Auto Dealer Arrested For Forging, Selling Car Dealer Tags: Police

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA – A Lawrenceville man has been arrested for several counts of computer forgery, police say, because he was falsely creating and selling dealer tags for customers to avoid paying ad valorem taxes.

On Friday, Sept. 28, Billy Allrich, 43, turned himself in to the Gwinnett County Jail.

The investigation began on Aug. 20 when a detective found a suspicious vehicle at an apartment complex on Herrington Road. The detective noticed a fraudulently issued temporary operating permit /drive-out-tag on a vehicle issued by Allrich Auto. Allrich Auto is located at 45 E. Crogan Street in the city of Lawrenceville.

During the investigation, the lead detective assigned to the case learned that Allrich had been issuing several permits to the same vehicles. He also issued permits to friends of his to avoid paying ad valorem taxes. The detective discovered that Allrich issued more than 500 permits between August 2017 and August 2018, but he only sold about 200 vehicles.

New or used car dealers are not allowed to sell temporary operating permits to customers. Only one permit may be issued per vehicle during the sale.

On Thursday, Sept. 27, detectives assigned to the Motor Vehicle Theft Unit along with members of the Department of Revenue executed a search warrant at the business in Lawrenceville.

While officers were there, a woman arrived on the property. She said that she was there to purchase a permit for $150. She said that she had purchased at least nine permits from Allrich Auto since early 2017.

Though Billy is only facing seven counts of computer forgery at this time, police say, he may be indicted on more charges at a later date.

Photos courtesy Gwinnett County Police Department