A Bloomfield NJ man allegedly used bogus checks and a fake ID to buy an expensive car in Saddle Brook, New Jersey.

According to Saddle Brook police, 33-year-old Quinton B. Lewis gave the seller two separate checks totaling $36,000 for a 2009 Mercedes SUV. The car had been listed on Craigslist. At the time of the sale, Mr. Lewis allegedly used the name “James Fred Moss.”

When the victim tried to deposit the checks, his bank informed him that they were worthless.

Without any identifying information for the buyer, Saddle Brook police got creative in order to catch him. They entered the vehicle into a national database as stolen, and then they waited.

Approximately a month later, the Paterson Parking Authority impounded the SUV for improper parking. Mr. Lewis showed up to retrieve the car, but he was turned away. It turned out that Mr. Lewis had placed a stolen temporary registration plate on the vehicle. However, somewhat remarkably, Mr. Lewis provided his New Jersey driver’s license when attempting to pick up the car.

Later that same day, Mr. Lewis allegedly returned and used a spare key to gain access to the car. He then allegedly drove it off the lot.

Paterson NJ police were called to the scene. They ran the vehicle identification number and got a hit from a database, prompting them to reach out to Saddle Brook NJ police. It wasn’t long before Saddle Brook officers located Mr. Lewis, who was found working for a private ambulance company in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The missing Mercedes SUV was retrieved at ambulance headquarters.

Mr. Lewis has been charged with forgery, theft, and passing bad checks.

After being arrested, Mr. Lewis was taken to the Bergen County Jail in lieu of $75,000 bail.

For more information about this case, check out the CliffviewPilot.com article entitled “Saddle Brook PD: Thief Steals Same Mercedes SUV Twice, Caught After Using Real ID.“