A Missouri man who swapped a stolen car for a pickup truck appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court last Monday.
Twenty-nine-year-old Dale Louis Groth, Jr., who lists an address in Cassville, Missouri, entered a plea of not guilty to theft of property charges. He is free on $20,000 bond.
Groth is accused of swapping a 2022 Dodge Charger for a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado in late February. According to the probable cause affidavit, the swap took place on the parking lot of a Mountain Home business.
The owner of the truck said he made numerous unsuccessful attempts to obtain a title for the Charger from Groth. He said eventually Groth would not answer telephone calls or text messages and blocked the victim on various social media outlets.
When the victim attempted to register the Charger himself, he was told the vehicle was listed as a rental car that had been reported stolen by Groth in Monett, Missouri.
After being informed about the Charger’s status, the victim notified the Mountain Home Police Department.
According to the probable cause affidavit, about $20,000 in victim restitution will be sought in the case.
Several cases have been opened on Groth in Missouri, according to electronic court records. Most of the charges stem from traffic offenses, but he was once sentenced to five-years-probation on a forgery charge.
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