East Austin Car Lot Busted For Selling Cars Without License

EAST AUSTIN, TX -- Police busted up a car dealership in East Austin this week for operating without a valid license, towing away more than five dozen vehicles they say were improperly obtained.

Police swarmed to the car lot at Airport Boulevard and Springdale Road on Wednesday, as reported by KXAN-TV.

The police officers spent the day tagging vehicles and towing them off the property. Police don't believe the cars were illegally obtained, but were secured without the proper paperwork.

"This is very uncommon, actually," officer Lamarcus Wells told the television station. "We had word that a dealer, unauthorized dealership, is operating at this property. So upon follow-up and inspection today, we found violations."

Police gave credit to members of the surrounding community for having alerted them to the enterprise. Residents have long complained of cars along their neighborhood streets with "for sale" signs attached to them. Complaints of abandoned cars on public rights-of-way also were logged.

Police said the dealership had code violations and lacked a city permit to operate at the site.

The television station interviewed a past client of the car lot, who's now left confused about a business enterprise she once trusted -- and wondering if she'll get to keep her car. When she bought her vehicle, she was told it came with tax, title and license but was then asked by a dealership employee she needed $500 to secure the title.

"It got me scared," Vanessa Zavala. "They got people that come and buy and are so happy to get a vehicle and leave with it, and then they turn around and get a call."