A GROUP of brazen thieves have been charged with nearly 1,000 criminal offences after allegedly making off with 250 car parts and vehicles in a $1.2 million spree.
The group’s precision was likened to a “racetrack pit crew” as they allegedly swiped loot from multiple neighbourhoods across City, prosecutors claim.
The alleged thieves used tools to steal tyres from cars in just seconds, according to cops Credit: NYPD
They are accused of stripping parts from cars, totalling more than $1 million in stolen items Credit: NYPD
In vision caught by CCTV surveillance, 14 of the accused thieves were filmed on numerous occasions in three-person teams.
All wearing masks, prosecutors say they were seen exiting stolen vehicles carrying tools including car jacks and milk crates.
The crews allegedly used the power tools to strip tyres and rims from cars in just seconds between midnight and 5am.
At least 16 suspects aged between 18 and 36 were charged with an eye-watering 971 criminal counts on Thursday.
The group had a ‘racetrack pit crew’ precision in their operations, according to prosecutors Credit: NYPD
The alleged spree began in August 2024 and continued until June last year Credit: NYPD
The Bronx District Attorney’s Office brought the charges relating to stealing and on-selling of auto parts worth more than a $1 million.
The alleged spree began in August 2024 and continued until June last year.
Authorities believe the suspects are affiliated with the Trinitarios street gang.
District Attorney Darcel Clark released a statement on Thursday.
“These defendants allegedly worked as fast as a racetrack pit crew in the dead of night, stealing cars, tires and rims, and catalytic converters worth more than $1 million on the black market,” he said.
“All across the Bronx, people heading to work or school in the morning found their cars propped on crates, or an empty parking space, leaving them stranded and financially strained.”
In total, say 11 cars, 172 tires and rims and 69 catalytic converters were stolen in the major heists.
Clark alleged the group covered nearly every inch of the Bronx, as well as parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.
The stolen cars were then reportedly used by the accused thieves to dismantle other cars.
Police say a total of 252 cars were caught up in the massive theft ring.
On Thursday, two of the defendants were also accused of buying and selling the stolen catalytic converters using the black market to go unnoticed, according to the attorney’s office.
Authorities have alleged one of the buyers had $116,000 in cash stored inside a suitcase when they raided his home.
Police have seized $1.2 million in allegedly stolen property.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch also spoke out on Thursday, saying the theft ring was “as brazen as it was effective”.
She said the department recorded more than 200 complaints related to stolen car parts every month.
“And it wasn’t random,” she said, saying that Hondas and Toyotas were most commonly targeted.
“It was methodical.”
Alleged members of the ring have criminal histories tied with City, and almost all had connections to the Dominican Republic, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny.
Kenny did not reveal their statuses.
The accused thieves are facing a string of charges for criminal possession of stolen property, grand larceny, auto stripping, criminal mischief and unauthorised use of a vehicle.
Eight of the alleged thieves have been arraigned, while a further eight are still in custody or awaiting arraignment, according to the district attorney’s office.
So far, most of the accused criminals who have faced court have been granted supervised release.
“This was a large, well organized, gang affiliated crew of people who made it their job literally every night to go out and steal cars and car parts,” Tisch said.
“My hope and expectation is that there will be consequences for this type of behavior in the criminal justice system.
“Frankly, if there are not, we have all just wasted a hell of a lot of time.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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