MARION – A woman is lodged in the Williamson County Jail for insurance fraud and filing a false police report involving a motorcycle theft according to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s investigators Friday finished their investigation concerning the theft of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle back in November of last year.
On Nov. 6, deputies met with Renee M. Pennell at her home. Pennell said she and her husband had just separated and some friends helped her move out while her husband was in jail. Pennell believed the friend who helped her stole the motorcycle, keys and title from her home.
Pennell said the bank was threatening a lawsuit and were going to put a lien on the motorcycle due to money owed on a loan and not turning in the motorcycle title to them. Pennell said she needed to get a police report to give to the bank and her insurance company to pay off the debt. She filed an insurance claim reporting the motorcycle theft on Nov. 18.
A check of the motorcycle’s information on Nov. 15 found that two days before it had been reported stolen, the bike had been newly registered to new owners unrelated to this case. They were contacted and told investigators they bought the bike from a dealership and it was still there getting upgrades. Investigators went to the dealership and learned Pennell’s friend who helped her move traded the bike for a Chevy Tahoe. The dealership was able to provide a copy of the title which contained Pennell’s signature on the seller’s line.
Investigators met with the friend who said that the day Pennell’s husband was arrested, Pennell and her husband helped Pennell move out of the home. Pennell had the friend drive the motorcycle to their home.
Later that day, the friend said Pennell came to their home and told them she had something for them. The friend said Pennell signed, dated, and handed the title to the motorcycle to them stating it was because they helped her move out of the home. Pennell suggested they trade or sell the motorcycle.
Investigators met with Pennell and obtained a comparative handwriting sample of her signature which appeared to match the signature on the title. When asked, Pennell confirmed the signature on the title was hers.
Investigators believe probable cause exists indicating Pennell committed insurance fraud by filing a false police report and reporting the theft to an insurance carrier in order to collect the proceeds.
The sheriff’s office Thursday sought and obtained an arrest warrant for Pennell for Filing a False Police Report. She was arrested Friday on the warrant and additionally cited for Insurance Fraud and taken to jail.
