Neither Kidnaping Nor Theft--Only the Repo Man

When Stanley Scarlett’s camper truck vanished with his two young children sleeping in the back, he assumed that it was stolen. But it was not a thief who took the truck, authorities said Friday--it was the repo man.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said it was John J. Quinn of Long Beach who drove away with the truck early Wednesday without realizing that Joshua, 8, and Dustin, 10, were sleeping in the back. Quinn told deputies he had sold the 1973 Chevrolet to Scarlett but was repossessing it for non-payment.

When Quinn realized he had inadvertently taken the two children, he locked the truck and abandoned it in Long Beach, Lt. Reg Lawson said. A woman who had heard reports of the disappearance saw the camper and called authorities.

The boys, meanwhile, missed out on all the excitement. They slept through the ride and, when they woke up, spent the morning watching cartoons on a television inside the camper. The two boys said they did not realize that the camper had moved from north Long Beach, where their father was visiting with friends.

Scarlett said he had placed his sleepy sons in the truck and left them alone for about 10 minutes--apparently enough time for Quinn to move in and drive it away.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Quinn Wednesday night, but released him the next day when prosecutors determined that no crime was committed, Lawson said.

Looking back on the incident Friday, Scarlett admitted that he was late with his weekly payment--by two days, he said. But he was still trying to understand why Quinn, whom he called a longtime acquaintance, had attempted to repossess the old truck.

“Geez,” Scarlett said, “there could have been another way he could have done this.”