Connect with us

Southwest

Holiday travel warning: $5M worth of cars stolen from major US airport by organized theft ring, report says

Published

on

Holiday travel warning: M worth of cars stolen from major US airport by organized theft ring, report says

Join Fox News for access to this content

Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Having trouble? Click here.

An organized theft ring with at least 14 members nationwide is accused of stealing nearly $5 million worth of vehicles from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport between 2023 and November 2024, according to a search warrant obtained by local news.

“Approximately 14 suspects have been identified…the suspects in this group have stolen approximately 52 cars from DFW, for a total loss of $4.9 million,” officials said in the affidavit obtained by NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.

Advertisement

The DFW Airport told Fox News Digital in a statement that “airport police have recently made significant arrests that have disrupted organized crime rings and greatly reduced reported car thefts at DFW.”

“In 2023 there were a total of 142 vehicle thefts reported in the terminal areas at DFW. Through November 2024 there were only 60 cars reported stolen, which is a reduction of nearly 58% year-over-year,” a DFW Airport spokesperson said in a statement. “Police are generally seeing thieves target high-end muscle cars and luxury SUVs. As has been reported extensively, auto theft is an unfortunate national issue that airports and other public facilities across the country are confronting.”

AVIATION EXPERT CASTS DOUBT ON BIRD STRIKE THEORY IN DEADLY SOUTH KOREAN PLANE CRASH: ‘DOESN’T MAKE SENSE’

Travelers wait to go through security at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, US, on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipated screening 40 million passengers this holiday season.  (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)

The number of car thefts over the last year at DFW is low compared to the 3.4 million vehicles that are parked at the airport every year, the DFW spokesperson added.

Advertisement

“From my time as a U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret, I’ve seen that organized theft rings use many of the same tactics as transnational crime networks or terrorist cells,” Eric Brown, founder and CEO of Imperio Consulting and a 24-year Green Beret veteran and security expert, told Fox News Digital. “They look for easy targets, focusing on weak security measures and predictable routines. The key for travelers is to avoid making your vehicle a soft target.”

“Park in a well-lit spot, lock your doors, remove valuables or keep them out of sight, and make sure any alarm or tracking system is active.”

— Eric Brown

The ring has allegedly targeted airports across the West, including Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Nevada.

AMERICANS TARGETED BY BRUTAL CRIMES ON VACATION IN 2024

A traveler holds a cat in a carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024

A traveler holds a cat in a carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg)

Alleged ring leader Yoel Hernandez-Frometa, 37, used “Autel devices,” which are auto diagnostic tools, “to reprogram key fobs so he can steal vehicles,” the affidavit said, according to NBC 5.

Advertisement

Gene Petrino, co-owner of Survival Response LLC and a retired SWAT commander, told Fox News Digital that it’s common for organized theft rings to use Autel tools “to reprogram key fobs and bypass modern security systems.” They often target “vehicles based on their market demand or resale value,” he added.

“These devices, designed for legitimate locksmiths and mechanics, can be misused to mimic or reset vehicle keys,” Petrino said.

CALIFORNIA WOMAN SHOT DEAD IN MEXICAN RESORT TOWN POPULAR WITH AMERICANS

Hernandez-Frometa and two others, including 30-year-old Jose Alejandro Pavon-Estopian and 29-year-old Vainer Pinollotoro, were arrested in Salt Lake City, Utah, in July on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, fleeing in a vehicle, failing to stop at the command of police, and possession of burglary tools.

The three suspects were allegedly caught looking into vehicles at the Salt Lake City airport, and when police caught up with them and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, they fled.

Advertisement
Travelers at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, US, on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.

Travelers at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, US, on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipated screening 40 million passengers this holiday season.  (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)

Authorities eventually located and detained the suspects with help from multiple law enforcement divisions. During their investigation, they recovered one of the suspect’s backpacks, which was “full of blank car key fobs.”

Officers also found keycards to a nearby motel and obtained a search warrant for the motel. With help from the Salt Lake City Police Department’s SWAT team clearing the suspects’ room, officers “found more evidence of a coordinated stolen car operation,” including a “laptop, other hardware used to communicate electronic signals, and a device used to program key fobs inside the stolen car the suspects bailed from,” police said at the time.

CARJACKINGS SPIKE IN SWING STATE AS CAR THEFTS RISE 38%, JUVENILE SUSPECTS INCREASE 127%: INVESTIGATORS

The Salt Lake City Police Department noted that the three men had no ties to the city.

Los Angeles, California - April 9, 2024: Iberia Airlines plane soaring over the LAX Parking lot, set against the backdrop of a clear blue sky on a sunny day.

An Iberia Airlines plane soars over the parking lot at Los Angeles International Airport. (iStock)

It is unclear if any of the additional 11 suspects involved in the theft ring have been arrested.

Advertisement

“These groups often divide tasks among different teams. One crew scouts parking lots, noting high-value vehicles and passing that intel to the thieves. A separate group handles fake paperwork and arranges storage or resale. This setup keeps them flexible and difficult to track,” Brown explained.

FBI RELEASES PHOTO OF SUSPECT WANTED IN AGENT VEHICLE CARJACKING

Petrino similarly said members of a theft ring “have specific roles: some handle scouting, others manage the technical aspects of reprogramming, and others handle transportation and resale of stolen vehicles.”

They also operate “in multiple jurisdictions,” Petrino explained, “making them harder to track and prosecute.”

cars parking lot california

Aerial view of vehicles at a parking lot on Aug. 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. ( Qian Weizhong/VCG via)

Because these organized theft rings operate across state lines, expert coordination is needed among law enforcement entities to track down suspects, he added. On top of that, police departments “often lack the resources to dedicate to complex, multi-state investigations, especially if the thefts are part of a larger criminal enterprise,” Petrino said.

Advertisement

Brown similarly explained that to combat these theft rings, like targeting bigger threats, local, state and federal authorities need to join forces.

“This collaboration helps tie all the pieces together and disrupt the entire theft network. It’s not an easy task, but with persistent teamwork and resource sharing, law enforcement can weaken these rings and protect travelers,” the former Green Beret said.

The case is under investigation. The FBI’s Dallas Field Office is aware of the theft ring and is assisting DFW Airport Police with their investigation, the Bureau told Fox News Digital.

Read the full article from Here

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Southwest

Suspected Austin Metcalf killer allowed to graduate from high school despite murder charge: report

Published

on

Suspected Austin Metcalf killer allowed to graduate from high school despite murder charge: report

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

The teenager suspected of killing high school track star Austin Metcalf will be allowed to graduate from his Frisco, Texas, high school despite being charged with first-degree murder, according to a report. 

Karmelo Anthony will graduate from Centennial High School, part of the Frisco Independent School District, according to WFAA. Students from that high school are set to graduate on May 22. 

Anthony will not be part of the graduation ceremony, according to the report. 

“We are proud to share that Karmelo Anthony will graduate and receive his high school diploma, and that his academic achievements will not be disrupted,” Next Generation Action Network (NGAN) President Dominique Alexander, a spokesman for Anthony’s family, reportedly said. 

Advertisement

Karmelo Anthony, left, is charged with murdering Austin Metcalf, right. (FOX 4/Jeff Metcalf)

“NGAN has worked diligently alongside the Anthony family’s legal team to bring about this fair and student-focused resolution,” he said. “This is a moment of dignity for Karmelo and a reminder of the power of advocacy done right.”

SUSPECT IN AUSTIN METCALF KILLING MOVED TO ‘UNDISCLOSED LOCATION’ FOR PROTECTION: FAMILY SPOKESMAN

Frisco ISD Superintendent Mike Waldrip addressed what he said were false rumors that Anthony would be able to attend the graduation ceremony. 

“Frisco ISD has learned that misinformation is being shared regarding Centennial High School’s graduation via several media outlets and perpetuated through social media,” he told WFAA. “It is disheartening that the incredible accomplishments and achievements of our Centennial seniors may be dampened by needless fearmongering, attention-seeking and media vitriol. Our students, staff and community deserve better.

Advertisement

“I want to be clear. No student who commits a serious criminal offense (Title V felony) is permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony. Additionally, anyone who trespasses on Frisco ISD property or at a District event will be subject to immediate removal and possible arrest by law enforcement,” he said, adding that the school district does not condone violence. 

Austin Metcalf, killed at track meet in Texas

File photo of Austin Metcalf, a junior at Memorial High School in Frisco, who was stabbed in the chest, allegedly by 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, a student-athlete from Frisco Centennial High School. (Courtesy Jeff Metcalf)

“We work to ensure every student is safe to learn and feels part of our culture of respect, honor and integrity,” he said. 

“Let’s come together as a community to honor and support our students and staff. This moment is about their success, and they deserve our full attention and encouragement. Congratulations to the Centennial Class of 2025!”

Anthony, now 18, is accused of stabbing and killing Metcalf over a dispute regarding Anthony’s presence in the Memorial High School tent at the April 2 track meet. 

ACCUSED AUSTIN METCALF KILLER WON’T FACE DEATH PENALTY OR LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE: DA

Advertisement

He and his supporters claim that he acted in self-defense, and that Metcalf pushed him out of the tent. 

That claim is tenuous, according to Julie Rendelman, a former homicide prosecutor from New York who now runs a private criminal defense firm.

Austin Metcalf, killed at track meet in Texas

File photo of Jeff Metcalf with his son, Austin Metcalf, a junior at Memorial High School in Frisco, who was stabbed in the chest allegedly by 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, a student-athlete from Frisco Centennial High School. (Courtesy Jeff Metcalf)

“If the evidence is what it is right now, I think he’s going to have an uphill battle claiming self-defense,” she previously told Fox News Digital. “If the scenario is… that the victim told [Anthony] to leave, and then in some way physically touched him without more, then I’m not comfortable – I don’t believe that a self-defense claim will work.”

Meanwhile, Alexander has compared Anthony to figures like Kyle Rittenhouse and Daniel Penny, who have won self-defense cases in criminal court. 

“Nobody in the public media has one video, but we got the video of Kyle Rittenhouse with an AK-47 shooting three people in the back,” he said in a chaotic April 17 news conference before which Jeff Metcalf, Austin’s father, was escorted off the property. “We got that, and he raised more than $2 million publicly, and nobody said anything about that.”

Advertisement

TEXAS TRACK MEET STABBING SUSPECT TOLD RESPONDING OFFICER HE ‘DID IT’: DOCS

He also called Anthony’s detractors bigots, in what has become a racially charged public discussion. 

dominique alexander of the next generation action network speaks at a press conference

Dominique Alexander of the Next Generation Action Network hosted a news conference on behalf of Karmelo Anthony’s family on April 17. (Next Generation Action Network via Facebook)

“Because these racist bigots try to prevent us from standing up for our baby, our boy, he should be afforded the same rights that Kyle Rittenhouse had, Daniel Penny and all the people who have claimed whatever their defense was. He should be afforded the same right,” Alexander said.

“What [Jeff Metcalf] has felled [sic] into is the political operatives that want to make this thing a political thing of hate and yet bigotry and yet racism,” he said of Austin’s father. “We have conservative operatives that have been posting nonstop about this case.” 

 

Advertisement

NGAN and Frisco ISD declined to comment.

Anthony’s attorney, Mike Howard, did not return a comment request. 

Jeff Metcalf did not return a comment request. 

Read the full article from Here

Continue Reading

Southwest

Judge orders release of Georgetown researcher arrested by ICE after allegedly spreading Hamas propaganda

Published

on

Judge orders release of Georgetown researcher arrested by ICE after allegedly spreading Hamas propaganda

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the release of Badar Khan Suri, the Georgetown University postdoctoral researcher detained by immigration officials in March for allegedly spreading propaganda in support of Hamas.

Federal Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles issued her order from the bench during a court hearing in Virginia, saying that the government presented no evidence to refute Suri’s claims that he was being punished for his views on the war in Gaza.

Suri, who is married to an American citizen, was being held in federal detention in Texas following his arrest.

Suri, an Indian national in the U.S. on a student visa, was accused of “actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media,” a senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official said in a statement in March.

Advertisement

MILWAUKEE JUDGE INDICTED FOR HELPING IMMIGRANT EVADE ICE FACES UP TO 6 YEARS IN PRISON

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown University, was arrested by ICE on Monday over allegations claiming that he spread Hamas propaganda on social media. (Georgetown University)

“Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas,” the DHS statement continued. DHS did not name the suspected terrorist or Hamas advisor.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined on March 15 that Suri’s activities and presence in the U.S. “rendered him deportable” under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the senior official said. The act is a rarely used legal statute that gives Rubio sweeping power to deport those who pose “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.”

Marco Rubio in Dominican Republic

Secretary of State Marco Rubio rendered Badar Khan Suri “deportable” under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a senior DHS official said in March. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool, File)

Suri was duly granted a visa to enter the U.S. to perform doctoral research on peace building in Iraq and Afghanistan, a Georgetown University spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News following his March arrest.

Advertisement

Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

Read the full article from Here

Continue Reading

Southwest

Hiker, 33, dies after hiking Arizona mountains in extreme heat, 4 others rescued

Published

on

Hiker, 33, dies after hiking Arizona mountains in extreme heat, 4 others rescued

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A 33-year-old hiker died and four others were rescued from a mountain range in Arizona during extreme heat on Sunday, authorities said.

The hikers were trekking along the Superstition Mountains near Phoenix when they suffered heat-related issues at around 1 p.m. local time on Sunday, Superstition Fire and Medical said in a social media post.

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Fox News Digital that 33-year-old Noah Farabaugh died during the rescue. The sheriff’s office said no further updates surrounding the death were expected, pending results from the Pinal County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The other four hikers were helped down the mountain and refused to be taken to a hospital, Superstition Fire and Medical said.

Advertisement

FATAL FALL IN WASHINGTON’S NORTH CASCADES KILLS 3, LEAVES 1 SURVIVOR

First responders said one hiker died during the rescue. Four others were helped down the mountain and refused medical attention. (Superstition Fire and Medical )

The five hikers had been on the trail near the Wave Cave trailhead for about six hours when they experienced heat issues, the Arizona Republic reported, citing the Superstition fire officials.

helicopter in the distance flying over Superstition Mountains

The Superstition Mountains are located about 40 miles from Phoenix. (Superstition Fire and Medical )

Temperatures in the area exceeded 100 degrees on Sunday, heat that is around 10 to 15 degrees above normal for this time of year, the National Weather Service in Phoenix said.

HIKERS UNCOVER MYSTERIOUS GOLD-FILLED TREASURE TROVE IN OVERGROWN FIELD: ‘UNUSUALLY LARGE’

Advertisement

Authorities warned hikers to avoid hiking in extreme heat or excessive heat warnings.

Superstition Fire and Medical responders standing near emergency vehicles at mountains

Temperatures in the area exceeded 100 degrees on Sunday, the National Weather Service said. (Superstition Fire and Medical )

“As temperatures climb, so does the risk. Heat illness can set in fast, even for experienced hikers,” Superstition Fire and Medical said in the social media post. “Please stay safe and plan wisely. No hike is worth your life.”

The Superstition Mountains are located about 40 miles from Phoenix.

Read the full article from Here

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending