Oregon

Auto Link’s former owner, Dave Edmonds, who is under investigation for fraud, theft, and bad business practices, had his dealer’s license suspended early this year.  Police served search warrants and seized evidence to support their investigation as Dave blamed it on a faulty economy and that it wasn’t his fault that the customers of Auto Link weren’t getting paid, because he sold the business earlier that year.

In looking deeper, the 85-year-old woman, who had no idea she owned a dealership in Gresham became the focus.  Who was this woman?  After further investigation, we have learned that she is Dave’s office manager, Gaylene Kendall’s mother.  Gaylene and Dave convinced her to sign papers and loan Dave Edmonds $50,000, which they would pay back with interest.  The papers she was signing were actually transferring ownership of Auto Link out of Dave Edmonds’ name, and into hers.  Gaylene Kendall, who refuses to cooperate with investigators, reportedly told a former employee that she loved Mr. Edmonds, and would do anything for him.  Does that even mean selling your mother and taking the fall for Mr. Edmonds’ illegal activity?  This just shows the kind of power that Dave Edmonds had the ability to cloud people’s perception with.

So, what’s going on today in the Tale of Two Dealerships?

Dave Edmonds still maintained and ran his auto body shop after the investigation started, but over the weekend of November 22-23^rd, 2008, the name Auto Link has been painted over, and witnesses saw people loading up equipment and boxes onto Dave Edmonds’ super flashy tow truck, and now the building stands empty and is no longer closed for business.

It is also being reported that Mr. Edmonds is no longer taking the main streets of Gresham to and from his home in Boring because he is worried about being followed and arrested.

Also, Dave’s wife, Susan Edmonds’ bright red Porsche has been reported for sale on the showroom floor of All Cars, formerly Auto Link, and now run by Dave’s sister.

As the plot thickens for Mr. Edmonds, we will all be watching.  Because of the families he has hurt over the years, we will be reporting the story.