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Car Given To Thief By Valet At O.C. Restaurant Is Recovered

NEWPORT BEACH (CBSLA.com) —The owner of a car stolen last week from the the valet parking used by Joe's Crab Shack in Newport Beach says his Mazda CX-9 has been recovered.

After our report, the car was found ditched in Orange County.

Josh Gelle told CBS2/KCAL9 that a few items were missing from the vehicle but the SUV is in good shape.

Gelle and his girlfriend left the restaurant last Sunday after having a meal. They gave the valet the ticket for his car, but the valet returned saying the "owner" of that car had already left.

That unidentified man fled in Gelle's car.

"We have our ticket," Gelle said. "How could someone get our car without a ticket?"

On Thursday, CBS2's Amy Johnson spoke to the still-shocked couple as well as CBS2 and KCAL9 legal analyst Steve Meister who says LAZ Valet is liable and responsible.

"The story we were given," says Gelle, "is that some guy showed up in a taxi cab, drunk, got out and said his name was Josh and pointed at my car and they gave it to him."

Gelle also said the story he was given changed several times. It prompted his girlfriend to take out a cellphone and start recording.

The couple says that by the time the police arrived, the valet who gave away Gelle's car was gone.

LAZ paid for Gelle's rental car as well as paid for him to have the locks on his doors changed.

 

 

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