A man is accused of posing as a professional basketball player before allegedly stealing a $90,000 BMW SUV from a Georgia hotel valet.
According to WSB-TV, the incident occurred on Aug. 14 at the Hyatt Regency Savannah. Surveillance footage reportedly shows the suspect walking through the hotel lobby before removing items from a white Audi.
Investigators said he then presented a valet ticket for a 2026 BMW X5 and picked up the vehicle around 12:30 a.m. Police allege the man told the valet attendant he was an NBA player with multiple vehicles parked at the hotel before driving away in the SUV.
Loaner Vehicle Was Reportedly Assigned to Hotel Guest
Investigators said the stolen BMW was a loaner vehicle that had been provided to a guest staying at the hotel.
Each valet ticket is linked to a specific vehicle in the hotel’s parking system. Authorities have not determined how the suspect obtained the valet ticket used to claim the BMW.
Police later tracked the SUV to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, but it remains unclear whether the vehicle has been recovered.
Suspect Also Linked to Other Vehicle Thefts
During the investigation, detectives discovered that the white Audi seen in the surveillance footage had itself been reported stolen the day before the BMW theft.
Investigators also believe the suspect may be connected to another vehicle theft that occurred at a Fairfield Inn in Savannah on Aug. 5, where authorities say a similar method was used.
The investigation remains ongoing as police work to determine the full extent of the suspect’s alleged involvement in the thefts.