Man's Tools Stolen From SUV End Up For Sale Online
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4)- It's a lesson that police keep delivering – don't leave your car doors unlocked – but this case has a bit of a twist. One man says he was a victim of theft, right in his own driveway.
"Irritated, mad, frustrated," said Tracy Fostvedt, explaining how he felt about his SUV being rummaged through early Wednesday morning.
Looking at home security footage, Fostvedt is understandably upset.
"He's in the vehicle, starting to go through it," he said, detailing the video to CBS4's Kelly Werthmann.
The view from a few different cameras mounted on Fostvedt's home shows exactly what happened. A bundled up thief reaching for the handles of Fostvedt's vehicles parked in his driveway, opening the unlocked doors of a Chevy Blazer, and taking items inside.
"There's my tools," Fostvedt said pointing to video playing on his computer screen.
Seconds after opening the driver door, the thief digs through the center console and takes a box of Fostvedt's tools and Craftsman tool bag.
"What's amazing to me is he didn't take the GPS," he said.
Moments later, the thief gets out of the car and uses his cell phone to look into the back windows of the SUV.
"Then he goes on to the neighbor," Fostvedt said.
This all happened around 4 a.m. on Jan. 2. An hour later, Fostvedt said his stolen tools were posted for sale on the online marketplace Offer Up.
"I know they're mine because of the colors of the bag and the distinct tools that were in there," he said of the Offer Up post.
Fostvedt estimates his tools are worth about $100-120, but they're being "offered up" for $65. Perhaps it's a good deal for some, but it's a costly lesson for Fostvedt to always lock car doors.
"I thought I had locked it," he said. "It's frustrating."
"Are you going to try to buy it all back or what's your next step?" Werthmann asked him.
"I don't know," Fostvedt replied. "I think we're going to post this on NextDoor and just put it out to the neighbors. If I don't get my tolls back, I don't get them back, but I want people to know who the person is and end this type of crime in our neighborhood."
Fostvedt did file a report with the Aurora Police Department. Authorities confirmed the case to CBS4, adding that the investigation is pending.
An APD spokesperson said this case is not only a reminder to lock car doors, but to use extreme caution when buying and selling items online.
