A Portland, Oregon, woman apologized after accidentally stealing a red Subaru on Tuesday night.

Erin Hatzi, the owner of the Subaru, was aggrieved to find the vehicle missing from her driveway on Wednesday morning.

Surveillance footage from cameras outside Hatzi’s home showed a woman walk up to the Subaru, unlock it and clamber in. The woman then sat in the car for some time before driving off, quite slowly.

Hatzi reported the theft to the police, but on Wednesday afternoon the car was returned, along with a letter saying the theft was a misunderstanding. Hatzi posted a picture of the handwritten note to Facebook on Wednesday.

“Hello, so sorry I stole your car,” the note said.

“I sent my friend with my key to pick up my red Subaru at 7802 SE Woodstock and she came back with your car.

“I did not see the car until this afternoon and I said, ‘That is not my car.’

“There is some cash for gas and I more than apologize for the shock and upset this must have caused you. If you need to speak further with me, I am Bernadett and my number is [Hatzi also blurred this out].

“So so sorry for this mistake.”

Hatzi’s photo showed the note and $30 – a $10 bill and a $20 bill – on what appeared to be the driver’s seat of the Subaru.

She told Portland news station KGW that something had appeared amiss in the surveillance footage.

“We were really confused because it didn’t seem like the normal actions of a car thief,” Hatzi said.

“You wouldn’t think they’d sit there in idle in the owner’s driveway for two or three minutes.”

Police told KGW that keys to certain Subarus can work in different cars. The Subaru that the accidental thief had intended to collect was parked a block away.

“It’s insane,” Hatzi said.

“It’s like a bad sitcom that nobody would ever buy the story because it’s stupid and it makes no sense.”