A valley man's truck was stolen and he thought it was gone forever, until a couple weeks later, when he received a photo radar ticket and there was a woman sitting behind the wheel.
Patrick Bray had the same feeling most people go through when they realize their vehicles have been swiped.
"It almost feels like it's a joke at first you know," said Bray. "I'm pretty sure I parked right there."
Bray's 2003 Ford F-350 was stolen from the the area of 7th Avenue and Indian School Road on September 22. It had the windows and doors locked and the keys were in his pocket.
He filed a police report and didn't expect much more.
"I was done," said Bray. "Checked out. It's gone."
But about a month later, he checked the mail and had a traffic violation from a photo radar on October 3.
"I actually smiled when I saw it because I haven't gotten flashed by one in awhile," said Bray.
The ticket was from El Mirage in the area of Northern Avenue and El Mirage Road.
And there was a mystery woman behind the wheel.
"I open it up and that is definitely not me," said Bray.
But the woman was definitely making herself at home in his truck.
"There's kleenex on my dashboard," said Bray. "Ugh! Somebody sick and sneezing all over my dash?"
But looking pretty well put together, at 4:40 in the morning on a Tuesday, with his license plate, Bray is not exactly saying she is a suspect.
"So to me, it's somebody who's running late to work and doesn't know it's stolen," said Bray.
He is simply hoping this woman wasn't involved and maybe he can help her too if she was ripped off.
"Let's say she's a single mom with three kids," said Bray. "I don't want to cause any trouble for any human beings."
Bray actually plans to maybe wake up early one morning and wait out in the same spot where the photo radar is located in El Mirage and see if he can spot his truck.
He is hoping the woman's picture will be shared and he can get in touch with the mystery woman.
