Facebook post helps reunite Nashville woman with stolen car

NASHVILLE, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- A Tennessee woman is crediting a Facebook post and a stranger's memory with helping to return her car days after it was stolen.

Allison Gower of Nashville said her husband was preparing to leave for work about 4:45 a.m. Dec. 23 when he noticed the couple's 2009 Subaru Outback Empreza Sport was missing.

"We did feel violated but also feeling the reality that it could be so much worse," Gower told WKRN-TV. "But absolutely feeling violated that our car was missing."

Gower reported the theft to police and posted a picture of the missing car on the East Nashville Buy Sell Trade group on Facebook.

Lydia Holman, a member of the group, said the post stuck out in her memory when she went to the Inglewood Kroger store Monday night.

"I wanted some gummy bears and I stopped by," she said. "My brother-in-law has the exact same car, so it just stuck with me in my memory because he had a Subaru."

Holman said she noticed the Subaru was lacking the kayak rack from Gower's photo, but it bore what appeared to be a recently-painted racing stripe on its roof.

"It was a badly painted strip, so to me it seemed like it must have been a stolen car," Holman said. "I just figured no real Subaru owner would put that on their car."

Holman sent photos to Gower, who forwarded the pictures to police Tuesday morning. The car was found in the same spot where Holman spotted it the previous night.

"The car was locked and parked near the gas pumps," Gower said. "We went to get the car this morning and I used my keys to get into it."

Gower said police found marijuana remnants, a backpack and a laptop computer in the car.

She said the car was apparently unlocked when it was stolen and the thieves likely used a valet key in the glove compartment.

"Lock your car," Gower said. "Also, if you have a valet key for your car, make sure to take it out of your car."