ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Every day it’s the same routine, hundreds of state employees drive into the underground Empire State Plaza parking garage and leave their vehicles while they work. On Monday, Assemblyman Andy Goodell discovered his car wasn’t where he parked it.

“It’s secure parking and all of us park in the same spots and stuff like that,” said Assemblyman Joseph Gigilo. “And you wouldn’t anticipate losing a car inside a parking lot like that in a secure building.”

It was discovered missing after Assemblyman Goodell and Assemblyman Joseph Giglio walked back to the parking garage after attending a legislative dinner just down the hill.

“We park very close to each other and as we were getting to my vehicle, his vehicle was across a little down, and I looked up and his spot was empty. At that point I said, ‘Andy, your car is not there. Did you lend it to somebody?’ And he said, ‘No Joe, I think it’s stolen.'”

Shortly after, state police were notified.

“Well, he did give a statement to the trooper saying he left his keys in the car,” said Giglio. “The funniest part of it was, he eventually had to call his wife and it was like when you get in trouble when you’re a kid. You don’t want to go home and tell mom. So he wouldn’t make the phone call while I was driving him home. He waited until I dropped him off.”

New York State Police are now looking for a suspect. The vehicle was reported stolen shortly before 10 o’clock Monday night. A few hours later, the vehicle was totaled in a crash at the intersection of Lark Street and Madison Avenue in the City of Albany.

The driver fled the scene.

“I think that was probably a very unique and unusual situation,” said Giglio. “That that happened and unfortunately that happened to Andy, but it’s one of those experiences we all learn from.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact New York State Police.