station wagon? Sounds like he doesn’t need to be driving.
Too funny….
Great story. With a great ending.
Were both cars Chevrolet Impalas? If not, the old man has more problems than just being color blind.
Never leave your keys in your car!
you should NEVER leave your keys in your car!! Glad you got your car back & hope you have learned a lesson..next time the car could really be stolen
I had a brother in law that went to the store for his wife one day….came out of the store and noticed that his truck was missing…..called the police to report it stolen….the police arrived….made the report…he called his wife and told her what happened and asked her to come pick him up….she called him back a few minutes later and said…”You dummy …your truck is in the driveway…you drove my car to the store” …..he looked across the parking lot of the store….and there was her car.
Funny story. Always nice to read something on the ‘lighter side’!
Good story , good ending.
got a good laugh about it also.
What a great story with an awesome ending.
I have never driven off in anyone elses car but I have put a few keys in doors and reached for a few car door handles that were not my car. I always feel like an idiot after doing so and make sure nobody saw me be a clown. To be human is great.