Colorado resident forced to return stolen truck purchased in Texas

Authorities are warning consumers of thieves who "recycle" a stolen vehicle by keeping a key fob when they sell the vehicle, then track it down in order to steal it again -- and re-sell it again. 

The tactic recently ensnared an Eagle County resident, according to the sheriff's office there. That person is now out a significant amount of money AND the truck. 

According to a press release from the Eagle County Sheriff's Office, the resident found the truck through Facebook Marketplace and flew to Houston to examine it.

Everything checked out at first. The seller had the appropriate documents which showed the truck's Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the title matched the VIN plates inside the doors, on the dash and under the hood. The license plates, too, appeared legit. 

The seller explained one of the two key fobs had been lost.

The buyer paid cash for the truck and drove it back to Colorado. 

The falsehoods became apparent when the resident tried to register it with Eagle County. First, personnel at the clerk and recorder's office became suspicious and contacted an ECSO detective. The detective, a certified VIN inspector, determined the title had been "washed" or its information altered to match truck's VIN. The detective also learned the license plates had been "cloned" or replicated from actual plates. 

Lastly, a tracking device was discovered hidden on the truck. 

Houston detectives confirmed the truck had been reported stolen there in late November. An insurance company already paid the truck's original owner for the loss. The truck now belonged to that insurance company.   

"With scams like this, the crooks steal the cars, forge paperwork to sell them, and then use a tracking device to show up at your home a few days later with a second key to steal the vehicle back and re-sell it," ECSO stated in its press release. "While we continue to work with our law enforcement partners in Texas to bring these criminals to justice, our victim remains significantly impacted."

The sheriff's office suggested never paying cash for an item found through social media. Instead, use a payment method that offers some degree of fraud protection, like a certified check. 

And, the sheriff's office added, "If you see a deal online that's too good to be true, trust your instincts."