BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – A Baton Rouge man was charged with theft of a motor vehicle after an investigation.
The victim told investigators in May that they handed over their vehicle to a mechanic for repairs in August. When she asked for the car back, the mechanic said he did not know where it was, according to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.
The mechanic, Brandon Cooper, 24, of Baton Rouge told the car owner that “the engine was fixed but the vehicle was still inoperable,” according to the affidavit. The mechanic claimed that a new computer was needed for the vehicle.
Cooper later changed his answer and said the car was towed from his apartment because of complaints and was taken to a scrap yard, investigators said.
Through further investigation, detectives were able to find out that the vehicle had been scrapped at a location on I-10 Frontage Road on April 5. Investigators questioned the individual who scrapped the vehicle who said they contacted Cooper in February looking for the same make and model as the victim’s car for parts.
The car was purchased for $350 by the individual who scrapped the vehicle. Deputies said the car was valued at $4,000. Cooper told the individual that the car “was ‘good’ and not stolen,” according to the affidavit.
Cooper was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Thursday, June 1, and charged with theft of a motor vehicle. He remains behind bars and no bond has been set as of the publishing of this article.
