SAVANNAH, GA - Police are actively searching for a man they allege faked being a professional basketball player to steal a luxury car.
Records obtained by WJCL state that the man is wanted for several incidents at downtown Savannah hotels in August. Police described the suspect as a black man between 20 and 30 years old. On Thursday, September 3, police shared images of the suspect on its Facebook page, hoping someone would recognize him. Police records detail two stolen vehicles, a missing key and the recovery of another stolen luxury vehicle.
The BMW was reported stolen August 14 from the Hyatt Regency Savannah at 2 W. Bay St. Investigators said the man entered the hotel lobby, returned to a white Audi to collect his belongings, and then handed valet workers a ticket for a gray 2026 BMW X5.
The man claimed he played professional basketball and had several vehicles at the hotel, according to the police report. Valet employees said each ticket was unique to a specific vehicle. Surveillance video showed the man presenting the BMW's ticket and driving away around 12:30 a.m., police said.
The SUV was a dealership loaner being used by a hotel guest. The dealership later tracked the vehicle to the 2100 block of North Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Savannah police notified Myrtle Beach police and requested that the BMW be listed as stolen in state and national databases.
Earlier that day, officers recovered the white 2025 Audi A5 linked to the BMW suspect. Police found the unlocked Audi in the Hyatt's parking garage after learning it had been stolen. The $30,000 vehicle had no obvious exterior damage.
Another law enforcement agency had listed the Audi as stolen August 13. Savannah police notified that agency and had the car towed. The records do not say where or how the Audi was initially stolen. A separate vehicle theft was reported August 6 at the Fairfield Inn in downtown Savannah.
A guest told police she left her black 2019 Toyota C-HR and its key with the hotel's valet service shortly before 4:00 p.m. on August 5. She received a code to text when she wanted the vehicle returned. When she sent the code around 9:38 a.m. the next morning, hotel staff could find neither the Toyota nor its key.
Valet records indicated someone had used the retrieval code at 12:06 a.m., which was more than nine hours before the guest said she first sent it. The system did not display the originating phone number. The key remained listed as checked in but was missing from the valet lockbox, police said.
Officers searched the parking garage but did not find the $18,000 Toyota. A license plate reader had recorded it on Dean Forest Road around 7:00 p.m. on August 5. Police issued a lookout for the Toyota. Savannah police records do not indicate whether the Toyota or BMW was later recovered.
Records obtained by WJCL state that the man is wanted for several incidents at downtown Savannah hotels in August. Police described the suspect as a black man between 20 and 30 years old. On Thursday, September 3, police shared images of the suspect on its Facebook page, hoping someone would recognize him. Police records detail two stolen vehicles, a missing key and the recovery of another stolen luxury vehicle.
The BMW was reported stolen August 14 from the Hyatt Regency Savannah at 2 W. Bay St. Investigators said the man entered the hotel lobby, returned to a white Audi to collect his belongings, and then handed valet workers a ticket for a gray 2026 BMW X5.
The man claimed he played professional basketball and had several vehicles at the hotel, according to the police report. Valet employees said each ticket was unique to a specific vehicle. Surveillance video showed the man presenting the BMW's ticket and driving away around 12:30 a.m., police said.
The SUV was a dealership loaner being used by a hotel guest. The dealership later tracked the vehicle to the 2100 block of North Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Savannah police notified Myrtle Beach police and requested that the BMW be listed as stolen in state and national databases.
Earlier that day, officers recovered the white 2025 Audi A5 linked to the BMW suspect. Police found the unlocked Audi in the Hyatt's parking garage after learning it had been stolen. The $30,000 vehicle had no obvious exterior damage.
Another law enforcement agency had listed the Audi as stolen August 13. Savannah police notified that agency and had the car towed. The records do not say where or how the Audi was initially stolen. A separate vehicle theft was reported August 6 at the Fairfield Inn in downtown Savannah.
A guest told police she left her black 2019 Toyota C-HR and its key with the hotel's valet service shortly before 4:00 p.m. on August 5. She received a code to text when she wanted the vehicle returned. When she sent the code around 9:38 a.m. the next morning, hotel staff could find neither the Toyota nor its key.
Valet records indicated someone had used the retrieval code at 12:06 a.m., which was more than nine hours before the guest said she first sent it. The system did not display the originating phone number. The key remained listed as checked in but was missing from the valet lockbox, police said.
Officers searched the parking garage but did not find the $18,000 Toyota. A license plate reader had recorded it on Dean Forest Road around 7:00 p.m. on August 5. Police issued a lookout for the Toyota. Savannah police records do not indicate whether the Toyota or BMW was later recovered.
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