Police: 'Bentley Bandit' in custody
A 22-year-old man who police say stole a car from a Naperville dealership in June is being held without bond Saturday in a Louisiana jail.
Justin W. Durbin, of Altus, Okla., was arrested Thursday near Sulphur, La., about six hours after he wrecked a 2007 Bentley reported stolen from a dealership in Naples, Fla., police said.
Durbin was dubbed the “Bentley Bandit” because of allegations he stole luxury cars, such as the 2003 Mercedes SL55 AMG police said he drove off in June 13 from the Mercedes-Benz of Naperville dealership. He is wanted in at least seven states on similar charges.
Naperville Police Sgt. Gregg Bell told the Daily Herald in June that Durbin drove a 2003 Mercedes SL500 into the Naperville dealership and took a test drive in the SL55 AMG with a sales associate. He came back later that day and went for another spin in the vehicle, this time alone. He never returned.
“His ruse is he drives in with a very nice-looking car and will come in, test drive a similar or evermore expensive vehicle and say that he wants to have his father take a look,” Bell said.
Police traced the SL500 Durbin left behind in Naperville to a Fishers, Ind., dealership, where it was reported stolen. The SL55 AMG was swapped for a Mercedes SUV in O'Fallon, Mo., on June 20, police said.
On Tuesday that SUV was found in Naples, Fla., on the top floor of a downtown parking garage after Durbin took off in a 2007 Bentley GT Continental valued at more than $100,000, police said.
The Mercedes stolen from Naperville was valued at $33,993, police said.
Louisiana State Police were notified by Florida authorities late Wednesday that Durbin was near Lafayette, La., where a warrant for his arrest had been sworn out last year, Deputy U.S. Marshal Corey Britt of the Fugitive Task Force said in a news release Friday. A chase ensued, but Durbin got away.
State troopers and U.S. marshals tracked down Durbin again Thursday and chased him to nearby Sulphur, where he crashed the car, Britt said. Helicopters and bloodhounds helped search for Durbin, who was caught about 9:45 p.m.
When police tracked him down, Durbin “simply put his hands in the air and said, ‘It's me,'” Britt said.
Durbin, who is being held without bond was booked on traffic violations, aggravated flight, possession of stolen things and possession of a stolen license plate.
Britt said Durbin is wanted in Louisiana, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Indiana, Arizona and Maryland on charges including probation violation, grand theft auto, larceny, burglary and fraud.
Ÿ Daily Herald news services contributed to this report.