Philadelphia Man Charged With Possessing Stolen Vehicle and Insurance Fraud

On September 30, 2023, a Newark police officer observed a vehicle spinning in circles and doing donuts in the parking lot of the 896 Shops on South College Avenue.  The officer conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and determined that the operator was Michael Kinlaw, 29, of Philadelphia.

While speaking with Kinlaw, the officer found that the temporary registration plate on the vehicle did not match the vehicle identification number (“VIN”)  attached to the vehicle.  Officers found that a second VIN plate had been placed over the original VIN plate in the window of the vehicle.  Officers located the correct VIN elsewhere on the vehicle and found that the vehicle had been reported stolen to the New Castle County Police in 2022.

Upon further investigation, it was found that the vehicle was originally owned by Kinlaw and had been stolen from him in 2022.  After receiving a payout from his insurance company, Kinlaw located the vehicle himself and took it back using a spare key.  However, Kinlaw never informed his insurance company and kept the money they paid out on his insurance claim.

Kinlaw was taken into custody without incident and transported to Newark Police headquarters where he was charged with:

• Removing a VIN Plate (felony)
• Falsifying a VIN Plate (felony)
• Insurance Fraud (felony)
• Receiving Stolen Property (felony)
• Providing a False Statement to Law Enforcement (felony)
• Possession of Fictitious Insurance
• Spinning Tires
• Reckless Driving
• Fictitious License Plate

Kinlaw appeared before Justice of the Peace Court #11 by video and was ordered to be held in default of $1,550 secured bail.  Kinlaw was turned over to the custody of the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington.