Giving your car to a valet can be risky. You could return to find your wheels have been scratched or worse still, may discover a valet driver has taken your prized possession for a joyride. One thing you certainly wouldn’t expect is for the valet driver to give the keys to your car to a stranger and let them drive off in it.
Late last year, Scott Ware and his wife checked in to the Thompson Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. They left their new Rolls-Royce Cullinan at the valet but when it came time to check out, the hotel informed them that they couldn’t find their SUV. Unfortunately for the hotel, the Cullinan’s owner wasn’t willing to let the incident slide.
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He swiftly filed a lawsuit against the hotel and acquired a subpoena to get surveillance footage from the hotel. This video shows an unidentified man pulling up in a white Cadillac sedan. The valet worker then happily hands him the keys to the Rolls-Royce. He quickly jumps inside and drives off.
Speaking with WSBTV, the couple says they were able to track the location of the Cullinan but the thieves later disabled the GPS. It was only months later that Scott Ware spotted his Rolls-Royce on social media. It was in Texas and had been modified with huge spikes on its wheels and was now part of the local slab culture. Ware was able to identify the car because of its unique baby blue interior. One video shows it riding on Minnesota plates.
Houston police were informed of the theft and one man has been arrested. The Cullinan has also been returned to the couple. The Thompson Hotel has not responded to a request to see if they still use the same valet company.