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In twist, stolen cars return


Vehicles get phony IDs in Mexico for sale in U.S.
By Joe Hughes
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
July 27, 2006

In a twist on a familiar crime, stolen vehicles taken into Mexico are being outfitted with phony registrations and counterfeit identifications and license plates, then returned to San Diego and sold to unsuspecting buyers.

In a months-long investigation, the California Highway Patrol, San Diego police and other law enforcement agencies determined that dozens of vehicles – mostly expensive SUVs and pickups – were stolen mainly from parking lots in Mission Valley, Old Town and Point Loma.

They were driven across the border, where identification numbers were changed and, in some cases, the vehicles were repainted, investigators said.

Once driven back into the United States, the vehicles are resold in traditional ways: on the Internet, through media classifieds, bulletin boards, even as trade-ins to car dealers, in what seem to be legitimate transactions.

Authorities wouldn't say how they were finding the made-over vehicles, but it is likely that problems for new owners surfaced during reregistration.

Police seized the vehicles, and the buyers were left with nothing after paying $30,000 to $50,000.

“The money is pure profit for the car thieves,” said San Diego police Detective John Austin, part of the regionwide investigation team.

It is believed that one or more rings may be operating not only in San Diego but throughout the Southwest.

The thieves have found a way to change the vehicle identification numbers, which tell one vehicle from another. The vehicles also may be set up with different license plates and fake registration.

This process allows some of the hot cars to be brought back across the border and through U.S. Customs computer checks without any red flags determining the cars had been stolen.

Seasoned Customs officials have been known to “smell out” reworked stolen cars, snagging some of them crossing into the United States, investigators said.

For years, stolen vehicles have been taken into Mexico – sometimes used by local police as personal cars, or shipped to other countries. The return trip to San Diego is the latest twist.

Authorities won't say much more about the thefts or the undercover operations now under way to catch the thieves. Cooperation with Mexico is being sought.

Some patterns have been uncovered during the investigation.

Vehicles are being targeted in parking lots near malls and transportation centers. Most of the lots are near trolley lines.

Recently, autos were being stolen from parking lots in Point Loma where people are away on all-day fishing trips.

Motorists are being advised to be on the defensive: Equip cars with security alarms and steering-wheel locking devices.

“We call it layers of security,” said Candysee Miller, executive director of the Insurance Information Network of California.

“Don't leave car keys in the ignition or the engine running while you run into Starbucks. I see that all the time.”

Many businesses have beefed up security and surveillance in parking lots.

California led the nation in auto thefts in 2004, the last year in which complete statistics were available. San Diego ranked eighth among major U.S. cities, with nearly 13,000, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

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Joe Hughes: (619) 542-4591; joe.hughes@uniontrib.com