NEW ORLEANS — A New Orleans man was arrested Monday for having a stolen Ford F-150 Raptor, two Kawasaki Mules, two golf carts, two transport trailers, and the engine from a Chevy Corvette, a report from the Louisiana State Police said on Friday.
The stolen property totaled approximately $105,000. Cyril Curtis, 40, faces the following criminal charges.
- 8 counts of illegal possession of stolen things.
- Altering or Removal of Vehicle Identification Numbers Prohibited
- Forgery of a Certificate of Insurance
Curtis also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest and was booked in the Orleans Parish Jail, the LSP report said.
Members of LSP's Insurance Fraud & Auto Theft Unit in New Orleans worked alongside investigators with New Orleans Police Department's Auto Theft Unit to find a stolen Ford F-150 Raptor Truck.
The investigation led the detectives to Curtis' New Orleans home, where the Ford Raptor was found.
The vehicle identification number on the stolen Ford Raptor was rebranded with a counterfeit number.
LSP's Insurance Fraud & Auto Theft Unit Field Office in New Orleans has seen a spike in stolen cars being relabeled with counterfeit VIN markings.
The troopers in that office said they encourage the public to check the validity of VIN markings online.
"To do so, the owner or purchaser should request that the public tag agent or notary processing the sale to perform a search of the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System," the LSP report said. "Contact law enforcement if (you) suspect (you) may be purchasing a stolen vehicle. Citizens can report suspected fraud to the LSP-IFAT via: lsp.insurance.fraud.unit@la.gov ."
