Robbery from postal worker led police to suspects in brazen car thefts

The most recent "Gone in 60 Seconds" movie was a somewhat corny film, but the thieves avoided serious trouble for their heists. A group of brazen car theft suspects in Ohio met its end after one allegedly robbed a postal worker and got caught. Police investigating that crime traced back evidence that linked the group to a series of brazen thefts in which new vehicles were stolen straight off Detroit auto factory holding lots.

Police arrested Devin Rice in January after a postal worker was robbed of a mailbox key in a Cleveland suburb. Police investigating the crime said they conducted a search of Rice's home and turned up stolen mail and credit cards — and stolen vehicles, including a Range Rover, a Ram pickup, and a Hellcat-powered Dodge.  

Automakers park vehicles in holding lots before shipping, and thieves have been targeting those facilities. They gained access to vehicles using an electronic locksmith tool called a "pro pad" to simulate the signal from a key fob. The cars were then sold on the street for pennies on the dollar of their original worth.

“In the Detroit area they are selling them for like $3,500,” Sgt. Jerry Hanna of the Macomb County Auto Theft Squad told the Associated Press. “Once they get that money in their pockets, they go out and steal another one.”

Vehicles were often shipped to Cleveland or Memphis. Chicago and Indianapolis were also destinations. One suspect from the theft ring told investigators they would seek buyers via Instagram. Police discovered that new Chargers, Challengers, Durangos and Ram pickups worth $50,000 to $100,000 were turning up in Ohio, Indianapolis and East Coast shipping ports after being sold on the street for $3,500 to $15,000, according to a criminal complaint.

Since the criminals primarily steal the fastest cars on the lot, police have had trouble keeping up when they initiate a pursuit. One reported member of the Ohio group led police on a high-speed chase that reached 120 mph before a spike strip brought him to a stop. Others outrun the law on the highway; police say the thieves have hit 140-150 mph in the long-legged muscle cars.

“If a patrol car gets them, they are not stopping and they’re faster than patrol cars. They’re 150 mph all day,” Hanna, the car theft investigator, said.

Rice and others were indicted in federal court in Ohio in June. Their trials are scheduled for next year.

Dodge has had a particularly tough time with the thefts, but it’s not the only automaker losing inventory. Ford saw several F-150 Raptors and Mustangs stolen in September, and thieves have also targeted Dodge dealerships. Last year, a group targeted a Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership in Michigan and drove a Ram pickup through the dealer’s window before several other vehicles followed. 

A surprisingly simple solution has proved effective at preventing vehicle thefts. One of the targeted dealerships told AP News that parking boots have proven incredibly effective at preventing thefts, and said that his store boots all Hellcat models now. 

Includes Associated Press