WRAL viewer tips lead to man who stole truck during test drive

After WRAL News reported on the stolen vehicle on Friday evening, more than 30 people called the dealership to report having seen the story.

According to Walt Hollingsworth, one of the owners of Hollingsworth Auto Sales, the calls led to a tip that helped Fayetteville police recover the stolen truck.

The vehicle was towed back to Raleigh and returned to the dealership. The driver, whose name was not released, had not been arrested as of Saturday afternoon, though charges have been filed.

Hollingsworth said his father paid a reward to the tipster that helped police recover the truck.

Hollingsworth said the suspect came in Tuesday afternoon around 6 p.m., saying he wanted to purchased a 2016 Dodge Ram 1500. When he took the truck for a test drive, he never returned, Hollingsworth told WRAL News.

Hollingsworth reported the theft to Raleigh police and to WRAL News, asking for help to find the truck.

The suspect told salespeople at the dealership that he was pre-approved for a loan with the State Employees Credit Union and was ready to purchase a truck.

The dealership said it allows test drives with or without salespeople.

The dealership believes that the ID the man showed was fake. The name on the ID and the photo matched the man who presented it, Hollingsworth said.