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http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/dcpi/pr-2005-001.html
PRESS RELEASE
NO. 2005-001
Thursday, January 6, 2005
NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER RAYMOND W. KELLY
ANNOUNCES 13 ARRESTS IN THE TAKEDOWN OF A MOTORCYCLE
THEFT RING
New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly
today announced the arrest of 13 members of a
motorcycle theft ring. The ring utilized swift
turnarounds and the Internet as the key components in
their operation. The ring was so prolific that when
officers made arrests this morning, two suspects had a
freshly stolen motorcycle in their van. The
investigation was carried out by members of the Auto
Crime Division with assistance from Police Departments
in Ohio and California, as well as Nassau and Suffolk
Counties in New York.
The theft ring focused on high-performance motorcycles
of recent vintage. The crew's specialty was to steal a
motorcycle and dismantle it for resale within a few
days. When the vehicles were reduced to pieces, the
thieves would sell the various parts without serial
numbers on popular Internet auction sites.
Engine blocks stamped with a serial number were
usually sold on sites catering to "dwarf car" racing.
Dwarf cars are 5/8th the size of regular vehicles and
are powered by motorcycle engines. Racing these
vehicles is popular in California and other states
where the events take place on privately owned tracks.
In dwarf car racing, the engines work to their limit
and their lifespan can be as short as a week. The
engines are expensive disposable parts.
Police Commissioner Kelly said: "The speed and savvy
this group of criminals used was overcome by the skill
of the Auto Crime Division detectives. Beginning with
no more than an Internet nickname, our investigative
professionals built an entire case against a crew that
worked in the shadows. The officers used their street
smarts as well as their technological know-how and in
the end, got the goods on a crew
responsible for numerous motorcycle thefts. Thank you
all for your excellent work."
This investigation was initiated when a Queens
resident reported a stolen motorcycle to the 104th
Precinct Detective Squad. After reporting the theft,
the victim returned home and began to search online
for a similar bike. To his amazement, he identified
parts for sale from his own motorcycle. There was
small but distinctive scratch on the gas tank that
clearly distinguished it as a part from his bike.
The Auto Crime Division went to work contacting the
seller of the stolen parts through his online ID.
Officers soon arranged the purchase of two stolen
motorcycle engines. The detectives developed a
complete picture of the group and traced their
activities around the country. Police in Ohio and
California intercepted shipments using local warrants
to identify stolen motors and documented them with
digital photographs.
The ring included thieves who stole the motorcycles
and they received critical information from
"locators," innocents employed at a driving school and
an insurance brokerage office. The thieves spotted
prospective bikes and noted the license plate numbers.
They then duped locators into running the plates to
determine the owners' information and most
importantly, where the motorcycle was registered.
Most often late at night, the thieves swooped in and
stole the motorcycles from the owners' residences. In
fact, while investigators waited this morning at crew
member Jose Hernandez's home at 10-38 Bay 32nd Street
in the 101st Precinct, they saw a white van
approaching. The van's driver spotted the police
officers and attempted to screech away. However, the
detectives successfully intercepted the getaway and
discovered that Hernandez was not alone in the van.
Along for the ride was Quincy Pringle and a stolen
2004 Honda CBR 1000. The theft was so recent that the
owner had not yet reported the motorcycle stolen.
The stolen bikes were dismantled at two different
locations and the parts were stored in one of four
separate facilities. The group also kept a driver from
a private garbage company on their payroll to cart
away the scrap pieces.
The separate parts and the engines landed with the
four "fencemen." These individuals, who are also the
group's leaders, employed a variety of web sites and
Internet identifications to sell their stolen wares.
The entire process from steal to sale and disposal
would happen within days.
Officers served 26 search warrants where they seized
more than $160,000 in cash, 90 motorcycles engines, 9
motorcycles, a large assortment of motorcycles parts,
9 computers, an RV and 5 cars. The ringleaders are
Chris Demetrolus, Robert Fili, Mike Kontos and Eric
Kohler, a New York City fireman.
This investigation is ongoing and more arrests are
expected.
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