BERRY HILL, Tenn. (WKRN) — Berry Hill police are on the lookout for a tow truck driver who investigators say illegally entered a parking garage and towed a car.
This crime happened in the early morning hours of June 23 at a complex on 8th Avenue South.
News 2 has obtained video from 3:42 a.m. that shows a tow truck pulling up to the exit side of the electronic gate. The unidentified man tosses what appear to be three license plates, attached to a rope, under the security gate.
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The driver then pulled the metallic plates across a ground sensor near the gate. After several attempts, the gate opens and the man drives his tow truck into the secured area.
“This is all done illegally,” said Detective Tony Russo. “He has no right to be there.”
According to police, the man towed a car valued at $23,000.
“It’s quite shocking to know that you go to your place of residence, your gated community with your vehicle, you expect to be safe and your property to be there, and someone does this,” said Berry Hills Police Chief Tim Coleman.
According to investigators, the vehicle owner thought her Jeep Compass had been stolen so she called police.
“In my opinion, this is the same as opening your door and going into your house,” said Coleman, “a lock is there to keep an honest man honest. From what I saw, this doesn’t appear to be an honest man.”
Investigators told News 2, before towing any car, all tow truck operators in Davidson County must alert authorities so police know that vehicles have been towed and not stolen.
According to police, in this case, there is no record of this unauthorized access and tow. “He’s actually going into repo a vehicle not even on the repo list,” said Russo.
Chief Coleman said it’s an active investigation and that they have not ruled anything out.
“We are reaching out to get your viewership hopefully, to help us locate this driver and maybe get their side of the story,” said Coleman. “But it’s obvious, I don’t need to hear too much, my eyes can clearly see and the video shows, what went on there, whether or not this vehicle should have been reposed stolen or not stolen, the biggest thing that bothers me is the unlawful entry of that apartment complex by that wrecker driver.”
A resident who lives in the apartment complex and was unaware that the incident happened told News 2, she is disappointed. “It’s scary cause this is a very nice building. You pay to live here and you have stickers and electronic keys.”
At the very least, Berry Hill police say the tow truck man criminally trespassed. If he towed the car without proper authorization, he could also be charged with auto theft. Investigators say all attempts to locate the driver have proven unsuccessful so they are asking for the public’s help.
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Late Thursday, Berry Hill Police told News 2, they spoke with the owner of the Jeep that was towed away.
According to detectives, the woman said her identity was stolen last year. She told police she was making payments on her vehicle and was never informed the bank may have had intentions of repossessing the vehicle.
The driver told police she has no notices that would indicate a repossession was going to happen. According to detectives, the woman said she still does not have her Jeep back.
Detectives say they need to talk to the tow truck driver to understand his side of the story.
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