Two men are facing multiple grand-theft-of-a-vehicle charges after Miami-Dade investigators say they ran a high-tech theft operation that targeted some of the priciest cars on the road, including Cadillac Escalades worth well over $100,000 apiece and a Chevrolet Corvette valued at $160,000. Deputies say the scheme relied on signal jammers, reprogrammed keys and devices built to start and drive off in vehicles without ever touching a factory key.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, investigators documented 21 separate incidents of grand theft or attempted grand theft of motor vehicles between Aug. 19 and Sept. 13, and the two men face charges in connection with the scheme, as reported by NBC 6 South Florida. Investigators say the thieves mostly went after high-end General Motors models, with Escalades and Corvettes appearing repeatedly in the case files. Detectives suspect the crew used signal-jamming devices to disrupt surveillance cameras and GPS trackers, paired with reprogrammed keys and other equipment to start and operate the stolen vehicles.
A Crash, a Chase and a Trunk Full of Evidence
The case broke open on Sept. 26, when 23-year-old Alexis Jose Ruiz was taken into custody after fleeing from authorities and crashing a stolen BMW, the station’s report states. Inside that BMW, according to arrest reports, investigators found a signal-jamming device, a wireless scanner, face masks, a GM blank key fob and a collection of other uncut key fobs — items arrest reports describe as consistent with vehicle thefts.
Per the same account, surveillance video allegedly showed Ruiz participating in multiple vehicle thefts, while cell phone records placed him at or near the scene of at least three separate incidents. A stolen Escalade was recovered at Ruiz’s home, and investigators say that vehicle had its vehicle identification number removed. A second Escalade turned up abandoned, stripped of its license plate.
Second Suspect Arrested Wednesday
Roe Daymel Banos, 20, was arrested Wednesday and now joins Ruiz in facing multiple grand-theft-of-a-vehicle charges, according to the sheriff’s office. Among the vehicles cited in the case, an Escalade was valued at $115,000, while a second Escalade and a Corvette — both reportedly stolen from the same owner on Sept. 8 — were valued at $145,000 and $160,000 respectively.
Part of a Broader Spike in High-End Car Theft
The arrests land amid a documented rise in vehicle theft across South Florida. Vehicle theft is up 23 percent over five years in the city of Miami, according to CBS Miami. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office has reported an increase of 16 percent over two years, and Hollywood says the number of stolen cars was up nearly 22 percent over four years, the outlet notes. Thieves in the region have been known to scout high-end models including Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini and Ferrari, in addition to GM’s luxury lineup…