Mix-up Leads to Customer's Arrest on Auto Theft Charges

An Oakland, CA, dealership's apparent mistake led to a customer being arrested on auto theft charges.

Sara Mitry, 33, says she leased a new Mercedes E350 from Oakland of Mercedes-Benz.

But weeks later, the dealership, in an apparent mix-up, reported the car stolen. Soon afterwards, Mitry says she was arrested, handcuffed, booked and put in a cell, despite her protests of innocence.

The suit contends a dealership worker put the wrong vehicle identification number on her paperwork or gave her a different car than the one she had leased.

The car for which she had paperwork was still on the lot, says the suit. It claims the employee who originally leased the car to Mitry told police the dealership had erred.

Mitry's suit says she now “becomes upset and distraught” whenever she sees a new Mercedes E350 on the road.

The dealership's general manager declined comment to a local newspaper, The Daily Review.

An attorney in the case says: “There are two sides to this. Either way, it's a mess.”