Consumers and law enforcement agencies are hoping to curb the growing trend of vehicle theft. A new report released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to identifying, investigating, preventing, and deterring insurance fraud and crime, shows another record-breaking year for vehicle thefts in 2023. Last year, more than one million vehicles were reported stolen and overall vehicle thefts increased about one percent nationwide from 1,008,756 in 2022 to 1,020,729 in 2023.

Vehicle theft rates have risen steadily since 2019. California accounted for the highest number of vehicle thefts nationwide in 2023 with 208,668 vehicles reported stolen. The District of Columbia had the highest theft rate across the nation in 2023 with 1,149.71 thefts per 100,000 people, which is over three times the national theft rate.

Key findings from the NICB report include Vehicle Theft Hotspots. While some regions witnessed a decline in vehicle theft rates, others experienced a notable uptick. Urban centers and densely populated areas remained hotspots for auto theft, with metropolitan regions such as the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area reporting increased incidents compared to suburban or rural areas. The District of Columbia and Maryland each saw a drastic rise in thefts in 2023, with theft percentage increases of 64% and 63%, respectively.

The top ten states by volume have remained consistent in each quarter in 2023. After California, Texas and Florida were ranked the second and third in thefts by volume with 115,013 and 46,213 stolen vehicles reported, respectively.

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn announced that 21-year-old Richard E. Lucas III of Cheektowaga pleaded guilty to numerous felony charges in eight separate criminal cases. The defendant, who has been a suspect in numerous high-end vehicle thefts throughout Erie County, pleaded guilty to all counts in two indictments as well as additional charges in six other crimes involving stolen vehicles.

He admitted to stealing a 2022 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, a 2021 Dodge Challenger Hellcat, a 2022 BMW M8 Gran Coupe Competition, a 2022 Mercedes-Benz G-Class AMG, a Corvette and other vehicles from various area dealerships.

Lucas faces a maximum of 15 years in prison when he is sentenced as a second felony offender on April 19. He remains held without bail. 

A California law targeting catalytic converter theft went into effect Jan. 1 of the new year.

Specifically, Assembly Bill 641 allows law enforcement to charge thieves with illegal automobile dismantling when they are caught with nine or more stolen cut catalytic converters. Unlicensed vehicle dismantling is a misdemeanor with fines ranging from $250 up to $1,000 per offense.

Assembly Bill 641 cracks down on rampant catalytic converter theft and unlicensed dismantling by closing a loophole that prevents charging thieves found in possession of multiple detached converters with a crime.

Under AB 641, individuals and businesses with a legitimate purpose for possessing catalytic converters, such as a motor vehicle repair business, will remain exempt from registering as an automobile dismantler.

The president of the California Police Chiefs Association, Chief Alexander Gammelgard, stated, “It is often difficult for law enforcement to prove a crime has occurred when we find individuals with multiple detached catalytic converters, which is why AB 641 is so important. With this new law going into effect, law enforcement will have a critical tool towards proving a crime has occurred in order to successfully combat the rampant theft of these parts.”

U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Edward Scott Rock, 47, of Philadelphia, Pa., was arrested and indicted on charges of mail and wire fraud for conducting a non-delivery sales scheme in which Rock accepted payment for, but failed to deliver, automobiles to approximately 120 purchasers.     

The indictment alleges that between 2019 and 2023, Rock obtained used vehicles from automobile auctions, and then listed and advertised them for sale on the Internet. The majority of vehicles sold by Rock to victims were accessible vehicles equipped for wheelchair-users or people with disabilities. Despite signing bills of sale for the vehicles, and accepting payment, Rock allegedly did not deliver the vehicles as agreed upon. In total, Rock defrauded approximately 120 victims across 36 states, and caused losses exceeding $2.5 million. Approximately two-thirds of Rock’s victims were persons with a physical or mobility disability, persons over the age of 65, or businesses which provided transportation services to those populations.  

On several occasions, Rock allegedly sold the same vehicle to multiple customers. After agreeing to sale terms and accepting payment from a customer for a particular vehicle, Rock continued to list, sell, and accept payment for that same vehicle again, this time from a new victim-purchaser. In one instance, Rock agreed to sell a wheelchair-accessible 2017 Ford T150 van to 13 different buyers over an 11-month period between February 2022 and January 2023. Despite allegedly accepting 13 payments from 13 different buyers and collecting over $260,000 all for the same vehicle, Rock only delivered the vehicle to one buyer (albeit without proper title). Rock failed to deliver the vehicle to the other 12 victims, who had all also purchased and paid for the vehicle.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 170 years’ imprisonment, a 5-year period of supervised release, a $2,750,000 fine, and restitution and forfeiture.

A routine stop by Florida High Patrol led to the arrest of a former car dealer for theft of two Escalades.

Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Troopers conducted a traffic stop for excessive speed and a tag violation on a 2018 Cadillac Escalade.

The driver, Yajaira Martinez, 39, of Riverview, Florida, advised Troopers that she had no paperwork for the vehicle, and it had dealer plates attached. The vehicle identification number (VIN) on the front windshield did not appear professional and appeared to have been tampered with. After requesting to check the vehicle’s secondary VIN, it appeared to have been tampered with.

The dealer tag was checked and returned not assigned to the vehicle it was attached to. The VIN indicated it was assigned to a 2020 Cadillac Escalade, although the vehicle that Troopers had stopped was a 2018 Escalade. Both VIN decals had been swapped from the factory issue (2018 Cadillac Escalade) to reflect a 2020 Cadillac Escalade. A comparison of both VINs and the attached tag confirmed that the stopped vehicle was stolen from Pennsylvania.

After the driver consented to a search of the vehicle, materials that belonged to the original vehicle (2018 Cadillac) were found within it. Ms. Martinez then advised Troopers that she owned a car dealership in Tampa that had recently closed called Champa Bay Auto Brokers, first licensed in April 2022, and closed in April 2023.

Troopers continued their investigation by responding to the vicinity of the dealership, where they located a 2022 Cadillac Escalade that was confirmed to have been stolen from Clearwater, Fla., in June 2023 and had been “re-vinned.”

The driver, Yajaira Martinez was arrested and transported to Hernando County Jail on the following charges:

• Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle-1 count (Felony)
• Possess Vehicle with Altered Numbers-1 count (Felony) 

This investigation remains active and ongoing. Additional information is not available at this time.