Posted on 01/20/2007 9:11:55 AM PST by seowulf
SEATTLE- In bizarre series of events that have led to multiple arrests, Seattle police say a group of employees at a car dealership in West Seattle stole more than $100,000 from a disabled man.
Seattle police spokesman Sean Whitcomb said the bizarre series of events began when the victim, a 60-year-old man with a diminished mental capacity, went to the Huling Brothers dealership in late July. The man was covered in his own urine and feces and asked a salesman about buying a truck.
"I think that anyone would look at that individual and at least pause - and think if this person needed some help or even inquire if they needed some help," said Seattle police detective Caryn Lee.
Despite the man's appearance, the salesman gave the man a ride home where he said he had enough cash to buy the truck. The man came back out with a sack full of $30,000 in cash and told the salesman that he had more than $70,000 still in his house.
The salesman sold the truck to the man at the maximum price along with an expensive warranty, and then bragged to his co-workers about the man's claim of having a hoard of cash in his house, Whitcomb said.
The next day the man returned to the dealership and said his truck had been stolen. The car had actually been towed and, Whitcomb said, this is when a group of employees at the dealership decided to steal the victim's remaining cash.
While one salesman drove the victim to pick up his truck, the dealership's sales manager, Adrian Dillard, and five other employees drove in three groups to the victim's home, police said.
Dillard and Theodore Coxwell beat the others to the man's house. The two allegedly broke in and stole $70,000. Whitcomb said that they told the other group of employees, who arrived at the house later, that they didn't find any money.
Two days later, bank records show Dillard went to a bank with $20,000 in $100 bills, bought cashier's checks, and paid off his own credit cards and other debts.
On July 27th, the victim's truck was again towed and the man called police to report it stolen, along with his missing $70,000. When a Seattle police officer arrived, he found the man living in filth and had him taken to Harborview Medical Center.
Despite already taking the man's money, Whitcomb said that the man was again victimized by an employee at the dealership.
While he was at the hospital, the man called the dealership to express his concern that his truck would be auctioned by the towing company. The employee he spoke with, Paul Rimbey, convinced the man to sign over the truck to him and had him sign a bill of sale. He bought the $30,000 truck back for just $1,200, then kept it and drove it as his own. Rimbey allegedly even went so far as to have a notary public at the dealership help fraudulently notarize the needed sales documents.
Seattle Police Detective Caryn Lee investigates cases involving exploitation of vulnerable adults and said she was surprised by the complexity of the scheme. "This was pretty in depth," she said.
Dillard and Coxwell, who allegedly stole the $70,000, were arrested and charged with burglary, theft and conspiracy. Rimbey was charged with theft. Investigators said that 11 people at the dealership were involved in the various crimes.
Whitcomb said that the car dealership has been cooperating with investigators and repaid the victim the $30,000 he paid for the truck. The man is currently being treated at Western State Hospital.
The Huling Brothers dealership sold to the Gee Automotive Group earlier this month. Its new president, Cline Davis, said the group made the purchase without any knowledge of the theft and fraud that took place last July.
Davis said Friday that the store will have an entirely new sales staff, and said the group was unaware of the pending legal action against the former employees.
"It's sad what happened. It's atrocious what happened," he said. "And those guys I hope they rot in jail. But that has nothing to do with the employees that are here."
As for the Huling name, the new owners say the name will be stripped off the signs, off the cars and off the company uniforms as soon as possible.
bump
Geezuz.
I guess this won't do much for the public image of car salesmen....
How on Earth could a business be sold without the disclosure of a lawsuit? That alone would break the deal. Sounds like everyone, from the top down, was corrupt at that dealership.
I suppose this shows that not all used car salesmen are charitable, caring individuals who look out for their customers.
But, really, everyone should make plans for their later years when we may not be as sharp as we used to be. If you can, make arrangements with someone you can trust to help you with your finances before you need it. Otherwise you might end up with some used car salesman rifling through your sock drawer looking for your life savings.
The depths that people will sink to take advantage of other people are boundless. That entire dealership should be shut down and all their inventory given to homeless people
These guys must have learned their salesman skills watching the Clinton Administration weave and dodge the Independent Counsel.
This dealership has been around for decades. I remember Huling commercials for at least 30 years when I was a kid. I wonder how long they've been bilking the mentally ill.
I guess this won't do much for the public image of car salesmen....
Won't hurt it too much either.
Yeah, I was pretty sure only politicians would do a thing like this.
Mine's under the mattress, they'll never look there.
I hope they all get the maximum sentence -- a very long time in jail, and it's not enough.
They should also be sued in civil court and have all their assets taken away to repay all they stole AND triple it as penalty.
What lawsuit?
bastards.. I hope they rot in jail
Well, maybe Boeing fled Washington State to find less-corrupt environs...
From the article: "The Huling Brothers dealership sold to the Gee Automotive Group earlier this month. Its new president, Cline Davis, said the group made the purchase without any knowledge of the theft and fraud that took place last July.
Davis said Friday that the store will have an entirely new sales staff, and said the group was unaware of the pending legal action against the former employees.
This is called ELDER ABUSE .. and in CA it is a huge felony carrying a very stiff fine and lots of jail time.
But .. it does show you what happens to people who do not have family to look after them. While working at an Alzheimer's facility .. we have heard horror stories about some of our residents .. prior to them coming to our facility. My mom also suffered from this condition, and I personally experienced other family members trying to take advantage of her generosity.
The man was covered in his own urine and feces, has $100,000 in cash, and asked a salesman about buying a truck, and that sounds sane?
Hell no. He belongs in a Lexus!
The article said -- The Huling Brothers dealership sold to the Gee Automotive Group earlier this month. Its new president, Cline Davis, said the group made the purchase without any knowledge of the theft and fraud that took place last July."
That's probably why the dealership was sold. Get the cash and run, before the "shi'ite" hits the fan...
So, not only the employees got a "bonus" the owner got his bonus, too. The new owner says, "Not my fault." Everything goes on as normal..., same story, different names...
Regards,
Star Traveler
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