Concow >> Paradise resident Loren Harvey Jr. disappeared five years ago on Oct. 15. About nine days later, his white 2001 Dodge Ram pickup was found abandoned on the V-Line logging road, off Jordan Hill Road near Sawmill Peak.
This past weekend, almost exactly five years later, that same Dodge Ram was again discovered abandoned on the V-Line. This time it was found totaled, pushed over the edge into a canyon on the Concow side of Sawmill Peak, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Al Sanders, said.
After Harvey’s disappearance, the pickup was sold to Tony Murphy of Tony’s Smog Shop. Last week on Oct. 20, the truck was stolen from the lot of Murphy’s shop, along with about $80,000 worth of his employees’ and his own tools.
“They got me good,” Murphy said.
That same weekend a suspect was caught on video prowling around S&W Automotive on Clark Road. No goods were taken, but the incidents have police on the lookout for potential leads.
Sgt. Sanders said the pickup was pulled out of the canyon, taken to a tow shop in Oroville and turned over to Paradise police, who are investigating both the recent theft and Harvey’s disappearance.
Though finding the Dodge five years later on the same road is interesting, Paradise police Lt. Steve Rowe said Murphy has owned the vehicle for a while and he doesn’t think the two incidents are related.
“I don’t believe the person who broke into the shop knew Loren,” Rowe said.
Investigators will examine the pickup for any evidence that may lead to the arrest of the crooks, he said.
When it comes to Harvey’s disappearance, Rowe said the case is still under investigation.
“From time to time we get a little bit of information, but nothing has panned out,” he said. “We have some leads we are following up on.”
Loren Harvey Sr. said he doesn’t believe in coincidence and finds it ironic that the vehicle was found five years, nearly to the day, “within walking distance” of where it was found when his son disappeared.
The younger Harvey was an avid four-wheeler and well-known in the four-wheeling community.
His father hopes this latest incident will stir up some information so he can finally know what happened to his son.
Anyone with information regarding the truck thefts or the disappearance of the younger Harvey is encouraged to call Paradise police at 872-6241.
