Thread: Mexican motorcycle gang members indicted for high-tech auto theft in U.S.

Members of motorcycle gang indicted for high-tech auto theft

Associated Press May 30, 2017

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nine members of a motorcycle gang known as the Hooligans have been indicted in the high-tech theft of more than 150 Jeep Wranglers in San Diego County, authorities said Tuesday.

The Tijuana, Mexico-based Hooligans Motorcycle Club used handheld electronic devices and stolen codes to make copies of keys and disable alarms on the vehicles that were then taken to Mexico to be sold or stripped for parts, the U.S. attorney's office said.
Authorities say the ring has stolen Wranglers valued at $4.5 million since the scheme began in 2014.

"The joy ride is over for these Hooligans," Deputy U.S. Attorney Mark Conover said.

Three members of the gang have been arrested so far:

Reynaldo Rodriguez, 33, of San Diego; Henry Pulido, 24, of Imperial Beach, California; and Alejandro Guzman, 23, of Tijuana.

They were expected to be arraigned Tuesday or Wednesday on charges of conspiracy to steal vehicles and transport them across the border.

Six more members of the gang are fugitives believed to be in Mexico. Authorities could not immediately say whether any of them had retained attorneys.

The surge in late-night thefts began in the summer of 2014 and perplexed investigators because no windows were broken or alarms triggered.

Surveillance camera video from the home of one victim eventually revealed the techniques used.

Investigators learned that copies of key codes had been requested for 20 of the stolen vehicles by a Jeep dealer in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. That led to arrests and the targeting of the Hooligans by a multi-agency task force.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/members-m...000840403.html

Leader of Tijuana MC Gang Admits to Leading Jeep Theft Ring in SD

After stealing more than 150 jeeps worth $4.5 million in San Diego County, the suspects would strip down the vehicles and sell the parts in Tijuana, according to the U.S. Attorney.

By Rafael Avitabile
Published 2 hours ago


The leader of a Tijuana motorcycle gang pleaded guilty Tuesday to leading a sophisticated vehicle theft scheme that targeted Jeep Wranglers north of the border.

According to court documents, Jimmy “Motas” Josue Martinez and his gang, the Hooligans, are responsible for stealing more than 150 Jeep Wranglers within this county alone since 2014.

Martinez, 33, admitted that he and other gang members hacked security systems in the trucks and used secret codes and duplicate keys to take $4.5 million worth of Wranglers, some right out of the driveways of unsuspecting owners.

The jeeps were taken and transported south of the border to Tijuana where they were sold or stripped for valuables, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

More Than 150 Vehicles Stolen in Auto Theft Ring: Feds

[IMG]https://media.nbcsandiego.com/images/620*349/Operation+Last+Ride+Fugitives.jpg[/IMG]

Three out of the nine suspects were arrested Monday in Spring Valley and near the U.S.-Mexico border, and six suspects remain at large. NBC 7's Artie Ojeda has a closer look at what car they targeted, and how they stole them.
(Published Tuesday, May 30, 2017)

As part of his plea agreement, Martinez admitted to stealing Jeeps in Pacific Beach, Serra Mesa, Chula Vista, Mission Valley, Ocean Beach, Hillcrest and North Park. He also admitted to leading a theft crew of his own.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Martinez and other gang members obtained VIN numbers for Jeeps they wanted to steal, obtained codes pertaining to those trucks and made duplicate keys for them. Then, while stealing the Jeeps, crews would disable the security system and reprogram the duplicate keys to the truck’s computer.

Without the security system making any noise, crews were able to drive away without drawing any attention.

Last May, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced the arrests of three members of the gang and demonstrated how theft crews used the secret codes and duplicate keys to steal the Jeeps.
San Diego Police Department officers attempted to arrest Martinez in November of 2014, but he refused to pull over and instigated a pursuit. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Martinez drove at speeds faster than 120 mph on Interstate 805 toward the U.S.-Mexico border, and when he reached the port of entry, repeatedly rammed vehicles in front of him so he could make his way through into Mexico.

“The joy ride is over for Mr. Martinez,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “These thefts were audacious and sophisticated and created hassle and heartache for scores of Jeep owners. I congratulate prosecutors Andrew Galvin and Joseph S. Green, the FBI and members of the Regional Auto Theft Task Force for putting together a strong case against a gang that, unfortunately, has lived up to its name.”

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Artie Ojeda

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CHP gives demonstration on how Hooligans MC gang stole Jeep Wranglers. #nbc7

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Martinez and eight other Hooligan gang members were charged in May of 2017 in a Grand Jury indictment. Of the nine, six have pleaded guilty and three remain at large.

According to that complaint, the Hooligans used similar means to steal motorcycles in and around San Diego County and sell or strip them in Tijuana.

Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24.

https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/el-pas...ux-of-migrants