Car theft happens every day and everywhere. From driveways to dealerships, no parking spot is safe. Not even the airport.
Recent reports indicate that auto thievery from airport parking lots is more common than we think. Heck, we probably didn’t think about it that much anyway, especially since cars sometimes sit for too long at airports, essentially abandoned. If you’re in Missouri, they won’t even get towed. But in New York City, the city will tow and sell unclaimed vehicles. They don’t mess around with that alternate side parking stuff.
Speaking of NYC, six New Yorkers, along with two suspects from Atlanta, recently pleaded guilty to stealing multiple vehicles from airports along the East Coast and in the Midwest. Indicted last year, the group would use stolen identities and credit card information to book rental car reservations. Often flying together, the group would pick up the vehicles and simply never return them.
According to Business Insider, the NYC-ATL crew targeted high-end luxury SUVs, including the BMW X7, GMC Yukon, and Chevrolet Suburban. A Department of Justice statement said the group stole at least 19 vehicles worth more than $1.1 million. The identities of at least 23 individuals were also compromised.
All plead guilty to multiple counts related to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Sentencing will be scheduled between December 2024 and February 2025, depending on the defendant’s charges and plea date.
In Texas, a Houston-based car theft ring has been identified in relation to approximately 52 stolen vehicles from the Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport. This is despite a 40 percent year-over-year drop in car thefts, per the DFW Airport Police. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the cars were taken from various airport parking garages and lots. The total loss for the vehicle owners is an estimated $4.9 million. And that’s just at DFW.
The group, of which about 14 suspects have been identified so far, targeted other airports in Texas as well as in Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah since July last year. The stolen cars then had their VINs changed and illegally re-titled for sale. The vehicles were resold in the US and also taken into Mexico.
According to search warrants, the crime ring utilized old-school tactics. Not quite a USB cable hack, the suspects were found in possession of common car-stealing gadgets, such as an Autel key programming and cloning device, a Bluetooth vehicle communication interface, car unlooking equipment, a laptop, and a bunch of tools like screwdrivers and pliers.
Three suspects were arrested last month and face multiple charges, including engaging in organized crime. The DFW investigation remains ongoing.