Frank Bruno: Only thing left in county manager's stolen county-owned SUV in Daytona were his golf shoes

Photo for Headline Surfer / County Manger Jim Dinneen's county-issued SUV was recovered by Daytona Beach police.
 
By HENRY FREDERICK
Headline Surfer

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. -- All it took was a few seconds for a thief to steal the county-owned sports utility vehicle assigned to Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen.

When Dinneen's stolen county-issued SUV was recovered by police, all that remained of his personsl property were his golf shoes, County Chairman Frank Bruno said.

Dinneen was wss literally standing just 10 to 15 feet from the 2011 GMC Terrain, checking on his boat, when he heard the engine start and turned to see a man in his late teens or early 20s sitting in the driver's seat, South Daytona police sai

Dinneen told police he left the keys in the ignition of the vehicle when he parked in a private lot in the 1900 block of Segrave Street about 3:30 p.m. The vehicle has since been recovered in Daytona Beach, but gone were Dinneen's wallet, containing identification, credit cards about $400 cash, along with a set of golf clubs valued at $900, a cell phone worth $100 and a wedding band and class ring worth $500 each.

Dinneen said he ran toward the vehicle to confront the man, who put the SUV in reverse and sped out of the parking lot. He left going south on Segrave Street and then west on Big Tree Road.

He told police he thinks the thief was dropped off by someone in a black 2-door passenger car, which appeared to be following his stolen SUV.

The stolen vehicle was spotted by Daytona Beach police a little after 11 p.m. Monday, going north on North Street. Officers put out spiked sticks and deflated the right front tire but the vehicle continued to the dead-end of Lee Street, just south of Brentwood Drive, where it was found abandoned. Other than the flat tire, there was no damage to the vehicle, police said.