Murrieta man charged with 18 felonies for luxury car theft scheme
A Murrieta man has been charged with nearly 20 felonies after a luxury car theft scheme was thwarted by authorities.
Kendall Clark, 25, was arrested in San Diego on Oct. 18 by investigators from the Riverside Auto-Theft Interdiction Detail, said a statement from the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday for the 18 felonies, which include embezzlement and car theft.
During the course of their investigation, detectives learned that Clark would fill out rental paperwork for luxury vehicles, pay for a one-week rental and pick them up from an owner in Lake Mathews.
"However, Clark did not return the vehicles," the DA's statement said. "When the owners tried to report them as stolen, were told the cars were no longer in their name."
Investigators found the cars at various dealerships throughout Riverside County, with titles that had been changed, forged or "washed" by Clark, to show that they had changed ownership, the statement continued.
All of the cars, which included a 2022 Chevrolet Corvette, a 2015 Lamborghini Huracán, a 2021 Jeep Wrangler, a 2021 Porsche Cayenne, a 2017 BMW i8 and a 2020 Lamborhini Urus, were returned to their rightful owners. Investigators estimate that the total value of the vehicles eclipses $1 million.
Two days after his arrest, Clark pleaded not guilty to all charges at an arraignment. He is currently being held on $250,000 bail.
Anyone with further information is urged to contact investigators at (951) 290-1923.