What started as a routine trip to the shops ended in flashing lights, confusion, and a very awkward realisation after a woman accidentally drove off in the wrong car from a supermarket car park.
Police bodycam footage shows officers intercepting the woman after a vehicle was reported stolen from a Fred Meyer car park.
The car’s registered owner had contacted police after leaving the keys inside while popping into the store, only to return and find it gone.
Officers quickly tracked the vehicle down to a nearby Walgreens, where they stopped the driver to work out what had happened.
At first, the woman was adamant there had been no mistake.
She explained she was visiting from California and had been using what she believed was her elderly mother’s car while staying locally.
According to her, the vehicle had been arranged by her brother, and she had been driving it since arriving a few days earlier.
When officers asked whether she might have taken the wrong car, she laughed it off, saying that would be impossible.
As the conversation continued, officers began to notice inconsistencies.
The registered owner’s name did not match her explanation, and items inside the car clearly did not belong to her mother.
Bodycam footage captures the moment officers calmly but firmly press her to be honest about what might have happened, explaining that there is a difference between being upfront and refusing to take responsibility.
The situation shifted when police contacted the actual owner, who confirmed he had left his keys in the centre console while shopping.
He told officers he had gone into Fred Meyer briefly and returned to find the car missing. Because the keys were inside, the vehicle never locked, allowing it to be driven away without force.
Officers then checked the centre console and found a second set of keys, confirming what they had begun to suspect.
The woman had accidentally gotten into a near-identical car parked nearby, started it easily, and driven off, believing it was the vehicle she had been using all week.
Her own mother’s car, complete with matching key label, was still sitting in the supermarket car park where she had left it.
Realising what had happened, the woman was visibly embarrassed and apologetic, repeatedly saying sorry as officers explained the mix-up.
Police retrieved her personal items from the wrong car, including a garage remote and sunglasses, and arranged a courtesy ride to take her back to Fred Meyer to recover her actual vehicle.
The car’s owner was relieved rather than angry, agreeing to collect his vehicle and joking with officers about the bizarre turn of events.
Officers on scene described it as a first for them, with one admitting on camera that the entire situation was “actually entertaining” once the facts became clear.
No charges were filed, as police determined the incident was a genuine mistake rather than an intentional theft.
The footage has since been shared online, with viewers reacting to how easily modern cars can be driven away when keys are left inside, and how a simple oversight led to days of confusion for everyone involved.
Police from the Lakewood Police Department used the incident as a reminder for drivers to always secure their vehicles, even during quick stops. While this story ended with laughter and relief, officers noted that leaving keys in a car can easily lead to far more serious outcomes.