Cincinnati valet driver tracks down stolen car with help from community post
By Karin Johnson
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CINCINNATI (WLWT) — Mauricio Narvaez, a 20-year-old valet at Prima Vista, had his car stolen during the Saturday night dinner rush on Jan. 31, sparking a community effort that led to an arrest.
Narvaez was running back and forth between the front door and the packed parking lot when he noticed something unusual.
“I’m like running back and forth from the lot,” Narvaez said.
He soon realized that the car he spotted heading out of the lot was his own.
“I was so confused. Just because, you know, like we’re running, we’re running cars there and back all day. So, at first, I was like why does that look like my car. And then I was like, oh, no,” Narvaez said.
Narvaez sprinted after the thief, who had swiped the keys from inside the restaurant. Security footage showed the man walking through the parking lot, hitting the lock button until he found the right car. Narvaez filed a report with Cincinnati police, but, understanding that detectives had larger cases to handle, he took matters into his own hands by posting about the stolen vehicle on East Price Hill’s community Facebook page.
“We ended up putting a post on Facebook, and just like, hey, stolen vehicle. It was lost last night,” Narvaez said.
Within hours, a woman reached out, asking if the car parked in a lot off Winfield Avenue with its license plate covered was his. It was indeed Narvaez’s car. Although he recovered his vehicle, his ID, keys and other belongings were missing.
“God knows what he’s done with all my things,” Narvaez said.
Police identified the man behind the wheel as 55-year-old Thomas Perkins, who is now charged with theft.
Mauricio Narvaez hopes that sharing his story sends a message that sometimes, a little persistence and community support can make all the difference.
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