Car theft ring bust leads to 23 arrested, $1.1 million returned to victims: FDLE
TAMPA, Fla. - Twenty-three people have been arrested, and another four are going to be charged in a car theft ring that law enforcement has been investigating for the past five years.
It was called ‘Operation Gone in 60 Days’.
Authorities say the ring leaders would look for high-end cars for sale online and then send a scout to the area to buy the car, often with fake checks.
They would then, according to officials, sell those cars for pennies on the dollar.
The suspects are also accused of forging VINs, making it impossible to look up the cars as stolen.
They would also rent high-end cars from airports, according to FDLE, and then file fake police reports saying the car was stolen. They would take the tags off the rental cars though. Sell rental cars.
According to FDLE, the suspects would even sell the buyer bogus car insurance policies.
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Investigators say they compiled 700 reports, interviewed hundreds of people, and spent 12,000 hours working to bust this car theft ring.
Multiple law enforcement agencies in Florida came together to bust a car theft ring.
Attorney General Ashley Moody says it has never been 4easier to look up the fair price of a vehicle and if someone says the deal has to happen right away and only wants cash you should do more research on that vehicle.
Investigators say in addition to the arrests, $1.1 million has been returned to victims.