Lexington legislator’s stolen car has been found not far from where it was taken weeks ago

A vehicle belonging to state Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson, which was stolen late last month while parked at Lexington Green, has been recovered.

Stevenson said in an interview that the car was found Thursday afternoon at an apartment complex near Fayette Mall. Someone at the complex noticed the car had been parked there for weeks without any interaction and called police, she said.

It appears the vehicle was ditched shortly after it was stolen because it was dusty and had almost the same amount of gas as it did when it was stolen, according to Stevenson. She said the car had no visible damage and most of the valuables inside were left behind, except for a pair of sunglasses.

Stevenson, who represents parts of Fayette and Scott counties in the state legislature, said police checked the car for fingerprints and found nothing. She was disappointed that the thieves won’t be caught but she’s obviously pleased to have her car back.

Stevenson’s Chevy Tahoe is one of hundreds of vehicles reported stolen in Lexington this year, and it’s a growing problem locally and nationally, according to Lexington police and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Last year, 1,057 auto thefts were reported in Lexington, and the city is on track to exceed that this year, police data indicates. Between January and July, Lexington police received 764 auto theft reports, according to the city’s website.

Nationwide, the number of vehicles stolen rose nearly 20 percent from 2019 through 2021, the insurance crime bureau says.