SURVEILLANCE: Woman caught stealing vehicles from 5 car lots in 3 days
JEFFERSON AND SHELBY COUNTIES, Ala. — If you're a movie buff and own a car in the Greater Birmingham area, then "Gone in 60 seconds" is beginning to feel like real-life.
In surveillance video supplied to ABC 33/40 by two different car dealerships, a woman is seen stealing cars.
Car dealers in Pelham, Tarrant, Gardendale, Roebuck and Pinson say the same woman is targeting multiple places.
Captured on security tape, the woman has stolen and driven away cars in at least five car dealerships in a span of three days, starting Monday. Now, the car lot managers are hoping someone will recognize her before she can get the keys to another car.
Pelham and Tarrant Police departments are investigating the car thefts, officers confirmed to ABC 33/40.
Nicole Lawson is a receptionist at Legacy Motors which got carjacked on Wednesday.
She says, “It’s mind blowing really. You don’ think anybody is gonna come [steal a car]. I mean, nothing seemed unusual. I would not have dreamed ever that, that is what was going on.”
Lawson told ABC 33/40 a woman drove up in a black car, with someone else inside, and asked to test drive a Dodge Challenger.
“I told her I need a copy of her license. She went to her car, then came back, came in and talked and made a copy of her license. Then she took off."
Luis Granados, manager at SPC Autosales LLC in Tarrant, says the woman was trying similar tactics at his business.
Granados also told ABC 33/40, “[She] comes to make a test drive and both leave and steal cars. I am not a big dealer. This is a family business. This is a big problem for me to lose $9,000. That's too much money for me."
Both the owner of the Icon Motor Group in Gardendale and the General Manager at King Motors in Roebuck told ABC 33/40 they've been targeted. A Pelham Police spokesperson says the department is investigating. However, at this time there are no warrants for an arrest, but the stolen vehicle at the Pelham dealership has been recovered.
Anyone who recognizes the suspect is urged to call police.
