Scenario:

kid who my H and I (who are separated) have known for years and who lived with us off and on since he was 11 is now 25.

He comes over on Wednesday before my son's wedding on Friday and stays with my H. My son and his then fiance were there too.

I go to my H's house on Thursday for rehearsal dinner, wedding on Friday. After reception, kid is very drunk and so are 2 other of my sons friends (23 and 26) who are all staying at our house overnight.

My H and I go to sleep. Drunk kid takes keys from diningroom table. Other two kids are asleep.

drunk kid steals car and gets into accident. returns car to semi-same position it was parked in, puts keys back, leaves car headlights turned off (I have daytime running lights and leave them in ON position always), leaves radio set on R&B/Rap station really, really loud, and adjusted mirrors differently.

Kid goes to sleep.

Go to get back in car on Saturday early evening and notice two panels where tow chain can be inserted are out of place and hanging on front bumper.

Replace them and drive 1.5 hours back to my residence.

H confronts kid who lies about taking car. Kid calls me and denies it then after being told to ID one of the other two kids in house, says he did it and was alone.

H kicks kid out of house.

H calls me enroute to my residence and says look closer at bumper--kid may have hit something.

I look at bumper when arrive at destination. Damage. Call police dept where my house with H is located.

Drive back there on Sunday to make report. Can't get in touch with kid. Don't know where he is staying or with whom. He has no cell phone.

Other two kids confirm, independently and w/o knowing what kid who stole car have done, what happens on night of reception. Both were asleep and knew nothing about what kid did. Their stories are just slightly different, but close enough to mesh well.

Police say, you knew him, unless he broke into car, it's unauthorized use. If you didn't know him, it would be stolen vehicle.

Insurance co. says police don't file as stolen it's not stolen. They assume you would have allowed person to drive.

I don't know if kid has license that's ok--i.e., not suspended or even if he has one. Kid was drunk. I knew that before going to sleep and would never have given permission. Kid never had permission to use vehicles ever before.

Kid stole car. Kid hit something and I don't know what. I filed police report and will press charges even though I don't really want to. He's been "my son" for 14 years.

Last time kid stayed with us was maybe 4-5 years ago???

So yes, he stole keys and he stole car. Someone takes something without your permission in my book that's theft--that's stealing.