Car Stolen While Idling In Canyon Country Driveway

Victim lucky to get car back unscathed.

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A Canyon Country man who left his car running in the driveway came out to find it left without him Wednesday morning.

Lt. Mark Hershey of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s station said that the victim, who lives in the 19000 block of Delight Street, left the car idling in the driveway shortly before 7 a.m. When he came out to drive the car away, it was already gone. He told deputies that he had seen two male Hispanics in the area before he went into the house, but did not see anyone get into the car.

A broadcast was put out describing the car and patrolling deputies found the vehicle about an hour later near the intersection of Sierra Highway and Sand Canyon Road. Javier Mendoza, 31, who lives in the same neighborhood as the victim, was arrested without incident. He is being held at the Santa Clarita Valley station in lieu of $25,000 bail. He is scheduled to be in court Friday.

This is the second incident in as many weeks where people have left cars running and had them stolen.