-
Everett Van Jennings
A Sulphur Springs businessman was arrested Tuesday on felony charges relating to an allegedly stolen Lamborghini that was located in Hopkins County.
Everett Van Jennings turned himself in at the lobby of the Hopkins County Sheriff ’s Office Tuesday, Jan. 9 and was booked on a first-degree felony charge of theft of property over $300,000 and placement of a serial number with intent to change identity, a third-degree felony, according to a press release .
HCSO investigators began an investigation Saturday, Jan. 6 after a theft victim from Houston contacted them claiming they had information that their stolen Lamborghini had been located in Hopkins County. The victim had reported the vehicle stolen in Houston and had hired a private investigator to assist with the Houston investigation.
The owner was able to track their vehicle to the garage of a Hopkins County residence, where they used their key to activate the vehicle’s lights and observed both the lights and horn inside the garage. HCSO investigators and deputies attempted to make contact with the homeowner, but no one came to the door. They were able to contact Jennings via phone, but, according to a press release from Chief Investigator Corley Weatherford, Jennings claimed to be out of state and refused to return home. He then stopped speaking with investigators and would not answer or return phone calls, the release read.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for the residence and spoke with Jennings’ family members, who allegedly refused to assist investigators in gaining entry to the house. Investigators were able to enter the residence and confirmed no one was present. They located the stolen Lamborghini at the residence, along with two other stolen vehicles, collectively valued at approximately $500,000.
In addition to the stolen vehicles, investigators “found considerable evidence inside the residence of VIN swapping, including paraphernalia used in the practice. VIN swapping is a common practice in the auto theft world to attempt to hide the true identity of a stolen vehicle and elude detection by law enforcement. In this case, the Lamborghini did not have the VIN swapped like the other stolen cars. However, Mr. Jennings had taken a personal license plate from another Lamborghini and affixed it to the stolen vehicle in an apparent shortterm attempt to mask the stolen car’s true identity,” the HCSO press release read..
Sgt. Investigator Todd Evans, who is assigned to the Northeast Texas Auto- Theft Task Force, is continuing to investigate this case with the assistance of other auto theft investigators and Hopkins County investigators.
Jennings was released from the Hopkins County jail Tuesday after posting bond of $100,000 on the theft charge and $50,000 on the serial number charge.