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Portland woman's stolen car returned with note, gas money, crazy story

What seemed like a simple car theft ended up being much more.

PORTLAND, Ore. – What seemed like a simple car theft in Portland Tuesday night ended up being much more.

Erin Hatzi’s surveillance cameras caught a woman walking up to her red Subaru, climbing in, and taking off a few minutes later.

Has this happened to you? Readers share their wrong car mix-ups

The apparent theft happened right next to Hatzi’s driveway near Southeast 78th Avenue and Woodstock Boulevard.

“We were really confused because it didn’t seem like the normal actions of a car thief,” Hatzi said. “You wouldn’t think they’d sit there in idle in the owner’s driveway for two or three minutes.”

Hatzi filed a police report. But it didn’t take long before she started getting answers.

Her husband was taking the garbage outside Wednesday afternoon when a Portland police officer had a woman stopped right outside Hatzi’s home. The woman had just gotten out of Hatzi’s red Subaru, and she had left a note and some cash inside.

This story has definitely struck a chord with our audience. Comments on the story have poured in on social media, and Hatzi said she has been contacted by both People magazine and the TV show “Inside Edition.”

Hatzi said she has not met with the woman involved in the mix-up.

The woman's note explained how the woman had gone to the area to pick up a friend’s red Subaru as a favor and ended up taking the wrong car. Hatzi posted the note on Facebook.

"Hello, So sorry I stole your car. I sent my friend with my key to pick up my red Subaru at 7802 SE Woodstock and she came back with your car. I did not see the car until this morning and I said, 'That is not my car.' There is some cash for gas and I more than apologize for the shock and upset this must have caused you. If you need to speak further, with me, I am ******* and my number is ..........So so sorry for this mistake."

It turns out older model Subaru keys sometimes work in different cars, according to police.

In the end, the right Subaru was a block away the whole time.

“It’s insane,” Hatzi said. “It’s like a bad sitcom that nobody would ever buy the story because it’s stupid and it makes no sense. But it happened."

Hatzi said everyone involved parted ways happy, if a bit embarrassed.

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