Unusual Stolen Vehicle Dispute has Police, Huey Helicopter, and Disputed Truck in Same Spot

Four police cars, a Vietnam era helicopter, and a dispute over a suspected stolen truck made for an unusual conflict over the vehicle ownership in Santa Barbara.

Matt Thomas of Thomas Towing said he recently acquired a pickup truck in a lien sale, and it was stolen outside of his business in Goleta.

A co-worker spotted the truck and a man associated with it in Santa Barbara and Thomas, along with the police were called to a fenced area off Quarantina Street this afternoon.

Thomas was coming in from a school assembly at San Marcos High that involved towing a Vietnam era Huey helicopter to and from the campus. When Thomas arrived at the scene of the stolen vehicle he still had the very large chopper in tow. There were also multiple police units on the scene.

The Sheriff’s department was also called to help sort out the ownership dispute since the suspected crime originally occurred in the county.