MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Dealer GPS Leads Police to Carjacking Suspect

The GM of a North Carolina dealership used GPS tracking to assist a customer and police in locating a carjacked vehicle, leading to the arrest of a suspect.

Tariq Kamal
Tariq KamalFormer Associate Publisher
Read Tariq's Posts
April 30, 2019
Dealer GPS Leads Police to Carjacking Suspect

Police were able to find a stolen vehicle and apprehend the suspect thanks to quick work by the GM and staff at the North Carolina dealership that sold the car.

Credit:

Photo by fsHH via Pixabay

1 min to read


CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The general manager and staff at Kiplin Auto, an independent dealership in Charlotte, N.C., helped a customer and the police track down a carjacked vehicle Monday, leading to the arrest of an armed suspect, WSOC TV reports.

The Chevrolet Malibu belonging to an unnamed female customer was stolen at gunpoint from a Charlotte gas station late Sunday night. Neither the driver nor her passenger were injured. Kiplin GM James “Kip” Charles said he saw the story on the morning news before heading into work, then got the call from the customer.

“She said she’d been carjacked, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s what I saw this morning on the news,’” Charles said.

The vehicle was equipped with a GPS tracker. Dealership staff quickly determined the vehicle was in Columbia, S.C., 92 miles away. Charles called police in Charlotte, then Columbia, where the 17-year-old suspect was spotted and arrested after a brief pursuit. The chase ended when he crashed into a brick mailbox, seriously damaging the vehicle.

“The officers asked how to describe the car and we told them, ‘Just look for the Kiplin sticker,’” Charles said.

To read the WSOC TV story, click here.

More Dealer Ops

F&Iby StaffApril 2, 2025

DOWC Powers the Future of F&I for NESNA

Company is providing a fully integrated F&I administration model to Nissan Extended Services North America’s dealer network.

Read More →
IndustryNovember 27, 2024

Six Powerful Questions

Take the time to answer these and lay the groundwork for a successful year-end.

Read More →
Dealer Opsby Hannah MitchellSeptember 19, 2024

Sunny Side Up

Many dealers are going green – both environmentally and cash-wise – by powering their stores with solar-generated electricity.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
IndustryAugust 26, 2024

Is It Time to Rethink Business Development Centers?

Their role at automotive dealerships is essential today to give salespeople time to close deals.

Read More →
Product & Technologyby Hannah MitchellAugust 22, 2024

A Backup Plan

DMS outage revealed a gap that dealers may want to fill.

Read More →
Dealer OpsAugust 20, 2024

Maximizing Revenue Potential

The strategic imperative for auto dealers is to prioritize F&I product sales and wealth-building in challenging times.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
IndustryAugust 7, 2024

How to Optimize Liquidity in a Fluid Environment

It's wise to not take your dealership's banking relationships for granted.

Read More →
IndustryJuly 29, 2024

Unlocking the Keys to Success

Why customer retention matters now more than ever

Read More →
Dealer Opsby StaffJuly 23, 2024

Store Names First Female Dealer Principal

Howard Bentley Buick GMC is now headed by Taylor Bentley Conner.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
IndustryJuly 18, 2024

Masters in Training

Rick McCormick preaches the wisdom of breaking into what he considers the top 3% of F&I managers with a stance of continuous development.

Read More →