Operation High End Busts Auto Theft Ring In Los Angeles
I hate to sound negative, but shouldn’t a 4 year, hundred officer, multiple agency car theft investigation yield more than 12 arrests over 21 stolen cars? Apparently, agents from the California Highway Patrol, Department of Insurance, Los Angeles Police Department and the Franchise Tax Board investigated a ring of people who falsified financial information to steal new cars from cars 18 different car dealers.
The suspects then (allegedly) sold the cars or staged auto accidents with the stolen vehicles. The accident claims were then submitted to various insurance carriers in the hopes of getting paid for the value of the crashed cars and, in some cases for injury claims.
12 people were arrested after the four year investigation and several others are arranging to surrender to law enforcement or are being sought by police.
Thefts of this nature are historically referred to as “false pretenses“. The buyer approaches the dealer with false financial information and or a false payment method such as a stolen or forged check or a fake credit card. The financial information is real, but it is information taken from another person. By the time the auto dealer realizes the information is stolen, the buyer is long gone with the stolen vehicle.
The parties then get together and stage a car crash. If the two people in the crash are both in on the scam, it makes it much easier to keep the facts straight. The claims are submitted to the respective insurance carriers and the claims get paid without the insurance carrier realizing they have been duped by the parties.
In this case, police dubbed the investigation: “Operation High End” based upon the high ticket price of the stolen vehicles, many of which were Mercedes or Audi brand cars.
If you or someone you care about has been arrested or is wanted by the law, call me, Attorney Jeffrey Vallens (888) 764-4340 or (818) 783-5700 for a free confidential consultation about how to handle your individual case.
Remember, not all lawyers are built the same. Call a high end lawyer for a high end operation.