GOODLETSVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Former Millersville police chief Dustin Carr was questioned Monday night as part of a theft ring, telling police he had no idea the item he was selling was stolen, WSMV4 Investigates has learned.
As part of the investigation, police learned that Carr referred to himself as a police officer in Facebook messages, even though he lost his state certification to be a police officer when he resigned from the Millersville Police Department.
Carr has been prominently featured in our Thin Blurred Line investigations that exposed people who are not state certified law enforcement but wear police identification.
Carr’s questioning in the theft ring began Monday when Goodlettsville police began investigating a theft of $60,000 from a storage unit belonging to a collector of rare country music memorabilia.
That collector, Tom Cox, told WSMV4 Investigates that he saw on Facebook Marketplace that rare box drum, called a marimbata, was for sale.
“And I thought, ‘How can someone else have one of these? That looks too much like mine,’” Cox said.
Cox, who purchased the items for a specialized country-music themed RV Park that he intends to open, sent his wife to go to their storage unit where their box drum, along with other rare items, were stored.
When Cox’s wife arrived, the storage unit was completely empty.
“There’s some stuff there I’ll never find again if looked forever,” Cox said.
Cox’s family then contacted Goodlettsville police and alerted them about the theft and that the box drum was posted online for sale.
Cox said Goodlettsville police then directed him to contact the seller to arrange a buy of the box drum.
The seller of the box drum: Dustin Carr.
In Facebook messages to Cox, Carr referred to himself as a police officer.
“I’m a police officer and I have a really busy day tomorrow,” the message from Carr wrote. “I have meetings tomorrow in court.”
Cox arranged to purchase the box drum Monday night with police watching close by.
“Of course I was nervous. Wouldn’t you be?” Cox told WSMV4 Investigates.
When Carr showed up with the box drum, Goodlettsville police moved in.
“What was his reaction when police came?” asked WSMV4 Investigates.
“He said, ‘Oh no. I didn’t do this. I didn’t steal this,’ Cox said.
An investigator with Goodlettsville police told WSMV4 Investigates that Carr was questioned and maintains he didn’t steal anything.
That investigator said Carr told police that he had no idea that the items he’d purchased were stolen, that he routinely bought items to flip them to make extra money.
Although Carr was technically in possession of a stolen item, he has not been arrested or charged in the investigation, police confirmed.
On Wednesday, Goodlettsville police obtained several search warrants, saying Carr helped identify the places where he’d purchased items.
Goodlettsville police are also aware that Carr identified himself as a police officer in the Facebook message.
Cox said he’s unsure why Carr identified himself as police, but just hopes he recovers his stolen property.
“Takes my breath away to find out something like that could happen to you,” Cox said.
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