An indictment charges six in a sophisticated theft ring that shipped stolen vehicles to countries as far as Africa, according to an announcement by the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia.
According to the indictment, at least 20 cars in the Washington metropolitan area and Pennsylvania were stolen and transported across state lines, then sold to buyers in the United States and the African nation of Ghana.
Law enforcement said it continues to investigate the defendants involved in relation to the theft of more than 100 vehicles in the District of Columbia and more than 30 vehicles in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Prosecutors said one of the defendants is still at large.
The indictment follows a year-long investigation into the alleged D.C.-based auto theft ring that carried out vehicle thefts using electronic devices in order to reprogram cars to accept previously blank key fobs. 
The vehicles targeted – primarily recently manufactured Honda Civics and CRVs and Acura TLXs and RDXs – were allegedly stolen and then transported to storage locations that included a parking garage in Southeast Washington D.C. At the garage, co-conspirators allegedly disguised the appearances of the stolen cars by swapping license plates and obscuring Vehicle Identification Numbers, according to the U.S. district attorney.
Before transporting the vehicles, the defendants disabled the stolen vehicles’ GPS and Bluetooth capabilities to inhibit detection, the indictment alleges.
All six are charged with conspiracy to possess, sell, and transport stolen motor vehicles.
The indictment is merely a formal charge and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty
The case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Criminal Investigations Unit, and the FBI Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department.
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