PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Public Safety says that four people have been caught stealing cars in the Phoenix area.
On Monday, December 2, the department held a press conference to talk about the charges and how they happened.
Officer Ken Hunter, Deputy Director of Arizona DPS, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, and Captain Erik Axlund, Commander of the Vehicle Theft Task Force, spoke at the press meeting.
Jorge Aguilar, Andrew Reyes, Luis Rodriguez, and Douglas Zalaya were named as the suspects.
“They are accused of running a complex Maricopa County ring that stole cars.” “This ring steals cars, fakes VINs and license plates, and drives stolen cars across the border into Mexico,” said Rachel Mitchell, the prosecutor for Maricopa County.
She says that from September 23 to November 1, 2018, the four suspects were charged with 12 counts of theft of a means of transportation, 1 count of trafficking stolen property, 1 count of fraudulent schemes and artifices, 2 counts of running a chop shop, 3 counts of forgery, and 3 counts of criminal impersonation.
Reyes is also accused of being bad with guns.
“A coordinated effort”
“These people worked together to steal high-end cars all over the state of Arizona using sophisticated methods.” “These vehicles were brought into Mexico to help transnational criminal groups with their plans,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ken Hunter, Deputy Director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
It is said that cars worth more than a million dollars have been stolen.
“In this case, a total of 22 high-end vehicles were recovered, with an estimated worth of $1.4 million,” Hunter said.
His words show that the car thefts are connected to “violent and organized crime.” He talked about the theft of a truck in Waddell by several armed individuals who were seen taking the truck from a home’s yard.
How to stay safe and not get hurt
“They don’t look like the kind of thieves who break windows or wear skinny jeans.” The person coming up to your car with a fake key could be very well dressed and there would be nothing odd about it, said Matt Allen of Virginia Auto Service.
People say that the group used a device that copies keys to break into homes, where people thought they were safer.
“You can be in your apartment or condo, for example, and somebody could have a strong enough device like this and a strong enough antenna can receive that,” Allen said.
DPS says Faraday bags can be used to keep thieves from getting to your key fob signal. An easy search on Amazon turns up a lot of Faraday bags.
Some sellers offer pouches and bags, while others sell a box that will block the signal from your key.
DPS Capt. Erik Axlund said, “I wouldn’t keep your key fob in a bowl by your front door.” “I’d keep it inside your house further in because of how far the signal can go.”
For more, ask Allen. “You could go back to the club in the 1980s and 1990s.” I believe that avoiding things like that is the best way to avoid becoming a target.