MARYSVILLE — At first, Joe Hager was doubtful.
Someone called him three times from a blocked number. They said Hager’s truck was found in the woods off the Mountain Loop Highway.
The 1989 Toyota pickup was stolen from his Marysville driveway six weeks earlier.
The caller turned out to be an investigator with the Snohomish County Auto Theft Task Force. The task force wanted to know if Hager would like to come get his truck.
The detectives, who are drawn from multiple departments, try to avoid putting recovered cars in impound. That expense can add to someone’s sense of victimization, said Washington State Patrol detective Sgt. Jason Knott.
About 3,000 cars are stolen in the county each year. It’s hit or miss whether the recovered cars are seriously damaged or stripped for parts, sheriff’s detective Troy Koster said.
Hager, a mechanic, got the Toyota for free seven years ago when it was headed to the crusher. He estimates that he’s invested $20,000 in it. It is both his daily driver and his toy for off-road adventures.
Since it was stolen, he’s been checking online classifieds sites and driving around back roads in case it surfaced.
When Hager heard from the task force Dec. 15, a friend dropped everything to go with him to Granite Falls. He’d been warned to bring a winch. It appeared the thief hit a stump and ran. A hunter spotted the truck weeks later.
The location was described as logging land off the highway, about 10 minutes down a dirt road and 100 yards into the trees.
“There it was, stuck up in the woods,” Hager said.
He stood by while the detectives swabbed surfaces for fingerprints and DNA. There was just enough gas to get to a buddy’s house nearby.
“The reverse is gone. The transmission is kind of messed up,” he said. “The power steering is shot, but everything’s still there. It stinks terrible inside, but it’s all there. I can hardly believe it.”
Inside was a mouse’s nest, along with remnants of cigarette cartons. Hager doesn’t smoke. Since last week, the truck has been towed to a couple of shops to get estimates for the insurance company.
The SNOCAT investigation is ongoing. Hager has “big thanks” for the hunter and all the police officers who were involved in his case. “Good group of guys,” he said.
When he got home that night, he realized he wouldn’t have to search online anymore for his truck or its parts. That search has taken up many of his evenings after work.
He’ll now be spending that time with his fiance.
And tinkering with the truck.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @rikkiking.
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