Las Vegas police impersonator admits he “steals cars,” but can’t remember which ones
This arrest is a real doozy. A Las Vegas man named Richard Garcia was arrested after he walked into a hospital. He claimed he’d been hurt in a crash. Turns out he was also accused of stealing a car by impersonating a police officer. And though he admitted to grand theft auto, he couldn’t be bothered to turn up in court.
Our story starts in mid-December 2024. A teenager with a new license saw flashing lights in his rearview mirror. He pulled over immediately, then noticed something odd. The car behind him was a gray Honda sedan. But the man who approached his window “flashed a badge.” Then he ordered the teen driver to get out of the car and sit on the ground.
When the teenager got out, he saw a convoy of various non-police vehicles had stopped behind the Honda. Before he could protest, the man with the badge stole his car. The poor teen walked all the way home.
Police spotted the stolen car twice in the next four days. Both times, they signaled for it to pull over, but the driver escaped at high speeds. One time, it exceeded 100 mph. Then, they found the car abandoned after it “crashed into something.”
The Las Vegas police suspected Richard Garcia
How does this all relate to our friend Richard Garcia? Well, police found a fingerprint on the stolen car’s driver-side window. And it matched Garcia. Did Garcia confess to stealing it? Not quite.
Officers called Garcia, and he admitted he “was stealing cars.” The police report explains he “was adamant he did not remember” stealing that specific car. Why? He admitted to frequent alcohol and drug use making mid-December a bit of a blur. A festive holiday season, to say the least.
Despite his honesty, police still charged Garcia with pretending to be a police officer and stealing the car. He didn’t show up for his probable cause hearing, but claimed medical reasons. His second court date? He missed that one too—but because he flat-out refused to show.
Fast-forward to April 24. Richard Garcia walks into an emergency room, claiming he’d been in a car crash. When questioned, he blamed his friend for “causing the crash.” Why? He “was driving… too fast.” Police arrived with a warrant, and Garcia left in cuffs. He’ll be locked up until his May 5 hearing. Looks like the party’s finally over.
