Grapevine police stop $1.6 million North Texas car theft ring, officials say
Grapevine police recently thwarted a North Texas car theft ring that was operating across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, officials say.
The Grapevine Police Department announced on Thursday the arrest of five suspects in connection with the thefts of vehicle worth an estimated $1.6 million. Investigators also seized a large amount of cash and stolen guns, police said in a news release.
Jose Angel Rodriguez Granados, Myles Guidry, Shayla She Ree Edwards, Diego Rodriguez and Perla Rodriguez each face charges of engaging in organized criminal activity and property theft over $300,000. The Irving Police Department SWAT team and Denton County assisted in the arrests.
The charges stem from a five-month investigation by the department that started with a report of a stolen car from Embassy Suites. Patrol officers who responded to the call used traffic cameras to track the car.
Police said during the investigation, they found that license plates had been switched and later linked the stolen plates to other vehicles stolen around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Investigators also recovered thousands of vehicle parts they say are linked to more than 30 stolen cars and recovered Vehicle Identification Number-swapped vehicles and a car that wasn’t reported stolen that police suspect was being used to help steal more cars.