Tow truck driver from Colorado is said to have stolen over 40 cars and sold them to car scrappers

AURORA, Colorado (KKTV) – An Aurora man is accused of using his job as a tow truck driver to steal dozens of vehicles and sell them to junkyards where they were dismantled for parts.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said it first learned of the plot late last year when a detective began investigating a car theft case.

“He received information that led him to believe this case may be related to several incidents involving Eagle Wing Towing,” the sheriff’s office said.

Over the next few months, investigators increasingly focused on a towing company employee, 33-year-old Brian Chacon, who was suspected of illegally towing vehicles.

During the investigation, investigators determined that Chacon did not take any of the vehicles to Eagle Wing Towing’s designated storage facility, according to the sheriff’s office. Instead, he and the company sold up to 81 vehicles to various junkyards in the Denver metropolitan area.

“Investigators determined that of the 81 vehicles known to have been either sold to a salvage yard by Eagle Wing Towing/Brian Chacon or associated with Eagle Wing Towing/Brian Chacon, 48 vehicles were confirmed stolen, four vehicles were confirmed by the owners to belong to Eagle Wing Towing, and 29 vehicles could not be confirmed as ownership could not be verified because the last/true owner could not be located,” the sheriff’s office said.

Chacon was arrested in August and is now charged with 48 counts of second-degree auto theft, 37 counts of operating in an auto repair shop and 37 counts of forgery.

In addition, the sheriff’s office learned during the course of the investigation that Chacon allegedly possessed child pornography. In addition to a long list of car theft charges, he is now also charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

“I am very proud of the work of our patrol officers and detectives in this case. This suspect targeted people who trusted that their vehicles would still be where they left them, whether they were disabled or not. My message again: If you come to Douglas County to commit crimes, we will hold you accountable. We will not allow this,” Sheriff Darren Weekly said in a social media post on Saturday.

All rights reserved.