Police in Gilbert and Mesa say a 19-year-old is at the center of a polished luxury-car theft ring that quietly worked the East Valley, targeting pricey, keyless vehicles and leaving push-button-start owners on edge across metro Phoenix.
Police Identify Suspect
Investigators have identified Lorenzo Mangiamele as the suspect and, citing court documents, accuse him of coordinating the theft of multiple high-end vehicles, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. The station shared video breaking down the filings and outlining what detectives say they uncovered about the operation. Gilbert and Mesa police have not yet released a full list of the vehicles involved or the specific charges tied to the case.
Valleywide Pattern And Recent Busts
This is hardly the first time the Phoenix area has seen a high-dollar auto theft crew taken apart. In a separate case, court filings described suspects who allegedly stole 20 trucks around the Valley and moved them toward the southern border, ABC15 reported. Prosecutors in other investigations have pointed to networks that recruit drivers, swap vehicle identities and route the profits through layered financial channels, underscoring how these operations can hop city lines and pull in multiple agencies.
How Rings Operate and What Owners Should Do
According to state investigators and Arizona’s Family, some rings move stolen vehicles into Arizona to change VINs or strip cars for parts before selling them off. Law enforcement advisories urge owners to update vehicle software, use steering-wheel locks and add tracking devices, precautions that state and local agencies have stressed after recent busts, per reporting by FOX 10 Phoenix. Officials say those extra layers are especially important for vehicles with passive keyless entry, which thieves often target using signal-boosting gadgets or cloned keys…