They also recovered 15 stolen vehicles…
Back on November 9 the Puget Sound Auto Theft Task Force scored a victory by arresting 5 people and recovering 15 stolen cars. The multi-agency theft patrol made the bust in the Fife area, which is located by Tacoma. Working in coordinated fashion, they descended on the area and scooped up the vehicles and suspects, hopefully putting a dent into car theft and other crimes in the area.
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By far the most interesting vehicle recovered is a 4th-gen Camaro rolling hard on huge wheels and low-profile tires. The questionable choices didn’t stop there, as police say they found hundreds of pills they suspect are fentanyl inside along with $6,800 in cash. They also determined a false VIN plate was installed and before long determined the real VIN and where the Chevy was stolen. A 28-year-old male suspect who somehow was attached to the car, they don’t say if he was inside while it was parked at a motel, was arrested thanks to having warrants for felony assault and firearms.
Most of the other vehicles are rather boring Kias, Honda CR-Vs, etc. although a semi-trailer was involved in the sweep. Were these guys running a Fast and Furious-type operation? We don’t really know but it sure makes us curious.
The task force shared some common-sense tips for decreasing the likelihood your car will be stolen, like locking it up, not leaving valuables inside, installing anti-theft devices, and not leaving it idling while unattended. Sadly, people need the reminders.
Involved in the bust were the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Fife Police Department, Edgewood Police Department, and Puyallup Tribal Police. The task force targets “prolific auto theft offenders” who might be in King and Pierce Counties. We hope they nab more suspects and continue throttling car theft operations in the area soon.
Images via Puget Sound Auto Theft Task Force
