10:18 PM CDT on Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Mary Foster / Associated Press

The Cadillac dealership that was allegedly cleaned out by police during Hurricane Katrina is still missing over 100 vehicles, and the general manager wants the U.S. attorney to investigate.

"It needs to be handled by the Justice Department," Doug Stead said Tuesday. "... I think right now we've got cops looking for cops."

The state attorney general is investigating allegations New Orleans police made off with nearly 200 cars -- including 41 new Cadillacs -- as the hurricane closed in. The investigation is still under way, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Police have acknowledged some cars were taken. It was not considered looting because the officers patrolled in the cars, Capt. Marlon Defillo said. Police are cooperating with the investigation, he said.

"Our cars were flooded," Defillo said. "If it had been Pintos, nobody would have said anything. It got attention because it was Cadillacs."

"They didn't take the little Chevrolets, though, did they?" Stead responded. "They took the Cadillacs, and there were plenty of Impalas here."

The cars taken from the dealership included 88 new Cadillacs and Chevrolets, 40 used cars, 52 customers' cars and a restored 1970 El Camino and 1966 Impala. Still missing are 50 customers' cars, 40 used cars and 17 new cars, Stead said.

The loss on new cars was estimated at $3.7 million; the used cars were another $900,000.

Two new Corvettes were left in the street, apparently stalled out by the floodwaters and abandoned.

The dealership recovered a parts truck on Monday. A former employee noticed it parked in Houston and called Stead.

"They're still popping up," he said.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

APTV 10-18-05 1818CDT