Stolen ASG vehicle was trashed when recovered

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The government vehicle belonging to the Department of Search and Rescue (SAR), which was stolen from a local mechanic shop, has been successfully recovered. However, the interior of the truck was found to be “trashed”.

Before leaving the territory, Police Commissioner Taaga Saite Moliga reported that the stolen vehicle was located on Monday evening in the Faga’ima area. He revealed that the original license plate had been removed and was replaced with a license plate from a rental vehicle, complicating the identification process.

The vehicle in question is a Ford F-150 truck, specifically assigned to the Director of SAR, bearing the distinctive license plate DSR-1. The truck had been taken into a mechanic shop located at the Industrial Park in Tafuna for routine maintenance on August 8, 2025. Just three days later, the Director of SAR, Utumoe Alefosio, was notified that the vehicle had been stolen during a break-in at the shop. Alongside the truck, several valuable tools and equipment belonging to the department were also reported missing.

Upon the vehicle’s recovery, the Police Commissioner confirmed that two suspects were apprehended for questioning, suggesting that the investigation is still active. He also indicated that the interior of the truck had been thoroughly vandalized, indicating the extent of the damage sustained while it was in unauthorized possession.