North Texas Father Scrambles To Fix Daughter's Birthday Truck After Thieves Stole It
FORNEY, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A North Texas business owner is scrambling to fix $5,000 worth of damage after thieves stole his daughter's birthday gift -- her first pickup truck. The truck was found and recovered but not without major damage.
The father and a team of employees are working on deadline to repair the truck before her birthday on July 28. It started off as a secret that was building for months.
"It came in as a basket case, ready for the salvage yard, and then me and my team decided, 'hey, let's resurrect this and make this look nice,'" said Manuel Scott, owner of Scott's Automotive and Transmission.
The truck was meant to be a sweet 16 birthday gift for his daughter, Allison. She had no idea the 2002 Dodge half-ton pickup was for her.
"She said, 'If I was going to get a truck, I'd want it to be exactly this color... I want it to look exactly like this one.' She goes, 'I just love this truck!' I was like, 'cool!'" said Scott.
But then, in the overnight hours of July 3, three suspects stole the truck from the family's driveway.
"I feel like someone kicked me in the stomach. Along with the video... watching them do it," said wife Tara Scott.
The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office said a second vehicle was stolen and another was burglarized in the same area.
"I got busy. I got distracted, left the keys in it," said Manuel.
"In Devonshire here in Forney, we feel like we're in a nice community, truly wouldn't expect it," said Tara.
In another hit of bad news, Allison's gift was no longer a surprise.
"Manuel and the sheriff were here, and he said: 'It's for my daughter's birthday.' I looked at her because she didn't know yet... her eyes completely filled with tears," said Tara.
About a day later, Manuel got a call that the truck was found. He picked it up at the Dallas pound.
"They just ripped the tires and wheels off as fast as possible," said Tara.
"We are going to be more aware. It raised our awareness. It'll definitely change the way we do things," said Manuel.
The sheriff's office is still investigating, and they believe the cases of the stolen vehicles and the burglary are connected.