SAVANNAH, Ga. — A man allegedly convinced hotel valet workers that he was a professional basketball player before driving away in a $90,000 BMW SUV, according to police.
The incident happened around 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 14 at the Hyatt Regency Savannah, where investigators say the suspect walked through the hotel lobby before approaching the valet area.
Police said the man had previously been seen retrieving belongings from a white Audi. He then presented a valet ticket for a gray 2026 BMW X5.
The suspect allegedly told valet employees that he was a professional basketball player and had multiple vehicles at the hotel.
That claim reportedly helped convince workers that he had a legitimate reason to take the BMW. He then got into the luxury SUV and drove away.
BMW Was a Dealership Loaner Vehicle
According to the police report, the BMW was not actually owned by the man who took it. Investigators said the vehicle belonged to a dealership and had been provided as a loaner vehicle to a hotel guest.
Valet workers told police that each ticket was unique to a particular vehicle, meaning the ticket presented by the suspect was associated with the BMW he took.
After the SUV disappeared, investigators worked to determine where it had gone. The BMW was eventually tracked through its location system to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Savannah police then notified authorities in the area and had the vehicle entered into state and national stolen-vehicle databases.
The tracking information gave investigators a potential location for the luxury SUV, but the case did not end there.
Police Discover Suspect Arrived in Another Stolen Car
Investigators later made another discovery that added to the case.
The white 2025 Audi A5 the suspect had been seen driving before taking the BMW had also been reported stolen—just one day before the hotel incident.
The Audi was later found unlocked in the hotel’s parking garage. Police said there was no visible exterior damage to the vehicle. It remains unclear how the Audi was originally stolen or how the suspect obtained it before arriving at the hotel.
The discovery raised additional questions about whether the suspect had been using stolen vehicles as part of a broader scheme.
Another Savannah Valet Theft May Be Connected
Investigators also believe the man may be connected to another hotel valet theft in Savannah that occurred nearly two weeks earlier.
On Aug. 5, a guest at a Fairfield Inn left her black 2019 Toyota C-HR with the hotel’s valet service at around 4 p.m. The following morning, the guest sent a retrieval code expecting to receive her vehicle. But the car was already gone.
According to valet records, the retrieval code had been used at 12:06 a.m., more than nine hours before the guest said she had sent it.
Police said the system did not show the originating phone number. The key was still listed as checked in, but it was missing from the valet lockbox.
The circumstances have led investigators to examine whether the same person could have been involved.
Savannah Police Release Suspect Photos
The Savannah Police Department has released surveillance photographs of the suspect as investigators continue trying to identify him. Authorities described the person as a Black male between 20 and 30 years old.
Investigators are asking anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information about the stolen vehicles to contact police.
The alleged use of a professional-athlete identity has also drawn attention because similar schemes have occurred elsewhere.
In a separate case, Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, were arrested and charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud after prosecutors alleged they used false identities and investment claims to defraud women in several states.
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Prosecutors said Love allegedly presented himself as a wealthy San Francisco 49ers player, while Chan allegedly posed as his financial adviser.
Investigation Into Savannah Theft Continues
The Savannah case remains under investigation, and authorities have not publicly identified the man accused of taking the BMW.
Police are continuing to examine hotel surveillance footage, valet records and the movements of the stolen vehicles as they work to determine whether the incidents are connected.
For now, investigators are urging anyone who recognizes the person in the released surveillance images to come forward.
What began with a simple valet request ended with a luxury SUV allegedly being driven away by someone who claimed to be a professional basketball player—and investigators are now trying to determine whether that same tactic was used in other thefts.
Do you think hotel valet services should use additional identity checks before releasing expensive vehicles? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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