Lakeville man accused of repeatedly selling, stealing back car re-arrested, released on bail

(ABC 6 News) – A Lakeville man appeared in Olmsted County Court Wednesday, Jan. 31 on forgery and theft charges.

Josiah Plamenov Tzolov, 20, had been arrested on his second warrant in the same case, after failing to appear for hearings in mid-December and early January.

According to court records, Tzolov is accused of meeting a woman over Facebook, selling her a car, then stealing it back immediately.

He was released on $0 bail with conditions, including appearing at future hearings, keeping the court notified of changes in address, and maintaining contact with his attorney.

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(ABC 6 News) – According to Minnesota court records, Josiah Plamenov Tzolov, 20, failed to appear Jan. 10 on one charge each of felony aggravated forgery–legal rights created/terminated; felony theft by swindle; and felony theft–alteration of property serial number.

Tzolov was previously arrested on a warrant in mid-December, after failing to appear in Olmsted County Court on the same charges.

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(ABC 6 News) – A Lakeville man appeared in Olmsted County Court Friday, Dec. 15, on forgery and theft charges.

Josiah Plamenov Tzolov, 20, faces a charge each of felony aggravated forgery–legal rights created/terminated; felony theft by swindle; and felony theft–alteration of property serial number.

According to court records, Tzolov is accused of meeting a woman over Facebook, selling her a car, then stealing it back immediately.

According to court documents, in November of 2022, Rochester police spoke to a woman who said she’d bought a car from a man she met through a Facebook post.

The woman said she’d sent the man a single cent over Zelle to verify that the account was his, and had checked that the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the title he provided matched the one on the car.

The woman said the man gave her three keys for the car. She and her boyfriend paid $7,500 for the car in total — $2,000 over Zelle, and $5,500 in cash.

The man then said he’d take a Lyft home.

The woman later realized that the car was gone, and told police the man must have waited until she went inside, then taken the car using a fourth key.

The woman went back on Facebook and noted that the post about the car was removed and the listed phone number no longer worked.

The woman told police she’d found evidence that the man was Josiah Tzolov, and he had been doing the same thing in different states, as the car he was selling was “very distinctive.”

According to court documents, Rochester police took photos of the motor vehicle title Tzolov allegedly gave the woman, and found it was counterfeit.

The VIN on the title did not register to the same make or model of the car the woman attempted to purchase, per court documents.

Rochester police determined that Tzolov was also accused of a similar case in McLeod County, MN.

He was arrested on a warrant Dec. 14.