A Jacksonville woman used her smartphone to catch the man who reportedly stole her cars early Thursday in Jacksonville.
Patton looked out her window to find both her cars had been taken during the night — but Patton had recently put a product called T-Mobile SyncUP Drive in one of her vehicles.
The device syncs her car to her phone so that it can easily track her miles and notify her if the car moves.
Patton said her 2008 Scion XD did move early Thursday — and the suspect never knew he had just stolen a car that could be tracked in real time.
“I looked out the window and saw both of my cars gone,” Patton said. “I thought I was dreaming. I was stunned."
Patton quickly called the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and provided them with the real-time location of her 2008 Scion.
His destination ended up being the Sunshine Inn on New Kings Road. When JSO arrived, they also discovered her other car -- a 2003 Toyota -- propped up on cinder blocks with the wheels off.
The suspect was spotted taking some of Patton's belongings into a room at the motel.
JSO took a man named Cecil Smart into custody and charged him with auto theft, and they added on an charge of providing a false name to police because he reportedly lied and told them his name was "Terrance Smalls."
Smart, 28, lied because he had warrants out for his arrest, JSO said.
Cox Media Group
