Queen Latifah Speaks Out About Car Theft in Fulton County

ATLANTA, GA -- Days after her car was stolen from a Fulton County gas station, Queen Latifah addressed the incident Tuesday on local TV.

The celebrity's 2015 Mercedes Benz S63 was stolen from a South Fulton County gas station about 9 p.m. on Dec. 20, making national headlines. Fortunately, the actor and producer was not on the scene -- a Shell gas station on Fulton Industrial Boulevard -- when the incident occurred.

On Tuesday, Latifah had a message for the young men who took her car, which was recovered about three hours after being stolen.

Read more: Queen Latifah's car stolen from Fulton County gas station

"I just want them to look at a different way of doing things," she told WAGA-TV in Atlanta. "If you can be that skillful in stealing a car, you can be that skillful at doing something positive with your life. It's time to flip it."

Latifah has been in town recently for the filming of "Star," the Lee Daniels-produced Fox TV series about three up-and-coming singers struggling to make it into the music business.

The entertainer also had message to viewers in Atlanta: “Be careful at gas stations," she said, looking deadpan into the camera. "Lock your car if you’re pumping gas. Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t be on the cell phone while you’re at a gas station."

Metro Atlanta gas stations have experienced a rash of criminal activity in recent weeks.

Photo by Affiliate Summit, image via Wikimedia Commons