Texas Dealer Uses Rogue Repo Truck (Video)
One Sunday morning in July, Corpus Christi Police received a call about a possible stolen vehicle.
“Yes, ma’am I’m trying to find out why my car was towed away at someone’s house and I’m trying to find out if the dealership picked it up,” said Jennifer White, in a call to police on July 15.
If the dealership towed the car, police should know about it.
Tow companies are required by state law to notify local law enforcement within two hours of the vehicle being towed. But, in this case, that didn’t happen.
White contacted police more than two hours after home surveillance footage showed a tow truck taking the vehicle. She didn’t see the name of the tow company listed on the side of the truck.
“I’m not seeing a wrecker that towed it,” the dispatcher said. “So if anything I can send an officer out there just in case it’s stolen, so they can start a report with you.”
Police determined the car likely was towed, but never figured out which wrecker service took the car.
Corpus Christi Subaru later confirmed in an interview with 6 Investigates that the dealership repossessed the car because White was late on her car payment.
White is one of dozens of customers who have complained that the dealership failed to transfer car titles months after they bought those vehicles. Those complaints are part of an ongoing investigation by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
During a previous interview last month, dealership owner Ronald Lillard denied any wrongdoing. At the time, 6 Investigates also asked him about complaints that the tow truck being used is unlicensed.
“We do have a tow truck that is a repossession truck and it is licensed, too,” Lillard said, during an interview on Aug. 9.
At first glance, the truck appeared to be licensed. It has a company logo and a state license number listed on the side of it. To know for sure, 6 Investigates took a photo of the truck’s vehicle identification number, and sent that information to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
In an emailed response in August, TDLR said the vehicle is “currently not registered with a tow company licensed by the state.”
A public records search revealed the truck doesn’t belong to Corpus Christi Subaru. It’s registered and titled to Big E’s Roadside Service. Big E’s told us it sold the truck at auction late last year.
