VIDEO: Thieves steal 8 cars from dealership

KTRK logo
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Tampa Police Investigating Group of Brazen Auto Theft Suspects
Group of suspects vandalized and stole eight vehicles from a Florida car lot.

TAMPA, FL (KTRK) -- A group of approximately 10 suspects broke into an auto dealership and pulled off a mass theft early Friday morning.



In all, the thieves made off with eight vehicles from Prespa Auto Sales in Tampa and damaged 14 others.



Surveillance video from the business shows one of the suspects smashing the front window of the main building, removing the window pane and entering the building with another suspect.



While inside the office, they located a box containing all the keys for the vehicles on the lot. They exited the office and walked out to the lot where at least 8 other suspects were waiting. They started preparing vehicles to drive them off the lot.



During this time, a Honda Odyssey, which brought most of the suspects there, is seen circling the block waiting for the right time to ram the gate to the dealership.



Once all suspects were each in their own stolen vehicle and they had the vehicles lined up to exit the gate, the stolen mini-van rammed the gate allowing all the suspects to flee the scene with eight stolen vehicles. Seven vehicles fled eastbound, while one fled westbound out of the dealership.



At least two additional vehicles were moved within the lot but not taken. One vehicle was left running and another one crashed into a separate second building at the same dealership.



So far, two of the eight vehicles have been recovered. A 2012 white Dodge Ram was recovered and processed by Pasco County SO, and a 2005 BMW Model X3 was involved in a single vehicle crash and recovered by FHP as an abandoned vehicle near mile marker #7 on I-4.



Based on information gathered during the investigation, the suspects are believed to be juveniles and may be linked to a crime group based out of the Orlando area. The Tampa Police Department is in contact with investigators in the Orlando who are assisting with this active investigation.


Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.