A group of car thieves posed as clients in order to take benefit of a Fort Lauderdale car dealership.
The dealership still has yet to get one of the three cars back which was stolen early Thursday morning, but after finding out how the suspects were able to start the cars, officials say they will be making some changes with how they conduct business.
Surveillance cameras showed three cars drove off from Drive On Autos in Hollywood just after 1 a.m. Thursday.
In the video, one can see one of the suspects on the ground slashing the fence while another man walks along State Road 7 as a lookout.
“They put the fence down and then they started moving the cars,” stated Vinny Garcia, financial manager for Drive On Autos.
Garcia said two of the three cars had been recovered through a GPS system; a Dodge Charger and a Toyota SUV.
But when it concerns a white Dodge Challenger, the GPS system brought them to a home located in Fort Lauderdale.
“The guy opened the garage. There is a Dodge there, but it is a Charger,” stated Garcia.
Not the white Challenger that was stolen, stumping workers who were also still trying to understand how the suspects were able to switch the cars on.
“They changed the key so that is why it is so easy for them,” Garcia said.
Surveillance video taken Wednesday revealed a group checking out all three cars that were stolen. A sales associate opens the car, leaving the key with who he assumed was a potential consumer.
Workers said the suspects were able to steal these cars by bringing a key similar to the car they planned to steal.
Previously in the day when they previewed those vehicles, they would make the switch, come back later that night, and just turn on the vehicle.
Garcia said he prompts sales associates not to hand over keys to the consumer unless they’re accompanied by a worker.
