(ICYMI) Gwinnett Police Investigate Expensive F-150 Theft Ring

Gwinnett Police are investigating an apparent theft ring involving Ford F-150 pickup trucks stolen from car dealerships in North Carolina and Georgia and fraudulently titled in South Carolina.

The reported thefts were discovered when unsuspecting buyers of the stolen trucks tried to register them at Gwinnett tag offices in Peachtree Corners and Norcross.

All of the victims told police they bought the trucks from a woman matching the same description. One of the victims snapped a photo of the woman, who police are calling a “person of interest” (see attached).

The trucks retail between $45,000 and $60,000, police said, but were sold to the victims for much less.

According to a Gwinnett Police news release:

• On Aug. 19, the Gwinnett County Motor Vehicle Theft Unit were informed of an attempted registration of a 2012 F-150 Platinum at the Peachtree Corners tag office. The vehicle was recovered in Gwinnett County the next day, and was identified as being stolen from a dealership in North Carolina. “The truck had fake federal stickers and VIN’s in place of the one installed from the factory. The victim in this case said he met the suspect at 3506 Buford Highway in Brookhaven and paid $8,000 cash for the truck,” police said.
• On Aug. 27, the Indian Trail tag office reported another fraudulent South Carolina title being presented for a 2013 Ford F-150 Lariat. The truck was reported as stolen from Five Star Ford in Snellville. The truck also had fake federal stickers and VIN. The victim told police he bought the truck from the suspect at the same Brookhaven address and paid $9,500 for it.
• On Sept. 1, the Peachtree Corners tag office reported another fraudulent South Carolina title being presented for a 2013 F-150 Platinum. The truck was stolen from a North Carolina dealership, police said. The victim paid $9,500 for the truck.

Police said all three victims were Hispanic males who paid cash for the trucks. All three of the fake South Carolina titles listed the seller as “Melissa Scott” and had other similarities.

“All three victims in this case described the person that sold them the truck as a light skinned black female in her thirties. In the most recent case, the victim took a picture of the female that sold him the truck,” Gwinnett Police Cpl. Deon Washington said. “Police are calling the female a person of interest. It is possible that she is of Dominican descent.”

Police said a white F-150 Platinum was still missing from a Gwinnett car dealership.

If anyone has any information to share in this case, contact the Auto Theft Unit at 770-513-5300. To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at 404 577-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestoppersatlanta.org. Crime Stoppers tipsters can receive up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case.

Photo: “Person of interest” in string of F-150 thefts; Gwinnett Police PIO