May 29 2008
Scranton used-car dealer charged with vehicle fraud; police seek customers
The owner of a Scranton used car dealership was charged Thursday with selling vehicles he did not own and for not paying taxes to the state Department of Transportation, police said.
Albert Walta, owner of Scranton Motorcar Co., 626 W. Lackawanna Ave., was charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of theft following a two-month probe by the state police’s vehicle fraud investigation unit.
The 45-year-old Dunmore man’s business practices came under fire in early July when a customer, Joe Schappert, told police Walta sold him a Chevrolet truck on consignment and gave him a check that later bounced, according to a criminal complaint filed in Lackawanna County Court.
After troopers confronted him, Walta said he was in the process of getting a $180,000 loan to repay Schappert, along with other customers to whom he sold vehicles. He allegedly told police he is $70,000 “in the hole” on vehicles he sold, but has not paid off.
Two weeks later, troopers discovered Walta failed to pay another customer, Jonathan Pedrick, the $16,523 he was owed for a 2004 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck he traded in, according to the complaint.
Further investigation revealed Walta did not pay state sales taxes on three vehicles he sold, police said.
The dealership was closed Thursday and a real estate sign bearing the word “available,” stood in the parking lot.
Troopers believe as many as 20 people bought vehicles from Walta that he did not own.
Efforts to reach Walta were unsuccessful. He is scheduled to appear in Lackawanna County Court on Wednesday for a preliminary hearing.
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