Man Steals Car Lift from West Palm Beach Dealership
Authorities have arrested a West Palm Beach man accused of stealing a car lift from a luxury car dealership. The suspect allegedly spray painted security cameras to conceal his actions.
On January 2, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) deputies responded to a burglary call at a West Palm Beach luxury car dealership located on the 300 block of Haverhill Road.
A business representative reported that an $8,000, 1,400-pound car lift had been stolen overnight. The lift was used to elevate vehicles for cleaning.
According to the criminal probable cause affidavit, the suspect, identified as 30-year-old Richard Hiatt, sprayed the security cameras with paint to obscure their view.
However, before the cameras were defaced, footage captured a distinctive hand tattoo, described as a “tattoo of a person and bricks underneath the person.”
Video evidence revealed the heist took approximately five hours. The suspect’s Ford F-150 arrived at the dealership around 11 p.m. on December 31 and departed almost 4 a.m. the following day.
After further investigation, the vehicle was located at a residence just over a mile from the crime scene.
Nearly two months after the incident, on February 28, deputies booked Hiatt on charges of grand theft, burglary, and criminal mischief.
