St. Louis Police Arrest Trio for Grand Theft Auto
ST. LOUIS — Three men are facing grand theft auto-related charges after being found with a stolen vehicle on a tow truck.
- Daron Oscar, 37: Charged with Stealing a Motor Vehicle and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle (second degree).
- Charles Currie, 38: Charged with Stealing a Motor Vehicle and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle (first degree).
- Lamonte Brown, 42: Charged with Stealing a Motor Vehicle and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle (second degree).
The Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) had been monitoring a rise in stolen disabled and parked vehicles, linked to a tow truck.
Captain Matthew Karnowski from SLMPD District 6 reported, “We started noticing a significant uptick in July and think upwards of 20 cars have been stolen in the north patrol division using this method. None have been recovered; we believe they’re being sent to scrapyards to be shredded or crushed.”
To combat the issue, SLMPD is collaborating with scrapyards to ensure proper protocols for receiving vehicles without clear ownership are established.
In a tactical operation, detectives placed a bait car that was picked up by the suspects’ tow truck. Upon tracking its location, officers and ATF Special Agents from Operation Show-Me Justice intercepted the tow truck and arrested the three men.
Detectives are now investigating potential connections of the suspects to other stolen vehicles and believe more individuals may be involved in this crime spree. Anyone with information or who suspects they may be a victim is urged to contact the North Patrol Division at 314-444-0001.
