Nov 16, 2007 6:28 pm US/Central
Cops Nab Car Thieves Who Used Tow Trucks
Police, Prosecutors Say Bandits Illegally Towed Cars, Sold Them For Scrap
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Chicago Police and Cook County prosecutors say thieves used tow trucks to steal cars worth millions of dollars from all over the city.
2 Investigator Pam Zekman exposed the scam in a series of stories called "Scrapped.'' Now that series is creating results.
Undercover video shot by Area Four auto theft detectives shows rogue tow truck drivers stealing legally parked cars from all over Chicago. The videos document how they towed cars to repair shops and other locations using pry bars to steal parts from under the hood
In broad daylight on the street, one tow truck driver got a saw to cut a catalytic converter from underneath another car; then the stripped cars were towed to scrap yards where they were sold for a few hundred dollars.
Chicago Police Sgt. Joseph Petrenko says, "our investigation revealed that some crews were stealing up to five cars a day. One subject told detectives he was stealing three cars a day six days a week and he estimated he stole 300 cars within the past year."
So far, police have arrested 13 of the 21 targets of their undercover operation including one charged with nine counts of auto theft.
"Losses are estimated to be in the millions of dollars," Petrenko says.
Our CBS 2 investigation in February first revealed how widespread the thefts were and how devastating the losses are.
Tenille Moore says, "I saw my car crushed with all my belongings in it."
Gail Perez's legally parked car was spotted by her husband on top of a pile of crushed cars at a metal scrap yard.
"It was stolen. We didn't know how. We didn't know why," she says.
Our investigation showed it happened because of a loophole in the law that allows tow truck drivers to sell a car for scrap without actually having proof they have the owners permission or a certificate of title.
In response to questions from CBS 2, Ronald Kelly, the chief investigator for the Cook County State's Attorney's office said they'll move to close that loophole.
"You would have to have a title that goes with the vehicle when you take it to the scrap yard," Kelly says.
Police officials are still looking for eight other targets of the undercover sting. And they say their investigation is continuing.
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