Port Chester Woman Claims Car Is Stolen – But Officer Spots Her Behind Wheel

Maria Isabel Loja parked her Honda Accord at the dead end of Willow Street early on Saturday evening, but when she came back five hours later, it was nowhere to be found.

At least that's the story she told Port Chester police later that evening at 10:45 p.m., when she reported the car stolen. Loja, 26, told officers no one else had the keys to the gray 2007 Honda, and police began filling out a report while putting the missing car's description on the radio, Lt. James Ladeairous said.

An hour later, an officer found the car abandoned and banged-up on Parkway Drive, with both airbags deployed. It looked like someone had taken the car for a joyride, crashed it, and left it off on a random street.

But when another patrol officer happened by Parkway Drive, he recognized the car – and Loja. The officer said he'd seen Loja sitting in her Honda on Slater Street at about 7 p.m. – two hours after Loja said she'd last seen her car on Willow Street. The officer also remembered noting both airbags were hanging out of their compartments, but the woman in the car didn't wave him down or ask for help.

"He didn't think anything of it until he saw the car again," Ladeairous said.

After the ruse became apparent, Loja admitted she'd struck a guard rail on I-287 and headed home, where a friend told her to ditch the car and report it missing.

Loja, of 26 Grace Church Street, was charged with falsely reporting an incident, a misdemeanor. She's due back in Port Chester village court this morning.

Follow Port Chester Patch!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PortChesterPatch

Twitter: http://twitter.com/PChesterPatch