A car that mysteriously vanished off the city’s impound lot has reappeared – in Virginia.
Baltimore police told Antonio Brown – owner of a 2003 Volkswagen Passat missing off the city’s Pulaski Highway Impound lot since October – that they recovered his car about 100 miles from Baltimore at an auction yard in Frederick, Virginia.
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“I was like, ‘Wow, are you serious? My car is in Virginia? I thought it would be all chopped or shipped overseas by now,” said a grateful Brown in a phone interview as he awaited the return of his car Tuesday. “I’m glad they found it. I just hope they don’t charge me to tow it up here.”
Brown said police gave him few details about how his car ended up in another state.
“They said it didn’t have any tags and that is was at an auction yard just about to be shipped overseas, but they didn’t say what country,” Brown said.
Police spokesman Troy Harris said investigators discovered the car after researching vehicle records. He said police are investigating how a fake title was obtained for the vehicle.
The discovery of the stolen Passat marks the latest twist in case that has raised questions about the security at the Pulaski Highway Impound lot.
Last month members of the Regional Auto Theft Task force arrested and charged Juwann Smith of Annapolis with theft in connection with the case. Charging documents allege Smith used a fake notarized letter with a forged signature to obtain the car before Brown could retrieve it. Smith also was charged with possession of forgery.
Brown discovered his car was missing when he visited the impound lot October 31st to claim it. The car was towed to the impound lot for three unpaid parking tickets, Brown said. But when he tried to pay off the tickets, an impound lot employee told him a man named ‘Juan Smith’ already had retrieved the vehicle.
Brown said prosecutors told him that his car was not the only missing vehicle from the impound lot currently under investigation.
“They told me there are other cars that are part of my case, and that other people are involved.”
