Car Salesman Held in Auto Theft From Ex-Boss

A car salesman, suspected of stealing a brand-new automobile from a car lot in apparent revenge for being fired, was arrested Saturday after police received a tip that the missing vehicle was parked at his Trabuco Canyon home.

Police arrested Anthony K. Cook, 25, on Saturday afternoon after detectives discovered a stolen 1990 Nissan Maxima in front of the apartment complex where he lived, said Irvine Police Detective Eric Bianchi.

The car was reported stolen by the manager of Lew Webb Nissan on Jan. 28, after employees had completed a lot inventory and came up one car short, Bianchi said.

Cook, who was a salesman at the lot, had been fired on Jan. 25 for an unspecified reason, Bianchi said.

On Saturday morning, an employee told Irvine police that he had received a call from an anonymous source who said the car was parked in front of Cook’s apartment, Bianchi said.

After police impounded the car, which was not damaged, they drove to Coastal Acura in Costa Mesa, where Cook was working. But as police approached the showroom, Bianchi said, Cook spotted the officers and escaped.

“He took one look at us and took off out the back door,” Bianchi said.

Cook was arrested an hour later by Costa Mesa police officers as he was walking near the Acura dealership.

He was questioned and booked at the Irvine police station and taken to Orange County Jail, where he was being held on suspicion of auto theft, Bianchi said. Police do not suspect the theft to be part of any organized ring.

“I believe he acted alone,” Bianchi said.