Teen thieves steal man's car, one night at a time

The man was mugged and didn't notify police.
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) -- One day, Matthew Gaine went out to his car and noticed that the driver's seat was in the wrong position. The next day, the mirrors were moved. On the third day, the car was missing.
Police say muggers who had stolen Gaine's keys were taking the 1998 Volvo on joyrides at night, even filling up the tank so he wouldn't notice.
"It was like it took him a while to come to grips with this," said Daniel Jackson, deputy police commissioner in White Plains.
Gaine was beaten and robbed by teenagers as he staggered home from a bender early July 16, Jackson said Friday.
"He goes home and he changes the locks on his house, but he's embarrassed, so he doesn't call us," Jackson said.
Several days later, Gaine, who did not return a call seeking comment, noticed a dent in his car, parked in its normal spot in his apartment building's garage.
"He wasn't happy about it, but he figured a neighbor did it or something," Jackson said.
Then he started to notice other oddities inside the car, including the repositioned driver's seat and the closed sunroof. Another day, the mirrors were out of position, but he still thought a friend had used the car, Jackson said.
Catching the criminals
On Monday, the car was gone.
"Then he calls," Jackson said.
Police figured that whoever took the car would return it again, so they staked out the garage and arrested 17-year-old Marcus Franklin as he steered the car into its parking place early Tuesday.
A 15-year-old boy, his name not released because of his age, was arrested Wednesday, and a third arrest is possible, Jackson said.
The boys were charged with robbery. Franklin was also charged with burglary for using the keys to get to the car and the unauthorized use of a car, police said.
The lesson, Jackson said, is that when a crime is committed, "at least let us know."
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