Sal Capozi News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Clear, flaco jumps out and peewee barks instructions. lights on right now. make a u-turn. listen carefully as they stop and peewee gets out to help. you can can hear a familiar voice on the two-way radio. proof, police say, that sal capozi, the tow company boss is behind the scenes pulling the strings. >> they're talking on the radio with their boss. >> at 2:00 in the morning. that's a good boss. >> that's real management 101 going on there. >> micromanagement. in less than a minute they're back loading the loot. and telling the boss they're okay. >> tell him you're okay. tell him you're okay....

Behind on his payments and wants to give up his car to collect on the insurance. >> i'm going to sound desperate. i need to get rid of this car. i'm scared. hey, look. >> perfect. >> reporter: if the tow company seems interested, the police will use this red chevy blazer as bait and try to follow it all the way to the chop shop. >> okay, eddie. they're going in. >> reporter: after weeks of planning and surveillance of the tow company, the undercover detective pulls into the yard. riding as a passenger in this white car and wearing a hidden police microphone. before long, the tow company boss, ...

And its owner sal capozi, that's him standing outside, might be involved in a very different kind of auto theft, where things are not what they appear, where, get this, people actually want to have their own cars stolen. in rough economic times, many people struggle to make their car payments. or if they're leasing a car, they may face stiff penalties if they've driven too many miles. for some, the way out of this bind is to have their car stolen. that way, instead of paying their bills, they cash in on their insurance. >> this was not stolen. >> reporter: police call them give-ups, insurance ...

Cars quickly rush in. >> up against the car! >> there will be arrests, including the boss, sal capozi. >> anything to say, sal? >> car thefts are going up substantially, particularly in the last two years. >> experts say what nbc's camera captured is just one example of a growing trend happening all across the country. >> this is criminal action going on right before our eyes and it's very common. >> robert bryant, the head of the national insurance crime bureau says it's costing americans billions of dollars. >> they say car theft in the united states is about an $8.5 billion problem, so what...

>> lots of variables. >> reporter: if the bait car is really going to a chop shop, why would capozi want it dropped off, in broad daylight, at his tow lot where somebody might see it? >> just a rip-off. $500. >> reporter: but by now, there is no turning back. the undercover cop is on his way in. >> morning. >> good luck. >> reporter: shortly after 5:00, on a wednesday afternoon, undercover detective chris smith delivers the bait car directly to capozi's tow yard. static and noise from the tow trucks make it hard to hear. but listen for that familiar voice, sal capozi, saying make up a cover st...