Sheriff’s Car to Be in Lockup

The elusive Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s car is back home at the Theo Lacy Branch Jail -- but for how long?

The twice-stolen, twice-recovered 2001 Ford Crown Victoria most recently turned up in San Bernardino on Thursday, about a mile from the apartment complex where it was found Dec. 2.

“Once is funny,” said Lt. Hal Brotheim, who works at the jail in Orange. “Twice -- not so much.”

The car was found intact, leading authorities to believe the thief or thieves just needed a way to get home, said Lt. Paul D’Auria.

He said the culprit may be a released inmate or a visitor.

The theory that an employee took the car was quickly ruled out because nobody on staff lives in the area where the car was found, Brotheim said.

It didn’t appear that the car had been hot-wired when it was taken Sunday, Brotheim said. Instead, authorities believe the culprit may have used a master key.

“Almost anything is possible,” he said.

The white, four-door sedan has led to policy and procedural changes at the facility: Instead of being parked in an unsecured parking lot in front of the jail, the fleet cars are now in a secure location.

“Hopefully ... it will stay put,” D’Auria said.