A Milwaukee single mother says a mystery tow truck rolled into a neighborhood repair shop, hooked up her fully paid-off SUV and rolled out in broad daylight, leaving her scrambling for rides to work and school.
The red Nissan Murano disappeared from a repair lot near 99th Street and Carmen Avenue, and the loss has quickly turned a routine service visit into a daily transportation crisis for the family.
Surveillance video shows brazen daylight theft
Security video from the shop shows a man in a highlighter-yellow jacket calmly pulling the Murano onto an unmarked tow truck, which had no license plates and no company logos, then driving away while the business was closed, as reported by WISN. Milwaukee police have classified the incident as a theft and, according to local reporting, have not made any arrests.
Owner left scrambling
In a GoFundMe, the vehicle's owner, who identifies herself as Diamond Buchanan and as a shift manager at McDonald's, says she dropped the Murano off for repairs in late February and that it was taken while in the shop's care. Her fundraiser describes a sudden scramble to borrow rides and juggle schedules while trying to save up for a replacement vehicle.
Shop and police response
The repair shop's owner shared the surveillance footage with reporters and told the station he does not recognize the tow truck or its driver and is cooperating with investigators, according to local coverage. For anyone with information, the Milwaukee Police Department directs residents to its non-emergency line and online reporting resources listed on its website. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers or through the P3 Tips app, in line with the Milwaukee Police Department's public contact guidance.
How to protect your car
Security experts recommend basic, low-cost steps to reduce the risk of car theft, including parking in well-lit or monitored areas, using wheel locks or OBD-port covers, storing key fobs in signal-blocking pouches and considering a GPS tracker to help with recovery, according to consumer-safety guidance. National motor-vehicle theft patterns have shifted in recent years, but officials say quick, opportunistic thefts, including impersonation-style tactics, remain a local risk, which is why residents are urged to secure vehicles and promptly report suspicious activity to police.
