So I came home from work today, changed clothes and hopped back in the truck to head over to the folks house for dinner. I live in a quiet neighborhood bordering on the local high school. Nice and peaceful except for when the teenie studs go flying down my 25mph street at 40+ as school lets out. At least it's when I and my roomie are at work and my daughter is still in school.
Well as I go to pull out of the driveway there's a beat up Buick creeping down the street, stops short of the the neighbors dirveway across the street, and then backs up and parks on the side of the street with no parking. I found this odd because I'm pretty familiar with most of the cars which come and go here. So as I turn out I deliberately go the long way to my folks house and jot down his rear license plate as there was no front plate (required in Ohio).
As I'm milling around the yard taking care of business later I notice a police cruiser parked down at the corner in the day care center's parking lot. I go about my business trimming overgrown grapevines and note that another and then a third cruiser stop in there. I finish my trimmings and saddle up to head to the gas station for a pack of smokes (bad habit - shaddup).
As I pull by the parking lot, it's that same car, except now there is no rear plate. Thinking they found the car ditched I stopped to offer the plate number and a description of the driver. Come to find out, the plate (and maybe the car) were stolen, the car was dying and the driver was looking for somewhere to ditch park it when the Fire Chief approached him, called it in and everything came to light. Seems this guy has prior arrests for theft, including plate theft.
Thankfully it worked out, but next time I will definitely trust my instincts more. Tis the time for vigilance.