‘Fast and Furious’ actor offers to bond out teens accused of stealing his luxury SUV
Actor and musician Tyrese Gibson is paying it forward after having his luxury SUV stolen from the driveway of his Atlanta-area mansion early Tuesday.
Gibson, best known for his roles in the “Fast and Furious” movie franchise, said he recovered his Range Rover just three hours after it was stolen and now plans to help a pair of teens suspected of taking it.
“Tryna bail these youngstas out,” he commented under an Instagram post from celebrity news outlet The Shade Room. “They just out here tryna get money ... I ain’t mad at all. All love, stay safe out there. Forgive Them For They Know Not What They Do ... Amen.”
Atlanta authorities charged a 17-year-old, found with a gun and the keys to Gibson’s car, with theft by taking, obstruction, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a person under 18, according to a police report obtained by McClatchy News.
A second suspect, 16, is also charged with theft by receiving stolen property for another car and misdemeanor obstruction, police said.
Gibson noticed his car was missing just after 8 a.m. Tuesday, the report states. The “Sweet Lady” crooner parked his Range Rover in the driveway around 1:15 a.m. but admittedly left the key fob inside a cup holder.
Surveillance cameras captured a dark-colored sedan circle the cul-de-sac before stopping in front of Gibson’s home at 2 a.m. That’s when police said a hooded male exited the passenger’s side of the sedan, tugged at the handle on Gibson’s SUV and hopped inside.
He pulled out of the driveway moments later, tailing the sedan that had dropped him off.
Officers tracked the missing Range Rover to a nearby apartment complex, where a state trooper spotted it parked near a Nissan Altima occupied by four young men, according to the police report. The suspects bolted from the Nissan, which was also stolen, after seeing police and fled the area on foot.
A coordinated search effort by Atlanta police, Georgia State Patrol, two K-9 teams and a helicopter unit led to the arrests of the 16- and 17-year-old suspects, authorities said. Two others remain on the loose.
Police said they will continue to investigate the teens and their possible involvement in other car thefts in the area.
On Tuesday, Gibson also announced his divorce from wife Samantha Gibson, ending their four-year marriage.
This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 5:56 PM.