Plano police issued a Public Safety Alert on Tuesday warning residents of increasingly bold and violent car thefts across the area.
At any given moment, a tow yard in the city of Plano stores several stolen vehicles recovered by Plano police.
“Nationally vehicle crimes are on the rise, Plano is no different, we’re not immune,” said Plano Police Officer Jennifer Chapman. “What is concerning is that they are increasingly becoming more dangerous. The suspects are armed with guns and they are being a lot more bold.”
In September, the city registered a 27% increase in car thefts, including incidents at gunpoint.
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Instead of targeting pickup trucks like they typically do, PPD detectives say criminals are now on the lookout for high-powered performance cars including Chevrolet Camaros and Corvettes as well as Dodge Chargers and Challengers.
Police say the owner of a Corvette in Plano interrupted thieves on Sunday and one suspect pulled out a gun. The department did not provide additional details given the ongoing investigation.
“We want the public to know these people are dangerous,” said Chapman. “They should not approach [suspects]. They should call 911 and let us know.”
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It’s unclear whether the spike is linked to organized criminal activity, but Chapman says these cars are not typically used for ‘joy rides’ but rather for their parts or to sell them to unsuspecting victims.
Plano detectives vow to keep nabbing suspects and point to recent busts, including the arrest of Mustafa Najem.
He is accused of stealing millions of dollars worth of high-performance cars, according to Chapman.
Detectives tracked him down in Richardson in late August, in a stolen Charger and armed with a pistol.
“Officers were able to pin the vehicle and he rammed our vehicle several times. He assaulted one of our officers and he was taken into custody with over $24,000 in cash,” said Chapman. “It’s not only a fast ride, it’s big business for some of these suspects.”
While police urge car owners not to confront thieves, they recommend you add devices that can help prevent or track down your vehicle, should it be stolen.
‘In order to combat vehicle thefts due to manipulating the on-board computer and reprogramming a new key, you can purchase online an OBD port lock device,’ said Plano Police on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/PlanoTexasPoliceDepartment
"Consider installing an aftermarket GPS device in your vehicle that is well hidden. Suspects know how to defeat factory-installed GPS devices; however, GPS devices they don’t know about will increase the odds of your vehicle being recovered."
