Local and state police, in addition to the FBI, are involved in investigating a series of auto thefts that have plagued the United States’ East Coast. Operating from New York to Florida, the interconnected series of groups are accountable for millions of dollars in stolen autos.

Police say that one particular of the massive breaks in their case followed a robbery in Lillington, North Carolina. There, the Hiester Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram dealership was hit in December 2022, losing an estimated $700,000 worth of autos in a single occasion.

In that case, the theft occurred late at evening, when a group of folks dressed in dark clothes, broke into the dealership, and produced off with 12 autos such as, ironically adequate, a 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Jailbreak edition.

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Police Bust Multi-State Auto Theft Ring After $700,000 Dealership Heist

That was one particular of two autos (the other becoming a Ram 1500 TRX) that had been located outdoors a vacant residence in the location following the theft. Fox8 reports that these autos had been the break police required to uncover what they claim had been many connected organized crime rings.

“We were able to follow up on some leads and ended up tracking them back to Charlotte,” mentioned Sgt. Stephen Gardner of the Lillington Police Department. “It turned out to be six or seven different rings responsible for a lot of auto thefts that’s all over the East Coast.”

So far, ten suspects have been arrested in connection with these crimes and are facing a number of charges. Police say that this remains an active investigation and far more suspects are becoming sought.

Through interviews and telephone records, police found how the thieves chose dealerships to hit. Turns out, they shopped just like most auto purchasers do these days: on-line. They employed dealer sites to decide which ones had autos worth stealing.

While that is frustrating for folks like John Hiester, the Lillington dealership’s owner, he also saw it as an chance. And regional Television viewers might know why. Using surveillance footage from the crime, Hiester says, “People ask me every day why did a criminal group from Charlotte come to Lillington to steal cars?” and answers that by saying that his dealership had the biggest choice of autos the thieves had been hunting for.

“When you are given lemons,” he mentioned, “make lemonade.”