MARYSVILLE — He tinkered away on weekends and summer nights.
Joe Hager’s 1989 Toyota pickup was his daily driver but also his hobby and his project. Over the years, he rebuilt the engine and painted the truck bright red. He converted it to four-wheel drive and added a lift-kit.
On Nov. 3, Hager, 28, woke up to find his truck missing from the driveway. He filed a report with Marysville police. There’s been no word since.
Hager, a mechanic, moved from rural Carnation to Marysville in August for a new job. He’s still getting used to the sound of the passing trains, but the grocery store is much closer than it was in Carnation, he said.
He was 21 when he got the Toyota.
“It was my buddy’s truck and it was going to go to the car crusher and he asked if I wanted it,” Hager said. “It needed a lot of work.”
The truck, not counting the new parts, has more than 230,000 miles on it. He’s taken it off-roading, fishing and camping. He estimates his total investment at $20,000.
Hager knows the truck might have been disassembled and pilfered for parts. He’s also heard about stolen cars getting recovered without much damage.
He and friends have been posting on social media and getting the word out through off-roading groups. They’ve driven around back roads where cars get dumped. He’s also been watching online classifieds pages. For now, he’s still working with the insurance company, and he’s been borrowing cars from friends and family.
The past few weeks have been confusing and frustrating, Hager said. He’s not alone in that sense. The Snohomish County Auto Theft Task Force counted 2,706 auto thefts in 2015. It’s one of the most common property crimes, and pickups are a popular target.
“It may sound a little silly but I don’t want to give up just yet,” Hager said. “There are a lot of memories with it, and it’s hard to just let it go.”
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @rikkiking.
Stolen truck
Joe Hager’s red 1989 Toyota pickup was stolen overnight between Nov. 2 and Nov. 3 in Marysville. The front license plate is B21765E. The windshield has a large orange sticker, “Khaotic Krawlers.” Anyone with information is asked to contact Marysville police at 360-363-8300.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
Gallery
