It took thief driving a tow truck 19 seconds to steal pickup towing trailer with Polaris Buggy

Brazen car thefts are not unusual from time to time, but one downtown Dallas resident says a recent theft left him without around $200,000 worth of property.

It took all of 19 seconds for a thief to drive out of a downtown Dallas parking lot with a pickup truck towing a trailer and Polaris buggy. The victim Adam Lewis says the task was made easier because of what the thief was driving.

He says he and his family returned home from a trip to the beach late last Monday night.

Lewis was not able to park his F-250 Limited in his apartment building’s parking garage because he still had his 18-foot flatbed trailer with his 2021 Polaris NorthStar Edition onboard.

Lewis planned to take the buggy in for servicing the following morning, so he opted to pay to park in a public parking lot nearby.

He paid for two spots to cover his truck and trailer for the night.

Lewis could not believe his eyes the following morning.

“There was no truck and no buggy,” he said. “I was like: Ok, I called my guy [who manages the parking lot] and was like was this towed by accident?”

It was not.

“They started looking at footage and he talked to his security guard and said that a tow truck came into the lot,” he said. “[The thief] backed up to my truck with my trailer and Polaris and he was out.”

The Dallas Police Department confirmed they are investigating the theft at the parking lot located at 800 Main Street.

Lewis estimates the stolen property and items inside are worth around $200,000.

He has filed a claim with his insurance company but hopes someone has information on the crook.

The tow truck appears to be blue in color, possibly a Dodge single-cab pickup with after-market rims.

“The TDLR number on the side, that was a fake because that’s been ran,” he said. “Bank of America was kind enough to run plates so I could turn that information over to the police.”

Dallas police were able to recover Lewis’ truck last Friday, or what was left of it.

“It was just a shell,” said Lewis. “No truck, no bed, no seats, no steering wheel, no engine.”

While Disheartened his three-year-old daughter’s car seat, toys and puzzles were in the stolen vehicle, Lewis is keeping the incident in perspective and understands it is a low priority for police.

“You feel just kind of pushed over in the mud, but at the end of the day you have to get over it. It’s just stuff,” he said.

Lewis even says he’s impressed with the thief’s skills.

“To take an F250, attached to an 18-foot trailer that has a 4-door buggy, thousands and thousands of pounds on it, that’s impressive. Let’s use this effort and knowledge,” he said. “I would probably find a position for you in my industry for you to utilize these passionate skills that you have acquired. Let’s turn this around, let’s make our own money so you don’t have to steal.”

The investigation is ongoing and documented in case number 160321-2023.

DPD provided NBC 5 with the following auto theft prevention tips:

• Don't Leave Vehicles Running-- Avoid being an easy target by leaving your vehicle running and unattended Minutes matter and car thieves work very quickly.

• Add GPS Trackers-- Apple Airtags, Samsung Smart Tags, and Tile Pro are examples of external trackers. Affix a tracker to your vehicle and hide it so it's not easily found.

• Have Multiple Trackers-- Thieves expect a tracker, so, have more than one. Please note that Sirius XM and OnStar can also track your vehicle's location.

• Ignition and/or Steering Column Locks-- Technology is always advancing, but, physical ignition and steering column locks can also be effective. The addition of a kill switch may be helpful as well.

• Vehicle Specific Apps-- Car manufacturers have downloadable apps customers can subscribe to and track vehicle information, including locations.

• Check Your License Plates-- Thieves steal vehicles and vehicle license plates. Know your license plate number and periodically check to ensure it has not been removed or switched.