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Show Stolen Jeeps recovered as theft operation foiled By JAMS STUART BOUNTIFUL An elaborate scheme in which Jeeps were stolen from car lots, given fake identification identifi-cation and then sold, was foiled with the assistance of Dan Eastman Jeep-Eagle. The sophisticated theft operation involved up to 10 individuals in Illinois, Il-linois, Michigan, Ohio and Utah. Dan Eastman Jeep-Eagle became involved in the situation when a young couple took a 1990 Jeep Cherokee into the dealership. The couple stated that they had received an 'early-out' from military service in Illinois, were returning to this area, and could no longer afford the vehicle. The dealership purchased the Cherokee from the couple and then re-sold it to a local customer. When the customer attempted to register the vehicle with the state, it was noted that the title had the word 'salvage' on it. Salvage means that the car had been damaged in some way, usually purchased by an insurance in-surance company or an auto body dealer, and then re-sold as a damaged damag-ed vehicle. Eastman contacted the customer to have him bring the vehicle back to the dealership. After a close inspection in-spection of the Jeep, it was verified that it was in excellent condition and showed no possible damage. The customer had been very pleased with the vehicle and did not want tojretum it. The Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division conducted an investigation that determined a man in Detroit operated an auto body shop. Apparently, Ap-parently, he had purchased a wrecked wreck-ed vehicle, sold it for parts, and then sent the registration and identification identifi-cation tags to his son, a former Hill Air Force Base policeman. At some CONTINUED ON PG.2 Jeeps CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 point, the serial numbers were removed from a new stolen Jeep and replaced with serial numbers from the wrecked vehicle. Apparently a Jeep was stolen from Prestige Pontiac and sold to Dan Eastman Jeep-Eagle who in turn sold it to a customer. When the vehicle was impounded by the state, a hidden serial number was located, giving proof that the numbers had been altered. Eastman's customer was presented with a new Cherokee. Eastman contacted Prestige Pontiac who was able to return their money because dealers are insured against ' 'tricks and devices' ' on titles. Prestige Pontiac was protected by the insurance. Personnel at Eastman began to put things together. They had a vehicle stolen last fall and wondered if it had gone through the same procedure. It was discovered that Jeeps had been stolen from Dan Eastman Jeep-Eagle, Layton Hills Chrysler and Jim Whetton Buick. All three vehicles, at a cost of approximately ap-proximately $80,000, were located and found to have altered identification. identifi-cation. The customer who purchased from Dan Eastman was protected because the dealership had insurance in-surance to cover the titles of vehicles. Unfortunately, two other victims had their new vehicles impounded. im-pounded. They have no legal right to the vehicle and they are still responsible for the loans they took out to purchase the Jeeps. Mark David Sexton, 22, Streator, 111., was arrested Thursday by the Illinois Il-linois Attorney General's Office on seven second-degree felony counts of racketeering, forgery and possession posses-sion of stolen property in connection connec-tion with the three Utah vehicle transactions. Sexton was a former Hill Air Force Base policeman who had been discharged last February. He has refused to waive extradition and the Tax Commission will ask Gov. Norm Bangerter to issue an extradition extradi-tion warrant. |