Police in Savannah, Georgia, are searching for a man accused of posing as an NBA player to steal a BMW X5 valued at $90,000 from a hotel valet. The incident occurred at the Hyatt Regency hotel shortly after midnight on August 14.
According to Savannah Police, the suspect presented a valet ticket for a gray 2026 BMW X5, claimed to be a professional basketball player, and stated he had parked multiple vehicles at the hotel. He then entered the vehicle and drove away. The car, however, belonged to a local dealership and had been loaned to a hotel guest.
Investigators later discovered that a white 2025 Audi A5, which the suspect was seen taking items from in the hotel lobby before the BMW theft, had also been reported stolen. The Audi was found unlocked in the hotel's parking garage on the same morning with no apparent damage.
This alleged BMW theft is reportedly not the suspect's first car-related crime. Savannah Police noted that a guest at a Fairfield Inn had a 2019 Toyota C-HR stolen from its valet stand approximately two weeks prior, on August 6. The dealership that owned the stolen BMW was able to track its location to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
On Friday, Savannah Police released four surveillance images of the suspect on social media, appealing to the public for help in identifying him.
This incident follows the arrest of Daejon Love, who is accused of financial scams involving impersonating an NFL player. Love, 35, and an alleged accomplice, Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, were arrested in Boise, Idaho. Prosecutors allege Love swindled women he met on dating apps by convincing them he was a member of the San Francisco 49ers to solicit phony investments. Court documents indicate prosecutors are seeking to keep Love detained, citing strong evidence and his incentive to flee. Love allegedly falsely claimed to have relationships with NFL players Tyreek Hill, Antonio Brown, and John Brown, and falsely stated he was related to Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love.