Car theft impacts vehicle owners all over the world. Additionally, it’s a crime with wide-reaching impacts that impede public safety. This is why it carries severe punishment for the individuals involved. Notably, four people were recently sentenced to prison time for their role in a multi-state luxury automobile theft ring that saw numerous vehicles go missing from car showrooms. 

This car theft ring had several moving parts and several victims 

According to WSO  TV, The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina recently announced that four people had been arrested for car theft. However, this isn’t just any instance of theft. This is the result of a sting operation called SCARLET from 2023. Notably, this operation involved multiple agencies from 12 different states. It involved 132 missing luxury cars, with a total value of $11 million. 

The people involved in car theft used multiple tactics to take vehicles from dealerships. These methods include posing as customs at the car showrooms, switching out key fobs, and using the “smash and grab” technique. There were also several situations where they took multiple luxury cars at once. They avoided being caught by removing the GPS systems, using fake car tags, and changing VINs. Ultimately, these people sold the vehicles for less than they were worth. 

Following the car theft ring, the four people pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport, possess, and sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce. Now, Dewanne Lamar White, 44, has 108 months in prison. He also has three years of supervised release. Kevin Ja’Coryen James Fields, 28, has 96 months and the same amount of time of supervised release as Dewanne. Reginald Eugene Hill, 25, has 60 months in prison and two years of supervised release. The fourth person, Garyka Vaughn Bost, 26, was sentenced to 12 months and a day. This person also has two years of supervised release.