Man uses iPad app to track down stolen SUV

A Vancouver restaurant owner used a downloaded program on his iPad on Thursday morning to locate his stolen truck, authorities said.

When Teo Ramirez, 28, arrived to Los Potrillos Mexican Restaurant, 14415 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd., Suite 110B, around 6 a.m., he discovered his Chevy Avalanche sports utility vehicle was missing. After realizing he left an iPad on the truck’s seat, he used the “Find My iPhone” application on a second iPad to locate the truck.

The vehicle was “a minute or two minutes away” near Northeast Hearthwood and Northeast Coast Pine Court, Ramirez said.

No items were missing from the vehicle.

However, it did have around $7,000 worth of damage to the brakes and area underneath the motor, he said, quoting an auto repairman’s estimate.

“I guess they were driving it kind of hard,” Ramirez said Thursday night. The person or people responsible for the damage remain at large, he noted.

Ramirez, who has owned the business five years, added he had never had any trouble around his business prior to Thursday.

Vancouver Police did not return calls seeking information about this case.

KATU-TV contributed to this report.