Owner of Sunnyvale Motorcars Charged with Six Counts of Grand Theft

Sunnyvale Motorcars owner Ameen Wisal was arrested Thursday on six counts of grand theft, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office announced.

The 50-year-old Wisal, who also was known as "Andy Paul" was the owner of the used dealership, which closed abruptly in late November leaving numerous consignment customers unpaid and their BMWs, Cadillacs and other high-end vehicles gone.

Sunnyvale Motorcars, located at 681 E. El Camino Real closed suddenly Nov. 30,  2012. The local dealership sold used high-end cars, many of which were taken on consignment from their owners, the release said. Customers who consigned their cars with Sunnyvale Motorcars never received notification that the business was closing its doors, and instead arrived at the empty lot, stunned.

Wiscal's bail was set at $500,000 and if convicted faces up to six years and four months in prison. A date for his arraignment has not been scheduled yet.

“When Sunnyvale Motorcars suddenly closed, people were left without their cars, recompense or answers,” Deputy District Attorney Georg Behrens said in a news release. “We will work hard to seek criminal accountability for their losses, as well as restitution.”

According to the release, many of these customers were not paid for the sale of their vehicles while others received bad checks from the dealership. Other customers also complained that the cars they had bought from the dealership were still legally owned by someone else.

Anyone with information about this case is requested to contact Detective Christopher Ketchum of the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety at 408-730-7129.