St. Louis police call it the case of the tow truck driver who towed too much.

Police say they began getting reports of drivers who had to leave their cars on the side of the road and then came back to find their car was gone.

Police put a bait car on the side of the road. . .and saw a mystery tow truck roll up, hook up their car and drive away.

Police say the tow truck driver was a pirate. . .44-year-old Tyrone Bunton. . .who apparently would roll up in his tow truck, steal the cars and then sell them for scrap.

Bunton’s been jailed.

Police say it looks like he. . .and the car theft gang he worked with. . .were stealing. . .and junking. . .a car a week.

- Bob Hamilton, KMOX News