Police in Tijuana find cars stolen in San Diego
Police in Tijuana find cars stolen in San Diego
Authorities arrest three men in auto theft ring
Por: Omar Millán 23 Junio 2011 @ 10:35 pm
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TIJUANA – If you’re the owner of the blue 2002 Jeep Wrangler stolen in Chula Vista in May, Baja California authorities have good news for you. They have found your vehicle.
But if you’re the owner of another vehicle stolen in San Diego County in the last few months, the news is not so good. It may be nothing but parts now.
The state Attorney General’s Office announced that it had arrested Thursday morning three members of a ring that stole and dismantled vehicles, some obtained by armed robbery.
A police report of one such robbery in Tijuana led state agents to the members, the agency said. And the investigation of the men, in turn, led police to a shop in the Roma neighborhood where the Jeep was recovered as well as parts of others vehicles.
State authorities identified the three members as Enrique Guzmán Maldonado, 38; Pedro MejÃ*a GarcÃ*a, 21; and Ricardo Uriel Vizcarra, 25.
At the shop state agents found the blue 2002 Jeep Wrangler that had been reported stolen in Chula Vista on May 29, as well as parts from other vehicles reported stolen in San Diego County earlier this year:
There was a motor and transmission of a 2000 Jeep Wrangler reported stolen in Chula Vista on May 28; a green fender of a 2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, reported stolen in El Cajon on May 17; a black dashboard of a 1992 Honda Civic reported stolen in National City on Feb. 19; and the front door of a red 1999 Jeep Cherokee reported stolen on Jan. 16 in San Diego.
They also found a complete motor and four doors of a cherry colored 1998 Honda CR-V, reported stolen in Tijuana on April 11.
The three men worked for Luis Alberto Pérez RodrÃ*guez, who was detained two months ago and is in the state penitentiary, state authorities said.
They said Pérez RodrÃ*guez would purposely crash other cars and when their drivers stepped out to survey the damage he would threaten them with a gun and steal their vehicles.
He would take the vehicles to the shop, where one of the suspects, Pedro MejÃ*a GarcÃ*a, would buy them for $100 to $500 and dismantle them with his two accomplices, the State Attorney General’s Office said.
One of them, Ricardo Uriel Vizcarra, has a criminal record and served time in Baja California and in the United States, the agency said.
Omar.millan@sandiegored.com
http://www.sandiegored.com/noticias/140 ... San-Diego/
