Raleigh Police are investigating what they call an organized car theft ring.
A search warrant shows the group is suspected in the thefts of nearly 90 cars, valued at around $2.5 million.
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Across the city, car thefts are up more than 20 percent. In 2023, there were 1,926 car thefts in Raleigh. In 2024, there have been 2,343.
The majority of thefts take place at dealerships, but cars have also been stolen from outside homes and from open parking areas, with Fords and Chevys just as likely to be the target as expensive models like Land Rover, BMW and Lamborghini.
These thieves use high-tech tools like RFID devices, swapped keys and re-programming of the vehicle's electronics along with a technique called "cloning."
According to the warrant, a vehicle is "cloned" when a thief uses both fake registration plates and fake VIN plates to create the appearance of another car, which then doesn't show up as stolen and can be re-sold.
The Raleigh Police Department Auto Theft Task Force, established in June 2024 as a way to curb this nationwide crime trend, has recovered:
- 86 stolen cars totaling $2.3 million
- 9 firearms
- drugs including crack, cocaine and fentanyl
Raleigh police haves filed more than 190 felony charges linked to this car theft ring, made 25 arrests, and filed 4 dozen juvenile petitions. Federal charges are also pending.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau offers these tips to safeguard your car:
- always lock your doors
- activate the alarm
- use a steering wheel or brake pedal lock
- use brake locks or wheel locks
More advanced methods include installing a vehicle immobilizer, fuse cutoffs and kill switches and disabling the starter or ignition. Drivers can also invest in GPS tracking system to recover a car that is stolen.