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Anthony Greene, of Orange, walked up to older model cars parked on Essex County streets and collected their vehicle identification numbers from Oct. 22, 2021, to Nov. 30, 2021, Newark Public Safety Director Brian A. O’Hara said.
After receiving the information, he called tow companies to junk the cars and later put insurance on them, using the location of the theft as his home address, according to O'Hara.
When the tow truck driver arrived, Greene gave them proof of insurance, and the vehicle was towed, police said.
One Bloomfield resident told police officers that she parked her 2002 Honda Odyssey van at the corner of East Alpine Street and Sherman Avenue around 8:35 a.m. Nov. 30, 2021, according to O'Hara.
The car was gone when she got back around 3:35 p.m., she told police.
Surveillance footage shows Greene standing next to the van before driving off in another car, police said. Greene called a tow truck company, and the van was towed moments later, they said.
A 1999 Cadillac Escalade and a 2004 Lexus were also among the vehicles taken.
None of the victims knew Greene or had given him permission to take their vehicles, police noted.
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