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Posted on Sun, Jan. 06, 2008

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Daughter catches car thief

By Claudia Lauer - The Sun News

A Pawley's Island man is thankful for a less than bright car thief this weekend. The 82-year-old car owner parked his Chrysler Crossfire in a McDonald's parking lot early Friday morning. Because it was cold outside, the man left his car running with the door unlocked while he ran into the restaurant for coffee. While he was inside a car thief hopped in his car and drove off.
``My dad called me Friday morning after it happened to tell me he was bummed out and to tell me to keep an eye out for his car,'' said Sherry Monaco, the car owner's daughter. Monaco did keep an eye out and the next day saw her dad's car which still had his license plates on it, driving four lanes away on U.S. 501 near the Coastal Grand Mall.
``We thought it was going to be a wash, especially since the guy who stole it had my dad's keys,'' said Monaco. ``I mean, who would steal a car and leave the same license plates on it and then drive around in the area where they stole it?''
She called Horry County Police, who stopped the car and arrested the car thief 15 minutes later. Monaco and her father went to pick up the car, which was not damaged save for some cigarette butts and alcohol cans in the passengers seat, said Monaco.
``My dad's started calling me Detective Monaco and joking that I wanted the car back more than he did,'' she said. ``There was some trash inside, but it was pretty much undamaged. The guy left his rap cd in the car and I told my dad he got a free gift for his trouble.''
As for her father, Monaco said he's learned his lesson.
``He's relieved to get the car back, and I really don't think he'll ever leave his car running in the parking lot again no matter how cold it is,'' she said.