The kick-off of the 2012 Utah Legislative session will undoubtedly remain memorable for Sen. Kevin Van Tassell of Vernal but not reasons found on the senate floor.

His parked car was vandalized and then stolen from the parking lot at the Little America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City on Jan. 16.

“This is pretty much old news, cause we already got the car back (last) Thursday,” Van Tassell said.

Parking lot cameras caught two people on video breaking into the Van Tassell vehicle 10 minutes before 12 a.m.

“They broke the passenger rear window, where my wife had some clothes and some sacks on the back seat — that we shouldn’t a left there, and then entered the car,” he said.

The vandals took the senator’s Garman GPS navigation system, laptop and cellphone left in the car.

Van Tassell says while rummaging through the vehicle the thieves found a set of spare keys and drove off with the family’s late model Ford Taurus.

“We spent a few days redoing bank accounts and everything else and then, the police contacted us saying they found the car,” Van Tassell said.

To add insult to injury, Van Tassell had to pay an additional $250 to get the vehicle out of impound before driving it home.

While the car was retrieved, none of the other items were returned, and the Van Tassells have not heard whether the thieves have been caught.

Senator Van Tassell, R-District 26, represents Daggett, Duchesne, Summit, Uintah, Wasatch counties.