Stolen Jeep returned by thief - Dealership left stunned

MERRIAM, Kan. (KCTV) - In a story that feels more like the plot of a sitcom than real life, a Jeep Wrangler was stolen from a Merriam car dealership and then returned 23 hours later.

The owners of Reynolds Automotive said the whole thing started when a man asked to test drive a white Jeep Wrangler.

What seemed like a normal day in the car business quickly took a turn.

Surveillance video shows the man starting the Jeep, the car he arrived in, driving off the lot, followed by the man pulling out of the lot in the Wrangler.

Reynolds Automotive called the customer 30 minutes later. He said he was on his way back. About 30 minutes later, he said he was stuck in traffic, and the customer turned thief, then asked to keep the car overnight. Reynolds Automotive said that wasn’t possible and again asked for the car to be brought back.

Then, communication between the two stopped after owner Todd Reynolds texted the man and said he was ing the police after 30 more minutes ed.

The police report was filed, a day ed, and the Reynolds began to prepare for an insurance claim.

“I don’t think we’ll ever see a car stolen and brought back again?” said dealership co-owner Meredith Reynolds. “I think it’s a very unusual situation.”

Just when they thought the Wrangler was long gone, the unexpected happened. Video captured the same Jeep pulling back into the lot, and the man behind the wheel sprinting off to a car waiting down the street.

“This one, it’s a weird one,” Todd Reynolds said. “I’ve been in the car business a long time. I’ve never had somebody steal a car and then return it.”

The Jeep had been driven 300 miles in 23 hours. It was returned in one piece, and the dealership said it still runs like it should.

Merriam Police are investigating the incident, and if you have any information on the theft, you are asked to call them at 913-322-5560.

Copyright 2025 KCTV. All rights reserved.