HOUSTON — A 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe belonging to Charles White was auctioned on January 15 by Houston authorities after notification disputes and unpaid storage fees. The vehicle had been stolen from a senior living complex in southeast Houston.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office located the Tahoe in La Porte on September 17. A driver abandoned the vehicle along Highway 146 following a pursuit. Investigators placed an investigative hold on the vehicle, stating the driver used it to commit another theft. The vehicle was towed to Houston Central Auto Storage.

White, a 76-year-old Vietnam veteran, stated he did not receive notifications about his vehicle. White said, "They called me and said, 'We're investigating and when we get through an investigation, we'll call you.'" The sheriff's office claims it sent White two notification letters, each requiring a signature, at 10-day and 20-day intervals. White maintained he did not receive those letters.

The Houston Police Department (HPD) filed the stolen vehicle report. HPD stated it called White on October 12 to inform him of the vehicle's location and retrieval process. White said he did not answer the call. HPD stated officers left a voice message for White.

HPD then sent White a letter on December 2, warning that the vehicle would be auctioned if it was not retrieved. White stated he did not receive this December 2 letter. HPD stated White was responsible for paying the storage fees. White said he tried to retrieve his vehicle multiple times, stating, "I went down there several times, I would call several times, I went down there with my nephew one time to get it and they always telling me it's still under investigation."

The sheriff's office stated it had difficulty retrieving copies of the notification letters from its computer system. HPD directed that a records request be filed, with an expected two-week processing time.