Biker Gang Charged In Theft Of 150 Jeep Wranglers

June 06--In what sounds like a crime spree cooked up for a Fast and Furious spin-off, nine members of a Mexican biker gang have been charged with stealing more than 150 Jeep Wranglers from San Diego County, California, by using vehicle identification numbers to make pirated keys. Those keys then allowed them to quietly drive off with the Toledo-made sport utility vehicles.

An indictment filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California said members of the Hooligans Motorcycle Club, which is based in Tijuana, would scout out Wranglers across southern California, note their unique VINs, then send the number to gang leaders who had established a relationship with key cutters who were able to access a proprietary database that allowed them to make duplicate keys for those specific vehicles.

Thieves could then return to the vehicle, disable the security system, and drive off without setting off alarms or physically breaking into the vehicles. A story in the San Diego Union-Tribune noted that investigators believe the Wrangler's unique hood design, which uses a pair of exterior latches, made it easier for the suspects to disable the security system.

The indictment said the Jeeps were then driven to Mexico where they were either sold or chopped up for parts.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles builds all Jeep Wranglers at the company's Toledo Assembly Complex.

The indictment, which was unsealed May 30, said the gang stole or attempted to steal 28 vehicles. However, a statement from the U.S. district attorney's office noted the gang was successful in stealing more than 150 Wranglers via that method.

"The joyride is over for these Hooligans," Mark Conover, deputy U.S. attorney in California, said in a written statement. "For many of us, our cars are our most valuable possessions. These arrests have put the brakes on an organization that has victimized neighborhoods in a different way -- by stealing something very personal. Something that required a lot of sacrifice to purchase."

Of the nine men facing charges, three are in custody. Authorities are still looking for the other six, though officials believe the men are in Mexico.

Law enforcement officials said the thefts began in 2014, noting the method was so new and technologically advanced the case was initially difficult to crack.

A break came when authorities were able to view surveillance camera footage from the site of one of the thefts, giving officials a clue as to how the thieves were operating.

Officials then inquired with Fiat Chrysler whether duplicate keys had been requested for any of about 20 recently stolen Wranglers. The automaker was able to confirm that they had, tracing the requests back to a dealership in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

The indictment also detailed several Facebook conversations between a number of the defendants in which they talked about vehicles they were targeting or bragged about how they wouldn't be caught.

In a statement to The Blade on Monday, Fiat Chrysler said it was committed to the safety and security of its vehicles.

"The company has processes in place to address vehicle theft, including monitoring duplicate key requests. Additionally, the company routinely works with law enforcement, but does not publicly share the details of any such investigations or cooperation," Fiat Chrysler said.

Experts say these kinds of situations are rare, but could suggest IT security issues or overly broad authorization for supplying replacement keys. A stronger system tracking requests for suspicious patterns -- like requesting keys in Mexico for a car that was sold in the United States -- might also have helped put an earlier stop to the ring.

Locals likely don't have too much to worry about, though.

Dean Fadel, president of the Ohio Insurance Institute, said he isn't aware of any significant issues of thieves using vehicle identification numbers as a tool to steal cars in Ohio, though he did say there was a similar case in Texas.

"It would appear the borders are one of the criteria for where to conduct this activity," he said.

A bigger risk factor here is leaving keys in the vehicle.

According to data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, of the 1,224 vehicle thefts in Toledo in 2015, nearly 40 percent occurred after someone left their keys in the car.

Contact Tyrel Linkhorn at tlinkhorn@theblade.com or 419-724-6134.

___

(c)2017 The Blade (Toledo, Ohio)

Visit The Blade (Toledo, Ohio) at www.toledoblade.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.