BATON ROUGE - For the past year, De'Nita O'Conner has been driving around the city, unaware that her car has been flagged as stolen. She bought it from a used car lot on Florida Boulevard in July 2024 for her growing family and business. After multiple attempts to get her license plate, this week she discovered the real problem and contacted 2 On Your Side.

"I'm tired of getting temp tags," said O'Conner. 

Every few months, O'Conner has been visiting a notary off of Government Street to obtain a new temp tag. She let it expire once and was pulled over and ticketed by Baton Rouge Police but was able to prove ownership. The flag on the vehicle was not discovered at that time.

O'Conner bought her 2015 Nissan Pathfinder for $5,500 at C&K Automotives, LLC. It's the third car she's purchased from there and paid in cash expecting her title change and license plate soon after she signed the paperwork. She never had trouble before.

"It's a stolen car!" she said.

The Office of Motor Vehicles confirms the vehicle has been flagged as stolen out of New Orleans. 

"I don't want to be in trouble for that car," she said.

O'Conner has been trying to get it addressed with C&K Automotives.

"A year of text messages, emails, calls, he's been ignoring everybody," said O'Conner.

On Thursday, 2 On Your Side went by the car lot looking to speak with someone about O'Conner's situation. A person sitting outside on a bench ran inside the building and locked the door as the News Wrangler pulled up. They didn't come back to the door and did not return a message left.

O'Conner has a young family and a business to worry about, she says she doesn't need this added stress.

"What am I to do now? Buy another car? Is it something where I can get my money back? I'm even angrier," she said.

New Orleans Police Department advises O'Conner to contact BRPD and file a report. The Used Motor Vehicles Commission is also looking into the matter.