Holiday alert: $5 million worth of cars stolen from airport, report says

An organized theft ring with at least 14 members across the country has been charged with stealing nearly $5 million worth of vehicles from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport between 2023 and November 2024, according to a search warrant obtained by local news.

“Approximately 14 suspects have been identified…the suspects in this group stole approximately 52 cars from DFW, causing a total of $4.9 million in damage,” officials said in an affidavit obtained NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.

DFW Airport told Fox News Digital in a statement that “airport police recently made significant arrests that disrupted organized crime chains and greatly reduced reported car thefts in DFW.”

“In 2023, there were a total of 142 vehicle thefts reported in DFW’s terminal areas. Through November 2024, only 60 cars were reported stolen, a nearly 58% year-over-year decrease,” said a DFW Airport spokesperson. . in the statement. “Police generally see thieves targeting high-end cars and luxury SUVs. As has been widely reported, car theft is an unfortunate national problem facing airports and other public facilities across the country.”

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The number of auto thefts at DFW last year is low compared to the 3.4 million vehicles parked at the airport each year, a DFW spokesman added.

“While a member of the US Army Special Forces Green Berets, I saw organized theft rings use many of the same tactics as transnational criminal networks or terrorist cells,” Eric Brown, founder and CEO of Imperio Consulting and a 24-year veteran Green Beret director and expert for security, he told Fox News Digital. “They look for easy targets, focusing on lax safety measures and predictable routines. It’s crucial for passengers to avoid making your vehicle an easy target.”

“Park in a well-lit area, lock your doors, remove valuables or keep them out of sight and make sure your alarm or tracking system is active.”

—Eric Brown

The ring allegedly targeted airports across the Westincluding Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada.

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Alleged ringleader Yoel Hernandez-Frometa, 37, used “Autel devices,” which are auto diagnostic tools, “to reprogram key fobs so he could steal vehicles,” according to the affidavit, NBC 5 reports.

Gene Petrino, co-owner of Survival Response LLC and a retired SWAT commander, told Fox News Digital that it is common for organized theft groups to use Autel’s tools “to reprogram key fobs and bypass modern security systems.” They often target “vehicles based on their market demand or resale value,” he added.

“These devices, designed for legitimate locksmiths and mechanics, can be misused to mimic or reset vehicle keys,” Petrino said.

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Hernandez-Frometa and two others, including 30-year-old Jose Alejandro Pavon-Estopian and 29-year-old Vainer Pinollotor, were arrested in Salt Lake City, Utah, in July on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, fleeing in vehicles, failure to stop on command of the police, and possession of a breaking tool.

The three suspects were allegedly caught looking at vehicles at the Salt Lake City airport, and when police caught up with them and attempted a traffic stop, they fled.

Authorities eventually located and detained the suspects with the help of multiple law enforcement departments. During the investigation, they found one of the suspect’s backpacks that was “full of empty car key fobs.”

Officers also found key cards for a nearby motel and obtained a search warrant for the motel. With the help of Salt Lake City Police Department As SWAT teams cleared the suspects’ room, officers “found more evidence of a coordinated stolen car operation,” including “a laptop computer, other hardware used to communicate electronic signals, and a device used to program key fobs inside the stolen car the suspects fled from “, said the police at the time.

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The Salt Lake City Police Department noted that the three men had no ties to the city.

It is unclear if any of the additional 11 suspects involved in the theft ring have been arrested.

“These groups often divide tasks between different teams. One team scouts parking lots, notes expensive vehicles and passes that information on to thieves. A special group processes fraudulent paperwork and arranges storage or resale. This setup makes them flexible and difficult to track,” Brown explained. .

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Petrino similarly said members of the theft ring “have specific roles: some do reconnaissance, others handle the technical aspects of reprogramming, and still others handle the transportation and resale of stolen vehicles.”

They also operate “in multiple jurisdictions,” Petrino explained, “making them more difficult to track and prosecute.”

Since these organized thieves operate across national borders, expert coordination between law enforcement agencies is needed to track down the suspects, he added. On top of that, police departments “often lack the resources to devote to complex, multi-state investigations, particularly if the thefts are part of a larger criminal enterprise,” Petrino said.

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Brown similarly explained that local, state and federal authorities must join forces to combat these stealth groups, such as targeting larger threats.

“This collaboration helps tie all the pieces together and disrupt the entire theft network. It’s not an easy task, but with persistent teamwork and resource sharing, police can weaken these rings and protect travelers,” said the former Green Beret.

The case is under investigation. FBI Dallas Field Office is aware of the theft ring and is assisting the DFW Air Force Base in their investigation, the office told Fox News Digital.