Man steals $90,000 BMW X5 in Savannah

Savannah police say a man used a valet ticket and a false claim that he was a professional basketball player to take a gray 2026 BMW X5 from the Hyatt Regency Savannah in August. Police records cited by local broadcasters say the SUV, valued at about $90,000, was reported stolen on Aug. 14 from the hotel at 2 W. Bay St. The man told valet staff he had several vehicles at the hotel, according to the report. Investigators said he then drove away in the BMW around 12:30 a.m. ### How did police say he got the BMW from valet? Savannah police records say the man first entered the hotel lobby, then returned to a white Audi to collect his belongings before presenting valet workers with a ticket for the BMW. Valet employees told police each ticket was unique to a specific vehicle, according to WJCL’s report on the records. Surveillance video showed the man presenting the BMW ticket and leaving in the SUV, police said. (wjcl.com) WSB-TV reported the suspect claimed he was a professional basketball player with several vehicles parked at the hotel. Police said that explanation was enough for him to retrieve the BMW and drive off. ### Who owned the BMW that was taken? The gray 2026 BMW X5 was a dealership loaner being used by a hotel guest, according to Savannah police records cited by WJCL and WSB-TV. (wjcl.com) Police valued the vehicle at around $90,000. WJCL reported the dealership later tracked the BMW to the 2100 block of North Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. (wsbtv.com) Savannah police notified Myrtle Beach authorities and asked that the vehicle be entered as stolen in state and national databases, the station said. ### What was the white Audi doing there? Savannah police records say officers later recovered the white 2025 Audi A5 linked to the BMW suspect in the Hyatt’s parking garage. (wjcl.com) Another law enforcement agency had listed the Audi as stolen on Aug. 13, according to WJCL’s report on the records. The Audi was found unlocked and had no obvious exterior damage, WJCL reported. (wjcl.com) WSB-TV also reported investigators later determined the Audi had been reported stolen by another agency. ### What do police say about the suspect? Savannah police described the suspect as a Black man between 20 and 30 years old, according to WJCL. The department released images of the man on its Facebook page and asked the public for help identifying him. (wjcl.com) WSB-TV reported Savannah officers believe the man is linked to several auto thefts in the area and several August incidents involving valet operations at downtown hotels. (wjcl.com) That characterization was attributed to police records obtained by local media. ### What is the next concrete step in the case? As of WJCL’s Sept. 4 report, no arrest was noted in the police records. (wjcl.com) Savannah police said the BMW had been flagged as stolen and that Myrtle Beach authorities were notified after the dealership traced the vehicle to South Carolina. Anyone with information would be expected to contact Savannah police through the channels listed in the department’s public appeal.