Stolen Car Parked At Jail, Man Never Returns From Work Program

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — A Gwinnett County Department of Corrections inmate is facing further charges after police said they discovered he had parked a stolen car at the jail and then escaped while on a work release program.

Detectives from the Motor Vehicle Theft (MVT) Unit have active warrants for Deangelo Bell, 26, of Lilburn, who brought a stolen vehicle beyond the guard line.

In addition to the fraud charges he was in jail for, he now has active warrants for theft by receiving stolen property, altered serial numbers and probation violation. A police spokeswoman also said he could soon be facing escape charges.

(For more news like this, sign up for Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news in Lawrenceville — or other neighborhoods. Access Patch on the go with our iPhone app or our brand new app for Android phone users.)

On Wednesday, Feb. 20, detectives with the Gwinnett Motor Vehicle Theft Unit were proactively trying to locate stolen vehicles. They found a 2018 Dodge Challenger parked at the Gwinnett County Department of Corrections work release center located at 750 Hi Hope Road in unincorporated Lawrenceville. The vehicle was parked inside the guard line of the prison. The license plate on the back of the vehicle was an Alabama Dealer tag. According to the MVT Unit, dealer tags are frequently used to conceal stolen vehicles.

The VIN displayed in the windshield was altered from the original. When the officers discovered the true VIN, they learned that the vehicle was purchased from a dealership in Conyers using fraudulent information.

It is believed that the driver of the vehicle, Bell, saw the detectives investigating the vehicle and fled the area before he could be detained. Bell is still currently on the run from these charges, and he failed to report back to the Department of Corrections, police said.

This is the 10th cloned vehicle the Motor Vehicle Theft Unit has recovered so far this year.

If anyone has any information on Bell’s whereabouts, contact GCPD detectives at 770-513-5300. To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or visit www.stopcrimeATL.com. Crime Stoppers tipsters can receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case. Case Number: 19-016071