ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A man allegedly used a fake name and forged a check to steal a $20,000 Cadillac vehicle in St. Louis County. Investigators say stemmed from a Facebook marketplace exchange.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged Edward Simms. 59, with one felony count of stealing a motor vehicle amid the investigation.
The transaction under investigation dates back to August 2022. According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, the victim made plans to sell his 2011 Cadillac to a man who identified himself as Clyde Flemmons, though was later determined to be Simms.
Simms reportedly provided the victim a check pretending to be associated with a business called Clyde Flemons Trucking, which authorities also later determined to be fake. At that time of the exchange, the victim gave Simms on set of car keys, but held onto the title and the spare set of keys. The victim wanted to ensure that the check cleared and Simms agreed to those terms, taking off in the car after that.
Later on, the victim attempted to deposit the check, though was informed the check was forged. The victim then visited the address listed on the business card, though Simms did not live there. The victim shared a photo of Simms on his phone to police, and law enforcement later tracked him down in the Cadillac in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Per court documents, the car’s original license plates were removed and replaced with ones from a 2003 Chevrolet pickup truck, registered to a different person. Simms allegedly told police he owned the car, but his statement did not match with Missouri records on the vehicle.
Simms has a criminal setting hearing scheduled for Sept. 5, 2024, according to Missouri court records.
