The Bellefontaine Police Department was dispatched to Sam’s Auto in reference to an auto theft incident Thursday evening around 6.
Sam Grago advised that a 2015 maroon Honda Civic from his auto sales lot was taken on a test drive around noon and that it was not returned.
Grago received information that the suspect had taken the vehicle to the Columbus area.
After a few hours, Grago’s daughter made contact with the suspect via Facebook and told them to return the vehicle immediately.
At around 7:15, dispatch advised that the daughter had called in, advising that a female had brought the vehicle back to the lot.
Officers found Ricki Downing, 26, to have driven the vehicle back to the lot.
The daughter stated that Downing was not the person that was supposed to be test-driving the vehicle and provided a written statement regarding the incident.
Downing was lodged in the Logan County Jail.
She was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, no operator’s license – 2nd offense, operation under 12-point suspension, driving under license forfeiture, operation under FRA suspension, and operation while failure to reinstate a license.
