Suspicious add-ons to a repossessed car led Bartlett Police to Jason Skelton, 34, who investigators say had nine unauthorized blue lights in his car grill and on the dash.
The owner of Bluff City Towing in Memphis contacted the Bartlett police on Feb. 27 about the 2009 Kia Borrego SUV that he had recently repossessed.
During inventory of the vehicle, Bluff City Towing found a pistol and a black toboggan-style hat with a sheriff’s department logo. The vehicle was registered to Skelton, a Bartlett resident.
The responding officer checked law enforcement databases and could not find Skelton listed as an an employee for any law enforcement agency.
With a search warrant, detectives found the vehicle’s nine hardwired blue flashing lights, the toboggan, two badges, a Sig pistol, and several rounds of 9mm and 12-gauge ammunition.
Detectives also noticed the license plate had been altered with a thin blue line placed over the date sticker.
Skelton was arrested on Monday and was in court Tuesday on charges of illegal use of flashing blue lights on a motor vehicle and on alteration, falsification or forgery of auto title/plates.
In a taped confession referenced in his affadavit, he admitted to installing the lights and covering the license plate sticker.
His bond was set at $1,000.
