Stolen CYCLI5T

Thursday I went to my car.  I stopped dead in my tracks.  Am I looking at my car?  Yes, it is my car.  My brag stickers.  But something is amiss.  What you ask?  The license plate is not my personalized CYCLI5T but some regular plate.  My plate has been stolen and swapped.

So I call the police, an officer comes out, takes a report.  He is nice, through and advises this is usually done on a newly stolen car, so if they run the plate, the car doesn’t come back stolen.  I figure my plate is long gone if that’s the case.  Dreading a trip to DMV on Tuesday.

Christmas day!  I drive down to the 56 path for a run before heading up to see my dad.  After the run, I am hungry.  I drive by a cool looking diner I haven’t visited and consider it, since it is open on Christmas.  But, with the time, I didn’t want to lollygag, so I head over to a McDonalds not a 1/2 milefrom my place for a quick Egg McMuffin.  As I approach the drive thru, I see a white mini van, probably 3-4 years older than mine, but similar.  And you’ll never guess what else?  Well, given the first paragraph, you probably have guessed.  The rear plate.  CYCLI5T.  I pull into a parking spot four or five down, and call the PD.  As I am talking to the officer on the phone, I ask if they are sending an officer.  She says, yes, several.  About 30 seconds later, I see a PD SUV, then several cars approach.  The lead car comes along my van, I give the officer a wave and thumbs up, and point down.  He rolls hits his lights.  Almost immediately, there are four or five officers out of their cars yelling at a guy to get down with guns drawn!  With this guy cuffed, I hear them hollering some more, and another person in cuffs.  Then they say get out of the car, or well send the dog in, and he WILL bit you.  The third person is cuffed and stuffed.

About five minutes later, an officer comes over to my car, returns my plate!  Takes a short statement and sends me on my way.  What are the odds?  I don’t know what the deal was, but as the officers approached, something tells me, the recognized one or more of the people as a known bad guy. 

Anyway, a bit of excitement, I got my plate back.  Merry Christmas!