Lang
5/30/21
Allegedly stealing his own car from his auto mechanic without paying his outstanding bill has led to an Iowa City man’s arrest.
Iowa City Police say 36-year-old Nicholas Steffen took his Ford Thunderbird to Skay Automotive on Boyrum Street to get the car back up and running. The work was completed on April 20th, with a total bill of $1189.42.
Police say Steffen did not return calls notifying him that his car was ready. After a few days, Steffen’s phone number stopped working. On the morning of April 27th, the Thunderbird went missing from the Skay Automotive parking lot. Security video showed the car being driven off the lot at 5am that morning.
Steffen had never arranged payment. Police found the car parked in the driveway of his Highland Avenue residence.
Steffen was booked into the Johnson County Jail just after 2:30 Saturday afternoon. He’s charged with 3rd Degree Theft, an Aggravated Misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of two years in jail.