Clarence David Roberts
Clarence David Roberts, of 2212 S. Cedar Lane in Fort Oglethorpe, was arrested for theft of property over $10,000 in what police said was a theft of a Hertz vehicle that he rented to an individual.
Police received a call from SiriusXM on Sept. 14 at 5:20 p.m., on the tracking of a stolen vehicle. Officers were notified the vehicle had come to a stop at 701 N. Germantown Road.
Officers located the Jeep Grand Cherokee with a South Carolina tag. It had been reported stolen at 10:20 a.m. that day, with one black male occupant. The man was detained and identified and told police he had not stolen the vehicle.
He said his friend, "Tune," works for Hertz Rental Car and rented the vehicle to him for $400. The man's girlfriend showed police a text message exchanged between the man and "Tune." The text messages showed the man discussing payment for the vehicle and an address to meet "Tune" at to retrieve the vehicle. In the messages, the man asked "Tune" if police were onto the vehicle, to which "Tune" replied that the vehicle was clean. Police did not observe any references in the text messages about renting the vehicle or a date in which the vehicle had to be returned. The man said "Tune" frequently rents cars in his name and then loans them to other people.
The manager of the Hertz Rental Car arrived on scene and police asked her if there was currently a man who goes by "Tune" in her employment. The manager identified "Tune" as Roberts. The manager showed the girlfriend a picture of Roberts and she confirmed it was the man they refer to as "Tune."
The manager told police the keys to this vehicle went missing on Friday, Sept. 9, and she believed that an employee had stolen them. She said that Friday was the last day Roberts had shown up to work and he had not called in since then. She said Roberts had never rented this vehicle. She said that Roberts had taken vehicles without authorization in the past, as well as taken car parts home from the business. She said the incidents were not reported to the police and were handled internally.
Police removed the vehicle from NCIC and released it to the manager.
Due to the testimony of the man, his girlfriend and the manager, and the fact that the keys to the vehicle disappeared the same day Roberts decided to quit his job, as well as Roberts' history of taking vehicles without Hertz's authorization, and the text messages between the man and Roberts discussing the exchange of a vehicle for $400, police believe Roberts to be involved in the theft of this vehicle.