Authorities state a minimum of 15 individuals have been apprehended in the theft of roughly 40 cars from a Torrance dealership.
As per Torrance and Redondo Beach cops, over a period of numerous weeks, several cars were stolen from a previous Costco parking lot that is used as overflow storage for Nissan and Infiniti of South Bay. The stolen cars were then utilized for other criminal activities, police stated.
Barry Wishengrad, managing partner for Nissan and Infiniti of South Bay, informed KCAL9 Monday that investigators informed him a few of the stolen vehicles were used in a police chase in which 2 alleged gang members were arrested. Guns and drugs were discovered in the car.
“They obviously informed other gangs about, as they called it, ‘easy pickings,'” Wishengrad stated. “And next thing we understood, we had other gangs attempting to steal the vehicles.”
The lot has about 500 cars. Starting about 6 weeks earlier, gang members of the car theft ring gradually stole lots of them.
“I have been in this market for 30-some-odd years, I’ve had an automobile or more stolen, never to this level or this degree,” Wishengrad stated.
Cops stated the gang members got into lockboxes, took vehicle keys and simply drove away. A minimum of 15 individuals have been detained and 25 cars have been recovered in connection with the thefts. Some taken automobile were untouched and can be resold, authorities stated. Others had been stripped down for parts.
Burglars even targeted one automobile that was parked straight in front of a dealership.
“Every vehicle is now geared up with a tracking device,” Wishengrad stated. “When the cars move, we’ll discover you. Do not take my cars.”
There will likewise be armed security on the lot, together with a weekly inventory to make sure no more automobiles vanish.
