Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 17, 1991                   TAG: 9102170284
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: D-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

WOMAN'S VAN, DOG STOLEN BY HITCHHIKER

Penn's first car broke down last week in Oklahoma City, forcing her to buy a 1974 van to complete her trip to a visit friends near Washington, D.C.

She lost her second vehicle at a Roanoke County service station Saturday night, when a hitchhiker she had picked up in California sped away with her van while she was in the restroom.

"He seemed OK to me," she said.

The man - who called himself Michael Harrison - drove away with her luggage and her 14-year-old dog, Pepsi.

State Trooper S.S. Combs said Penn's van was reported stolen about 9:45 p.m. at the Plantation Texaco off Interstate 81 at Plantation Road.

Penn left the hitchhiker to fill up the van with gas while she went to the restroom. She emerged a few minutes later, only to find that he had sped away after pumping $15 worth of gas, Combs said.

Gas station workers said the man headed north on I-81. He had told Penn his destination was Baltimore, Combs said. State police were on the lookout for a white van with red stripes and Oklahoma tags.