A DRIVER has been conned by a dealership after paying thousands for a car that was taken from her.
After spending nearly $30,000 on the vehicle — she’s lost both the car and her money.
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The Texas resident, Emerita Diaz, bought a car from an auto shop in Humble, Texas, just to have it confiscated by the Splendora Police Department, as reported by NBC’s local Texas affiliate, KPRC.
Authorities believe the car was stolen from a dealership in a completely different state.
The car was a 2022 White Dodge Charger which Diaz financed with her brother-in-law in October 2024.
The pair visited the Robbins Chevrolet in Texas to finalize the details.
Diaz trusted the dealership, having previously bought two other vehicles from the same place.
So, when buying the Charger, Diaz didn’t feel like anything was wrong.
“We test drove. Everything seems nice about the car,” said Diaz.
However, while Diaz’s boyfriend, Ansael Santana, was driving around with the seemingly new car, he was unexpectedly pulled over by the Splendora Police Department.
“I saw both of the cops with their guns out, and then they’re like giving me orders to put my hands up the vehicle,” said Santana.
“I was like, oh, well, I have nothing to hide. They told me the car is stolen.”
Authorities then informed Santana that the car was reportedly stolen from a dealership in Missouri.
A representative from the Splendora Police Department confirmed this in a statement to KPRC.
“The vehicle in question was reported stolen out of Missouri,” they said.
“The officer was able to confirm this vehicle was the correct vehicle as the Vehicle Identification Number matched. I can not go into further details as this incident is being investigated by the Montgomery County Auto Theft Taskforce.”
Dealership Tips
Here are some expert tips when purchasing a car from a dealership lot:
- 1. Set your price: Ensure you’ve calculated your monthly budget before going to the lot. You should include the car’s loan payment, insurance costs, fuel, and regular maintenance.
- 2. Research: Make sure you know which cars you’re interested in test driving before you reach the dealership.
- 3. Pre-approval: Secure financing before you go to the dealership. Dealerships may give you a better interest rate if they are competing with an outside bank.
- 4. Test away: Get behind the wheel before making any payments. A car purchase will be worth thousands of dollars – drivers should ensure they like the drivetrain, steering feel, and comfort of the car before taking it off the lot
- 5. Haggle: Drivers should always try to negotiate the price. There are so many good cars on the American market – buyers have a strong hand when negotiating price.
Source: Kelley Blue Book
According to a Carfax report, the Charger was taken from a dealership in Missouri, registered in Illinois, and then taken to an auction last August before ending up at the Robbins Chevrolet in Texas.
Diaz and Santana said they would never have purchased the vehicle if they had knowledge that it was stolen.
However, Diaz said she is still making payments for the car even though she doesn’t have it anymore.
In a conversation with the general manager of Robbins Chevrolet, Jim Stallings, KPRC was told that Diaz shouldn’t be making any payments for the Charger.
“They don’t have a stolen car. They don’t own the car,” said Stallings. “They didn’t finance or purchase anything.”
Robbins Chevrolet and the Splendora Police Department did not immediately reply to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
