Three men are accused of running a car theft scheme in St. Louis with an unusual getaway vehicle: a tow truck. Police say Lamonte Brown, 42, Daron Oscar, 37, and Charles Currie, 38, used the truck to haul away broken-down cars from city streets, and investigators believe the method may have been used to steal upwards of 20 vehicles since July.
According to First Alert 4, police cracked the alleged scheme with a bait car left on a St. Louis street. Investigators say the vehicle was towed away without any paperwork or discussion. The bait car later turned up on the tow truck itself, with all three suspects nearby, per the outlet's report.
Charges Filed Against All Three Suspects
Brown, Oscar and Currie each face one count of stealing a motor vehicle and one count of tampering with a motor vehicle, according to police. The same charges were filed against all three men.
The alleged thefts took place in the city of St. Louis, and police believe the scheme may not have been limited to a handful of vehicles. Investigators believe upwards of 20 cars could have been stolen using this method since July 2026, the outlet's report states, though the exact number and the specific vehicles involved have not been detailed publicly.
A Familiar Tactic Nationwide
Using a tow truck as cover for auto theft isn't unheard of elsewhere in the country. Cincinnati police sought help identifying a tow truck driver tied to a string of vehicle thefts earlier this year, according to Dayton 24/7 Now. Houston police say two suspects tried the same approach on a bait car back in 2022, as reported by Fox San Antonio.
Police Seek Additional Victims
With the possibility that dozens of vehicles were taken using the same tactic, St. Louis police are asking anyone who believes they may have been a victim to come forward. Potential victims have been asked to call 314-444-0001, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
No booking details, attorney information, or court dates have been made public, and it remains unclear whether the three men were taken into custody together. For now, the case stands as a reminder that a stalled car on a St. Louis street may need more than a tow — it may need a witness.
