Arnold Police are investigating the theft of a pickup left unlocked and running outside the Mobil On the Run, 3611 the West Outer Road. The pickup was valued at $15,000, police reported.
The victim, a 29-year-old Imperial man, parked his gray 2012 Ford F-150 outside the business and went into the convenience store at about 4:25 a.m. Nov. 13. Once inside the store, he heard tires squeal and saw his pickup being driven away, followed by a four-door sedan, the report said.
A 2016 Dodge Ram, which also was unlocked with its engine running, was stolen from outside the same gas station on Oct. 23. The Ram, which was valued at $57,000, had $7,900 worth of items, including a laptop computer and tools, inside it when the vehicle was stolen, Arnold Police reported.
In that theft, video surveillance footage showed a white pickup pull into the lot behind the Ram and a man get out of the white pickup and allegedly drive off in the Ram. The white pickup, which appeared to be driven by a woman, followed the Ram off the parking lot, the report said.
Capt. Rich Shular said police are not sure if the same people are involved in the two thefts.
“It is the same modus operandi,” Shular said. “They figure if people pull in there and people leave their cars running, it is easy pickings. The problem being, they never use the same vehicle as the following vehicle.”
As of Nov. 20, neither of the stolen pickups had been recovered, and no suspects had been identified, Shular said. Anyone with information about the incidents should call Arnold Police at 636-296-3204.