The Brief
- A total of six non-U.S. citizens face charges in what state investigators call “a very large theft ring” involving dozens of vehicles.
- Officials said the suspects stole up to 80 cars, most of which were rentals, and sold them for cash.
- Five suspects have been caught while a sixth, Inti Gomez Alonso, remains on the run.
TAMPA, Fla. – Five people have been arrested, and a sixth is on the run, after investigators say they stole as many as 80 cars – most of which were rentals – in Florida and sold them for cash.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, along with Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Florida Highway Patrol officials, gave details about the years-long investigation at a news conference in Tampa on Thursday morning.
Years-long car theft investigation
The backstory:
State authorities said the investigation dates back to June 2022 when investigators in the Fort Myers area noticed a rash of rental vehicles being stolen from airports.…