Police: Man steals car from Denny’s parking lot after his breaks down

Stock image | Photo by Kimberly Scott, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — When a man’s vehicle broke down in the parking lot of a St. George Denny’s on Jan. 13, he allegedly helped himself to someone else’s vehicle in the parking lot and drove it for the next several days until he was caught.

Donald Kevin Alldredge, of St. George, Utah, booking photo posted Jan. 18, 2018 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

On Thursday, five days after the 2017 Toyota Camry had been reported stolen, authorities were advised that the vehicle had been located in St. George on the 500 West block of 200 North, according to a probable cause statement filed by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in support of the arrest.

Upon arrival at the scene, authorities saw 58-year-old Donald Kevin Alldredge, of St. George, had the Camry’s door open and that he was in possession of the vehicle’s keys, the report states.

“I spoke to Donald (Alldredge) who said he was given the car while he was at Denny’s in St. George,” the arresting deputy wrote in the sworn statement.

Alldredge further told authorities that after his vehicle had broken down at Denny’s, he found a key in the glove box of the Toyota Camry “while trying to determine whose personal property was in the car,” the report states.

Officials located Alldredge’s vehicle in the same parking lot the Camry had been stolen from, according to the statement.

“It appeared when Donald’s vehicle (had) broken down, he transferred all his property into the 2017 Camry,” the deputy wrote in the statement.

Alldredge was arrested and transported to the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

The Washington County Attorney’s Office filed an information in 5th District Court accusing Alldredge of second-degree felony theft.

As this report publishes, Alldredge remains in police custody. He is scheduled to appear before 5th District Judge Eric A. Ludlow Monday afternoon for his initial appearance for a court arraignment.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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5 Comments

  • Caveat_Emptor January 22, 2018 at 9:44 am

    A 2017 Toyota seems to be a very valuable car, which makes you wonder why its owner would leave the keys in the glove box at a busy parking lot……Not sure if this guy would have gone as far as a carjacking, to get his next ride.
    We are not in Mayberry anymore.

  • John January 22, 2018 at 10:25 am

    Leaving your keys in an unlocked car anywhere has got to be one of the most unintelligent and irresponsible things you can do !

  • DRT January 22, 2018 at 11:38 am

    And right below that on the intelligence level is someone who would steal a car and drive it around for several days. Either this fella wanted to go to jail, (3 hots and a cot,) or his IQ has to be in the low two digit range.

    • mesaman January 22, 2018 at 8:30 pm

      It would seem like the appropriate thing to do; if you are a borderline nit wit.

  • utahdiablo January 22, 2018 at 9:05 pm

    Cannot count how many times has that happened, can you?….your driving along, minding your own business and the car craps out, so you find a Denny’s and grab another car and the all of a sudden the day looks so much brighter!….what a worthless POS

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