Pair jailed in thefts of 14 vehicles at North Texas car dealerships
They checked out expensive cars such as a Lexus or Infiniti at dealerships throughout North Texas and then took them, according to police.
For a day or two, they’d cruise the streets and highways, showing off their sleek stolen rides.
When they thought police might be getting close, they’d trade the car for drugs and start looking to steal a new one, police said Thursday.
But police have put the brakes on what they say was a high-dollar auto-theft ring, arresting and accusing two men of breaking into auto dealerships and taking vehicles with a total value of more than $350,000.
Investigators believe the men hit 13 dealerships in Tarrant and Dallas counties since January.
The announcement of the arrests was made Thursday morning at Grubbs Infiniti in Euless, one of the dealerships hit by burglars.
Members of the Tarrant Regional Auto Crimes Task Force arrested Justin White, 24, of Fort Worth on Tuesday.
This month, authorities arrested Jonathan Hunter, 22, of Haltom City. The two were in the Tarrant County Jail on Thursday on suspicion of theft of $100,000 to $200,000.
White’s bail is $150,000. Hunter’s is $50,000 on the theft charge, but he is being held without bail on a parole violation.
Hunter was on parole for auto theft, police said.
They are accused of breaking into dealerships, stealing keys and then driving off with new cars.
“Many times thieves will just strip a car down and sell the parts, but that wasn’t happening here,” said George R. Grubbs III, executive manager at Grubbs Infiniti, which was hit this month.
Police reported that 12 cars, two motorcycles and other property had been stolen from dealerships in seven cities.
“They would drive them until they became too hot and then trade them in for dope,” said Janet Rodgers, a spokeswoman for the task force.
The task force is a multiagency organization funded by the Texas Auto Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority.
Rodgers said surveillance video from dealerships provided leads for task force members.
Tags: Auto, auto deal, auto dealers, auto dealerships, burglary, car dealer, Car Dealers, car dealerships, cars, Geo, Infiniti, Lexus, New Car, new cars, roper, spokeswoman
