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Owners Of Older Hondas At Risk, Police Say

POSTED: 7:41 am PDT June 23, 2009
UPDATED: 7:50 am PDT June 23, 2009

Car thieves using filed-down keys have stolen more than 100 Hondas in recent months in the southwest Washington town of Longview, but one local woman said the thieves stole her car twice in a three-week span.

Danielle Thomas and her family said they saw the thieves drive off with her 1992 Honda Civic a few weeks ago.

"We came out and they had just done a (U-turn) and just started going down the street," she said.

Thomas called police to report her Honda stolen -- something 129 other people in Longview have been forced to do this year.

Police were able to get Thomas' car back within hours. Three weeks later, however, it was stolen again.

"You know what? I didn't believe her at first. She called and told me it had been stolen again (and) I was like, 'Come on, Danielle, stop,'" said Tina Hilton, Thomas' mother.

Longview detectives said the thieves have been using shaved car keys and using them like a universal tool.

"I don't know why they kept targeting that car, but I guess the Hondas are pretty hot around here," Hilton said.

Police said thieves have stolen 259 Hondas in Longview over the course of the past year. Civics and Accords have been the most popular targets.

Because of the thefts, Thomas said she now relies on her roommates for rides and she also walks to get from place to place.

"It's always a struggle every day because I worked hard for that car," Thomas said. "I really did."

Police said they've been able to retrieve many of the cars, but Thomas is still waiting. She hopes karma catches up with the crooks.

"What comes around goes around, and one day they're going to get what they deserve," she said. "It's only fair."

Owners Of Older Hondas At Risk, Police Say

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