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Suspect accused of selling stolen RV helps victim jumpstart engine
A video going viral on TikTok shows an Aberdeen City Jail inmate helping jump-start an RV he allegedly stole, but the backstory behind the 23-second clip is much wilder.
ABERDEEN, Wash. - A video going viral on TikTok shows an Aberdeen City Jail inmate helping jump-start an RV he allegedly stole, but the backstory behind the 23-second clip is much wilder.
Olive Teague's 1996 Ford F350 RV was stolen on December 19, 2023, off a Ballard street. Inside the RV was mermaid gear and free-diving equipment for Olive's business, "The Seattle Mermaid School," along with the entire festival set up for Alchemy Aquatic Entertainment LLC.
Teague's friend, Katherine Damerst, started a GoFundMe not long after the RV went missing, hoping to replace the stolen items and keep Teague housed as Seattle Police search for the RV.
Months later, on March 9, 2024, Aberdeen Police recovered the RV. According to Teague, the RV was registered as "sold," but the license plate and VIN on the vehicle didn't match the paperwork.
In an update to the GoFundMe, Teague said several squatters were clearly living in the RV and drove it around 1,300 miles, damaging the interior and exterior in the process.
The AC unit and solar panels were ripped off, there was fire damage, two puncture holes, a dented ladder and mounds of trash, drugs and stolen goods. All of Teague's personal belongings were also gone on arrival.
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Teague says while they were cleaning out the inside, an officer was trying to jump the vehicle and said, "You know what? I don't want us to do more damage to the ignition by messing with it. I know a guy back at the station who definitely knows how to do this."
To Teague's surprise, the officer came back with a man wearing an Aberdeen City Jail uniform, who they say police booked for selling the RV.
"I was so sure he was going to go back to the station to get another officer," Teague said.
As the inmate helped Teague and their friend start the RV, Teague began filming to document the incident. The man successfully instructs Teague's friend how to start the vehicle, as the RV's engine turns on at the end of the clip.
Teague then posted the video on TikTok, which has garnered over six million views within a day. In the video, Teague gives a brief description of the situation in text, leading many in the comments to laugh at the wild situation.
"I can’t hotwire a car," the mermaid joked. "But I do know how to punch out an ignition if I need to. I hope I never need to."
Teague's GoFundMe is still active to help fund the RV's repairs, and Teague thanked those supporting them through this journey.
"Every donation, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to reviving my cherished home. Thank you for being part of this journey," Teague said.
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