Ohio Man Charged After Stolen Vehicle Found at Mobile Police 2nd Precinct Lot

MOBILE, Ala. — An Ohio man accused of driving a stolen vehicle found himself in an unlikely spot when Mobile police caught up with him early Tuesday: the parking lot of the Mobile Police Department’s 2nd Precinct.

Police identified the driver as Tyson Nguyen, 46, of Brooklyn, Ohio. He was charged with first-degree receiving stolen property and booked into Mobile County Metro Jail, where he remained as of Thursday, according to police.

Nguyen has been charged, not convicted. Like anyone accused of a crime, he is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court.

A 4 a.m. call to Highway 90

According to Mobile police, officers responded at about 4 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, to the 5400 block of Highway 90 after a report of a located stolen vehicle. Officers detained the driver in the precinct’s parking lot.

A follow-up investigation found that the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Ohio, a Mobile Police Department spokesperson said. Police have not said what kind of vehicle it was, when or where in Ohio it was reported stolen, how it was flagged in Mobile, or why the driver was at the precinct lot when officers made contact.

Brooklyn is a small city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, just south of Cleveland and more than 800 miles from Mobile. Police have not said how long the vehicle had been missing or how long Nguyen had been in the Mobile area.

Here is what police have released so far

• Who: Tyson Nguyen, 46, of Brooklyn, Ohio
• When: About 4 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026
• Where: The parking lot of the Mobile Police 2nd Precinct, 5400 block of Highway 90
• Charge: Receiving stolen property in the first degree
• Vehicle: Reported stolen in Ohio, according to police
• Status: Held in Mobile County Metro Jail

What first-degree receiving stolen property means

The charge Nguyen faces does not accuse him of taking the vehicle himself. Under Alabama law, a person commits receiving stolen property when he or she intentionally receives, retains or disposes of property belonging to someone else knowing that it has been stolen, or having reasonable grounds to believe it has been stolen, unless the property is received, retained or disposed of with the intent to return it to the owner.

The degree of the offense depends largely on the value and type of property. Under state law, receiving stolen property becomes first-degree when the property is worth more than $2,500 or when it is a motor vehicle, regardless of its value. First-degree receiving stolen property is a Class B felony in Alabama, punishable by two to 20 years in prison upon conviction, along with possible fines.

Whether prosecutors can show that a defendant knew or had reason to believe a vehicle was stolen is often a central question in cases like this one. That will be for prosecutors to prove and a court to decide.

How a stolen car from another state gets flagged

When a vehicle is reported stolen in the United States, the reporting agency typically enters it into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center, a national database that police across the country can check. That is why a vehicle reported stolen in Ohio can be identified as stolen during a traffic stop or records check in Alabama. Officers commonly run a vehicle’s license plate or vehicle identification number to see whether it has been reported stolen.

Mobile police have not said how this particular vehicle came to their attention, only that officers responded to a report of a located stolen vehicle.

What happens next in the case

In Alabama, a person arrested on a felony charge is brought before a judge for an initial appearance, where the charge is explained, the right to an attorney is addressed and bond conditions are set. Felony cases in Mobile County typically begin in district court, where a defendant may request a preliminary hearing. At that hearing, a judge decides only whether there is probable cause to send the case on; it is not a trial.

From there, a felony case can be presented to a Mobile County grand jury, which decides whether to issue an indictment. If an indictment is returned, the case moves to Mobile County Circuit Court for arraignment and, eventually, a plea or trial. Charges filed at the time of arrest can change as a case moves through that process.

Because the vehicle was reported stolen in Ohio, authorities there may also have an interest in the case. Police have not said whether any charges or warrants are pending in Ohio, or when the vehicle might be returned to its owner.

Tips to protect your own vehicle

Vehicle theft remains a common property crime across the Mobile area and the country. Law enforcement agencies generally recommend a few basic steps to make a car less of a target:

• Always lock the doors and close the windows, even when parked at home.
• Never leave the keys or a key fob inside the vehicle, and do not leave a vehicle running unattended.
• Park in well-lit areas when possible.
• Keep valuables out of sight, and do not leave the vehicle’s title or spare keys inside.
• Write down your license plate number and vehicle identification number so you can report them quickly if the vehicle is stolen.

Anyone whose vehicle is stolen should call police as soon as possible and report it to their insurance company. The sooner a theft is reported, the sooner the vehicle can be entered into law enforcement databases, which increases the chances that officers will recognize it, as happened in this case.

Anyone with information about this case can contact the Mobile Police Department at 251-208-7211. The case remains under investigation.