American Says Stolen Truck Was Resold in Playa del Carmen With Forged Paperwork

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — A 62-year-old US citizen went public this week with allegations that his Toyota pickup was stolen in Playa del Carmen last spring and later sold on using what his lawyers describe as falsified paperwork, while the state prosecutor’s office has yet to secure the vehicle.

Kirt Alan Griffin told a Sunday press conference in this Caribbean resort city that his truck, which carries Florida plates, disappeared in April 2026. He said his own investigation, conducted with his legal team, allowed him to locate the vehicle and identify several people he believes were involved.

The case raises questions about how used vehicles are bought, sold and registered in Quintana Roo, and about the speed of the response from the State Prosecutor’s Office (FGE).

How the truck allegedly disappeared

Griffin said he hired a local locksmith to open his home and that, during the job, the worker had access to his truck keys.

He recounted that he mentioned in casual conversation that he had been out on Fifth Avenue (Quinta Avenida) a night earlier, had drunk some beers and later could not remember where he had parked, hampered by his limited knowledge of the city.

According to Griffin, the locksmith used that information and his access to the keys to take the vehicle. He said the man later claimed the truck had been given to him as a gift by its owner, an assertion Griffin rejects.

The vehicle was allegedly then handed to a local mechanic, who reportedly put it up for sale without documents proving legitimate ownership.

An 86,000-peso invoice for a 500,000-peso truck

Griffin’s lawyers say one of the most troubling elements is the paperwork used to give the truck an appearance of legality.

According to documents reviewed by the defense, an individual linked to the state of Chiapas issued an invoice bearing the Toyota logo for 86,000 pesos (roughly $4,700), even though the truck’s estimated market value is about 500,000 pesos — a reduction of nearly 83%.

The lawyers question the tax and commercial information on the document, as well as the circumstances in which it was used for later procedures. They also point to the involvement of Car One Tlalpan, S.A. de C.V., whose name appears in the invoicing history they want investigated.

Some records allegedly contain incorrect information about where the vehicle was manufactured or originated, including references to Tijuana, Baja California.

The defense argues that tax, administrative and prosecutorial authorities should verify the authenticity of the invoices, digital tax receipts, the chain of ownership and the records tied to the vehicle.

Resale and a 190,000-peso demand

According to the complaint, the mechanic first sold the truck, which then passed to a second person who now holds it. Griffin says these transactions relied on documents whose authenticity should be investigated, despite a criminal complaint for theft on file.

He also says the vehicle still appears in the national vehicle registry (REPUVE) without a theft report, which in his view warrants a review of how the responsible authorities register and update that information.

Griffin said that when he tried to recover the truck by negotiating with its current holder, he was told to pay 190,000 pesos to get it back. His lawyers say that claim should be investigated to determine whether it constitutes an additional crime, without prejudice to the legal rights of those involved.

He added that his insurer, Quálitas, has not responded favorably to his claim, even though he has filed a criminal complaint over the theft.

Questions over import and registration procedures

Griffin said the pickup entered Mexico legally under a temporary import permit and that he holds a US title for it.

His legal team argues that authorities should establish how a vehicle in that situation could be sold and processed in Mexico without its origin and legal status being properly verified.

Among the lines of inquiry they propose is the possible role of paperwork agents, intermediaries and people connected to administrative procedures at the Quintana Roo tax administration service (SATQ).

They also want authorities to clarify the alleged involvement of former public employees who, according to the complaint, may now work at Tulum’s city hall.

The defense stressed that only competent authorities can determine whether administrative irregularities, document forgery, use of false documents, concealment, extortion or other crimes occurred, and who, if anyone, is individually responsible.

Complaint filed in April, few results

Griffin said he filed his criminal complaint in April 2026 and initially hired a private lawyer without getting the results he expected.

He later turned to the firm Carrillo & Asociados, where attorney César García Lagunas took on the case and carried out work to reconstruct the route the vehicle followed.

That investigation, according to those at the press conference, allowed them to locate the truck, identify people linked to its possession and sale, and detect possible inconsistencies in the documents used through successive transactions.

The lawyers nonetheless criticized prosecutors for not securing the vehicle or reporting meaningful progress, despite the information they say they provided.

They argue the evidence justifies pursuing several lines of inquiry, including the possible existence of a coordinated operation to sell vehicles of illicit origin, while noting that any charge of organized crime would depend on meeting the requirements set out in the law.

Appeal to the state prosecutor

Griffin publicly called on Quintana Roo Attorney General Raciel López Salazar to intervene within his powers and push the investigation forward.

He asked prosecutors to urgently order the legal seizure of the truck, whose location he says has already been given to the authorities.

Griffin said the vehicle is one of his last remaining assets and that he needs to resolve the matter before returning to the United States for chemotherapy treatment.

“All I want is to recover what legally belongs to me and for the authorities to do their job,” he said.

The allegations described here reflect the account of the complainant and his legal representatives and have yet to be established by the authorities.