Baltimore police arrested a 26-year-old Annapolis man Tuesday morning at the Pulaski Highway impound lot in the connection with a car that was mysteriously removed from the lot before the owner could pick it up.
Members of the Regional Auto Task Force or RAT charged Juawann Smith with theft of a 2003 Volkswagen Passat. Police said Smith picked up the car at the impound lot without the owner’s consent. The car had been towed to the lot by the city for unpaid parking tickets, but was not there when the owner, Antonio Brown, 37, of Baltimore attempted to pick it up.
Police spokesman Troy Harris said Smith did not act alone. “This case goes beyond one person,” Harris said. “We expect it to widen and involve more people.”
Harris said police were investigating whether Smith had connections with Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration employees who may have helped him obtain a fraudulent title for the car so he could take it from the lot.
MVA spokesman Buel Young said he could not confirm if employees were involved.
“I can only say we are working with police to find out what happened, especially how he obtained a title for the car,” Young said. “At this point, I can neither confirm nor refute questions regarding employees here.”
The Examiner reported Monday that the vehicle was taken from the impound lot after the Brown said his car was not there when he attempted to pick it up on Oct. 31. Brown said his car was towed to the lot on Oct. 17 because he failed to pay two parking tickets.
Impound lot employees told Brown the car already had been picked up by a “Juan Smith,” who had shown up at the lot with a notarized letter with Brown’s signature authorizing Smith to pick up the car. But Brown said he did not know Smith and had not signed the letter. He subsequently reported the car stolen and continues to make payments on the vehicle.
Reached by phone, Brown said he had yet to be contacted by police.
“I haven’t heard anything at this point,” he said.
Police said that Smith’s identity had yet to be confirmed, and that he could be using an alias.
Harris said they have yet to locate the stolen car.
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