Police: Professional car thief captured after targeting Newnan business

NEWNAN, Ga. - Police in Newnan said they caught a professional car thief in the act trying to steal high-priced vehicles from an auto dealership.

Investigators said Louis Hardy came a long way from Chicago with a crew and knew exactly what he wanted, for example picking out the most expensive pickup truck on the lot.

Investigators with Coweta County said Newnan Police took Louis Hardy into custody early Sunday morning after he ran from South Town Buick GMC on Bullsboro Drive.

“He picked out two high-ticket items. One being a Denali pickup truck and the other was a Cadillac with a Corvette engine,” said Sgt. Mark Callahan of the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office

Callahan told FOX 5 that Hardy must be an expert at hot-wiring the Denali which he said had several security features that were disabled within ten minutes.

But investigators said the security features at South Town Buick GMC prevented Hardy from getting the cars off the lot and loaded onto a waiting car hauler.

Newnan Police were alerted to the suspicious activity and chased Hardy from the car dealership to a bank parking lot across a busy Bullsboro drive. He was charged with entering auto and theft by taking.  Investigators said more charges are possible.