Police: Tow Truck Driver Allegedly Pawns Off Customer's Vehicle to Pay Off Cocaine Dealer

A tow truck driver was arrested Saturday after allegedly pawning off a customer's vehicle and company tools to a drug dealer to apparently pay off a cocaine purchase, Chatham Borough Police said Monday.

Chatham Borough Police Sgt. Ralph Colatrella, Officer Jeffrey Battiloro and Officer Daniel Walsh went to Glenn's Automotive Towing Inc. on Commerce Street Saturday morning at approximately 8:30 a.m. in response to reports of a stolen vehicle, police said.

The officers spoke to the owner of Glenn's Automotive and to a tow truck driver, Raymond Vesey, 40, of Morristown, police said.

According to a statement from police,  the officers' investigation revealed that Vesey drove a tow truck belonging to Glenn's Automotive to Newark on Friday evening to allegedly purchase cocaine.

Vesey did not have enough money and allegedly told the unknown seller to take tools off the tow truck to cover the debt, police said.

According to the statement, the value of the tools was not enough to cover what Vesey owed. Vesey allegedly drove the seller back to Commerce Street to take more items, police said.

The seller decided to take a 2003 Dodge Ram pick-up truck belonging to a customer of Glenn's Automotive to cover the debt, police said. The truck was later recovered on Astor Street in Newark, according to the statement. The tools from the truck were not recovered, police said.

Police said that Vesey has been charged with theft of a motor vehicle, theft of movable property, conspiracy to commit theft, possession of controlled dangerous substance and possession of paraphernalia.

Vesey was held in the Morris County Correctional Facility on $10,000 bail, police said.