"At 6 a.m. in early December, an unlabeled white tow truck cruised into Jesse Roller's Chino neighborhood. Roller had saved up for four years to buy his prized Cadillac CTS-V coupe, and in 30 seconds, it was gone. The tow truck driver stopped in front of the car, latched on using a self-loading lift and drove away without ever leaving the truck."
"In Southern California, repossession of a car whose owner is behind on loan payments is not uncommon. But companies are legally required to report the tow to police. Victims with whom The Times spoke said that their cars were not behind on payments, and that local police initially had no knowledge of their cars' whereabouts. San Bernardino County sheriff's officials told The Times in a statement that they were aware of thefts using a white tow truck in their jurisdiction."
Unlabeled white tow trucks have been used to steal cars from driveways and curbs across San Bernardino County and neighboring areas. Vehicles including luxury cars and common trucks were taken quickly, with drivers remaining inside the truck while using self-loading lifts. Some victims were current on payments, and local police initially lacked information about the tows. Repossession companies are legally required to report tows to police, but victims report no such records. Sheriff’s officials acknowledged awareness of the incidents and elevated the investigation to a specialized division. Residents have shared video evidence of multiple incidents online.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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