Stranger Discovers Stolen Car After Owner's Plea For Help On Facebook

RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) — When a woman's SUV was stolen from her driveway Monday morning, she published a plea for help on Facebook, where a perfect stranger came to the rescue.

Valerie Potts of Riverside, the owner of the stolen car, had hopes her home's security cameras might have captured the thief's face on tape. When it was apparent the cameras did not capture the thief's identity, she turned to a local chat thread on Facebook.

At that point, she shared a picture of the vehicle, along with license plate information and a general area of where the vehicle had recently been seen.

It was there a woman Potts had never met would deliver.

"I went on (Facebook) and I saw that she had posted on there that her car had been stolen," Samaritan Alejandra Valencia said. "I just shared it onto my Facebook page, in case anyone had seen it, to report it. And I happened to see it."

Valencia contacted police, and within minutes, officers arrived.

Three teenagers were arrested, and Potts' vehicle was returned to her.

"It was amazing. I didn't think I'd ever find it," Potts said.

As for Valencia, she received a bouquet of flowers and plenty of praise from a very thankful motorist.

"She's awesome. I admire her for reporting it, and seeing it."