Driver in unmarked tow truck stealing cars, stripping them, police say

NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Someone driving an unmarked tow truck is stealing cars from parking lots and stripping them down to their frames, police said. They believe the same person has stolen nearly a dozen vehicles from eight locations in the same area of North Fulton County, Georgia.

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One victim said he was at a hotel in Alpharetta last week when his car was targeted. He said he had traveled from Florida and was in town on business.

Surveillance video from the Waffle House across the street shows a dark-colored truck towing the car from the Holiday Inn Express on Mansell Road. It happened on Sept. 22 at 6 a.m.

“Showed at 6 a.m. Pickup-type tow truck came up and drug it away. Before that, I noticed they punched out the lock cylinder because part of the lock cylinder was laying on the ground,” the victim said after a detective showed him the surveillance video.

Police believe the same person has stolen a total of 11 cars since January.

They said he's targeting certain vehicles -- including Dodge Chargers and Challengers, work-type trucks, Hondas and Cadillacs -- and getting them mostly from hotels, motels and apartment complexes.

Police later found the cars completely stripped.

North Fulton County resident Mark Townsell said he's been concerned about all the recent carjackings in metro Atlanta.

He said, in this case, the good thing is that no one is getting hurt.

"There's no way to stop that and that's the thing with people who have decided that this is what they're going to do until they get caught," Townsell said.

He and his wife said it seems as if the suspect is experienced and has some sort of use for all the vehicle parts.

"Ya know, folks are opportunists these days and they're going to always look for ways by which they can do things illegal. I mean that's just the world we live in," Townsell said.

If you see a dark-colored tow truck with no company logo on it, call police.

Cox Media Group